(Iii) Growth of Czech Nationalism

(iii) Growth of Czech nationalism.
The strong literary and linguistic developments in Bohemia during the last decades of
the 18th century represented a protest, by those who had read Rousseau and Herder,
against the suppression of the Czech language. Dobrovsk embarked on his vitally
important philological and historical studies, and his literary work was continued by
Jungmann. At Prague University a chair of Czech language and literature was founded
in 1791. Thm published the first anthology of old and new poems in 1785 and in 1786
wrote a Czech play, Betislav a Jitka, based on historical legend. The discovery of the
notorious Dvr Krlov (Queen's Court) Manuscript over 30 years later was a more
momentous literary event; supposedly dating from the 13th century, but now considered
a forgery, it prompted numerous settings and a growing pride in the native literary
tradition. Ryba succeeded in having a set of Czech songs published in 1800, and his
example was followed several years later by J.E. Dolelek and Tomek. Bilingual
Czech-German performers of the so-called Patriotic Theatre company staged the first
Czech versions of German Singspiele in the early 1790s and gave a performance of Die
Zauberflte in Czech in 1794. Weigl's Schweitzerfamilie, given in a Czech translation in
1823, initiated a steady flow of translated works from abroad including operas by Mozart,
Cherubini, Mhul and Rossini. Starting with The Tinker (1826), F.J. kroup tried to
establish himself as a composer of Czech operas composing two librettos based on
historical mythology. But with competition from a strong Czech drama troupe and a
superior German opera company, which kroup also conducted, he felt obliged to turn to
German texts.
Czech composers were pioneers of the salon piano pieces greatly favoured during the
Romantic period. Tomek published seven books of Eclogues from 1807, three books
of Rhapsodies from 1810 and three Dithyrambs in 1818, while the Rhapsodies op.1
(1818) and more especially the Impromptus op.7 (1820) of his pupil Voek preceded
and influenced those of Schubert. B.D. Weber was chosen to be the first director of the
Prague Conservatory, which was opened in 1811, and when the Prague Organ School
was started in 1830 for the express purpose of encouraging church music in Bohemia,
Jan Vitsek became its head. Like Tomek, Vitsek was a great admirer of Mozart, who
had taken Prague by storm when he presented Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and
La clemenza di Tito and whose influence among the Czechs remained strong for many
decades after his death. The Cecilsk Jednota (Caecilienverein) and the ofnsk
Akademie (Sophien Akademie), both Prague concert-giving organizations, began in
1840. A growing interest in folksong became apparent when Frantiek Suil issued his
first collection of Moravian songs (1835) and Karel Erben followed it with a book of
Czech songs (1842); both initiated a long succession of volumes resulting in a huge
collection of national songs available to musicians by the 1860s.
The transformation of the political situation caused by the Austrian defeats in Lombardy
in 1859 led to great optimism about the future course of Czech music. Plans laid as early
as 1844 for a Czech stone theatre came to fruition with the opening of the Provisional
Theatre for the performance of Czech opera and drama in 1862. In order to establish a
native repertory of historical and comic operas, Count Harrach instituted a competition in
1861 for scores and librettos; the winning entry, Smetana's The Brandenburgers in
Bohemia (first performed in 1866), also proved one of the most popular works in the
early years of the Provisional Theatre. The crucial role in the national revival played by
the partsong was reflected in the founding of a series of Hlahol (male-voice choral
societies) in Nymburk (1860) Prague (1861) and Plze (1862). Following the
distinguished lead of the Moravian Kkovsk, all major Czech composers contributed to
a growing repertory of choruses. The Umleck Beseda, a society composed of the
leading personalities in each of the arts, was founded in Prague in 1863. Smetana's
decision to compose operas on historical and legendary subjects culminated in Dalibor
(1868) and the epic festival opera Libue, which was held in reserve until 11 June 1881,
for the festive opening of the National Theatre. Within two months of the opening, the
roof, auditorium and stage were destroyed by fire, but the theatre reopened in 1883.
Smetana's cycle of six symphonic poems M vlast represents the continuation and
completion of his aim to glorify the Czech nation in his creative work. His insistence that
national art should adopt contemporary compositional methods and not be based on
folksong led to opposition from traditionalists and misunderstanding by the public. They
enjoyed The Brandenburgers in Bohemia, The Bartered Bride (1866; fig.3) and to a
lesser extent The Kiss (1876), but failed to appreciate Dalibor. During his eight years as
principal conductor of the Provisional Theatre (186674) Smetana broadened the
repertory, mainly by reducing its Italian content and including several new Czech works
by such composers as ebor, Rozkon, Bendl, Vojek and Blodek; even so, the
proportion of operetta in the repertory, much of it by Offenbach, also increased. With his
own compositions he raised the quality of Czech music to a level of distinction, and at
the same time established a style that has come to be seen as quintessentially Czech.
Smetana was an ardent patriot who had little interest in having his works performed abroad, and
whose aim was to provide a repertory of Czech music. When Dvok (his junior by 17 years)
became known, the struggle to give Czech art and culture its rightful place in the life of the nation
had been largely achieved. He too was by nature a patriot, although not an extreme one. His
music may also be seen as genuinely Czech, but he was perfectly willing to let the outside world
share it with his own people. His greatest successes were in fact in England and the USA. He was
determined, however, to write a stage work that would win a permanent place in the hearts of the
Czech people, and towards the end of his life he succeeded with Rusalka (1901), a fairy-tale
opera of great lyrical beauty written partly on Wagnerian lines. His interest in Wagner and Verdi
influenced his work at various times, but his admiration for Brahms also left a lasting impression.

(Iii) Growth of Czech Nationalism

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(iii) Growth of Czech nationalism.

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