An Exploration of Smetana's Z Domoviny (From My Homeland)
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Music Music 2020 AN EXPLORATION OF SMETANA’S Z DOMOVINY (FROM MY HOMELAND), TWO PIECES FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO, JB 1:118 Yeseul Kim University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2020.407 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Kim, Yeseul, "AN EXPLORATION OF SMETANA’S Z DOMOVINY (FROM MY HOMELAND), TWO PIECES FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO, JB 1:118" (2020). Theses and Dissertations--Music. 169. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/music_etds/169 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Music at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Music by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. 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Yeseul Kim, Student Daniel Mason, Major Professor Dr. Lance Brunner, Director of Graduate Studies AN EXPLORATION OF SMETANA’S Z DOMOVINY (FROM MY HOMELAND), TWO PIECES FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO, JB 1:118 ________________________________________ DMA Project ________________________________________ A DMA project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Kentucky By Yeseul Kim Lexington, Kentucky Director: Mr. Daniel Mason, Professor of Music Lexington, Kentucky 2020 Copyright © Yeseul Kim 2020 ABSTRACT OF DMA PROJECT AN EXPLORATION OF SMETANA’S Z DOMOVINY (FROM MY HOMELAND), TWO PIECES FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO, JB 1:118 Z domoviny (From My Homeland), by Bedřich Smetana (1824-84), is among the most colorful and effective works for violin and piano of the 19th century, and yet it is not as well-known, nor as often performed, as many other works by Antonín Dvořák, Johannes Brahms, Pablo de Sarasate, Henryk Wieniawski and their contemporaries. This document will attempt to balance the work’s place in the repertoire and provide a performer’s guide. It consists of an historical background of the composition, including a biography of Smetana; a discussion of his compositional technique and style, along with an exploration of his nationalistic style; an analysis of this programmatic work with an in- depth study of Smetana’s use of Czech elements such as melody, motif, rhythm, and harmony, including comparisons between Z domoviny, other works by Smetana, and successors of Smetana of similar character; and, finally, suggestions that will assist in the performance of the piece. KEYWORDS: Violin, Smetana, Czech Republic, Violin and Piano Yeseul Kim September 10, 2020 AN EXPLORATION OF SMETANA’S Z DOMOVINY (FROM MY HOMELAND), TWO PIECES FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO, JB 1:118 By Yeseul Kim Daniel Mason Director of DMA Project Dr. Lance Brunner Director of Graduate Studies September 10, 2020 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First, I would like to thank God for his guidance. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). I would like to acknowledge Professor Daniel Mason. I am forever grateful for the 7 years of guidance you have given me. I am thankful for Professors Benjamin Karp, Ben Arnold, and Jonathan Allison, my doctoral committee at the University of Kentucky for their help and support. I cannot thank them enough for their valuable advice and help. To Professor John Nardolillo, thank you for always supporting and believing in me. Finally, Dr. Lance Brunner, thank you for all the life lessons and your unwavering selflessness. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Professor Blair Milton at Northwestern University who taught me how to become the musician and human being I wanted to be. I especially thank my family for their endless love and support. They have been on the other side of the world for the past 10 years, but their thoughts and prayers transcend the distance. Most of all, to my husband Jimmy, who has provided continuous love and encouragement. You know me better than I know myself. Without you, I would not be who I am today. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... iii List of Figures .................................................................................................................... v PART I Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 Life of Smetana ................................................................................................................... 3 Z domoviny- From My Homeland .................................................................................... 13 A Background of Z domoviny ...................................................................................... 13 An Analysis of Z domoviny .......................................................................................... 15 Performing Z domoviny: Performance Suggestions and Investigation of Some of the Technical Difficulties that the Performers May Encounter. ......................................... 27 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 36 PART II DMA Degree Recital Program Notes ............................................................................... 38 Recital I: Chamber Recital ............................................................................................ 38 Recital II ........................................................................................................................ 42 Recital III ...................................................................................................................... 46 Recital IV ...................................................................................................................... 49 Recital V: Lecture Recital ............................................................................................. 53 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 54 Vita .................................................................................................................................... 56 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Z domoviny, first piece, mm. 1-27. .................................................................... 16 Figure 2. Z domoviny, first piece, mm.47-55. ................................................................... 17 Figure 3. Z domoviny, first piece, mm. 85-88. .................................................................. 18 Figure 4. Z domoviny, second piece, mm. 1-11. ............................................................... 19 Figure 5. Piano Trio in G minor by Smetana, mm. 1-8. ................................................... 19 Figure 6. Violin Sonata by Leoš Janáček, mov. 1, mm.1-4. ............................................. 19 Figure 7. Z domoviny, second piece, mm. 62-72. ............................................................. 20 Figure 8. Z domoviny, second piece, mm. 90-114. ........................................................... 21 Figure 9. Excerpt from Smetana’s opera The Bartered Bride, Act III, Skočná, mm. 149- 156, strings only. ............................................................................................................... 21 Figure 10. Z domoviny, second piece, mm. 145-152. ....................................................... 22 Figure 11. Z domoviny, second piece, mm. 162-171 ........................................................ 22 Figure 12. The use of the pentatonic scale in Dvořák's Sonatina, mov. 2, mm. 1-5. ........ 24 Figure 13. Allargando, first piece, Z domoviny ................................................................ 25 Figure 14. Dvořák's Four Romantic Pieces, second piece. .............................................. 26 Figure 15. The opening measure of Z domoviny,