Ioannis Fulias, “A dialectical reading of the relation between musical form and extra-musical content in the symphonic poems of Bedřich Smetana’s cycle Má vlast”, in: Ioannis Fulias, Stamatia Gerothanasi, Theodora Iordanidou, Evanthia Patsiaoura, Chryssie Scarlatos & Evangelia Spyrakou (ed.), 16th Musicological Conference: “Anniversary musical reflections, analytical considerations and critical reflections” (Conference proceedings, under the auspices of the Hellenic Musicological Society, Thessaloniki, 8-10 November 2024), Hellenic Musicological Society, Thessaloniki 2025, p. 15-35.
The relation between musical form and extra-musical content has always been multidimensional and dynamic in the repertoire of programme music, as it is evidenced by numerous representative works from the late 17th to the early 20th century. Among them, an excellent example is the cycle of six symphonic poems that the Bohemian Bedřich Smetana dedicated to his country (Má vlast, 1872-1875 and 1878-1879), immortalising landmarks, mythical figures, nature and folk culture, before eventually exploiting local history and legend as triggers for an anthemic proclamation of his patriotic vision. The present dialectical reading of the overall cycle of My Country starts from Vyšehrad and Tábor, which are organised on the basis of established musical forms, limiting their extra-musical connotations to the level of the general character as well as to only isolated moments of their development, then places Blaník and Šárka at the very opposite side, where the sound representation of the extra-musical plot is released from any formal convention, and ends up in Vltava and Z českých luhů a hájů (From Bohemian Fields and Groves) as examples of a synthesis of the above two diametrically opposed perspectives, to the extent that here the interaction of form and content creates unique amalgams, bringing these two components to an ideal balance.
© Ioannis
Fulias