MUSI3041 Assignment#5--Zihao

In this blog, the piece I will analyze "Vltava" from "My Country". This piece is a symphonic poem work completed by the famous Czech composer Smetana in 1874-1879. "My Country" consists of six movements, and "Vltava" is the second movement. The piece describes this most important river that originates in the Shumava Mountains and flows through the Bohemian plain. This river has nourished generations of Bohemians and is the mother river of the locals, just like the Yellow River in China.

This piece is in E minor, the time signature is 6/8 and the tempo instruction is Allegro. Since the piece is 12 minutes long and contains so many natural elements, I have divided the piece into a few key points and briefly appreciated them.

At the beginning of the piece, there are two flutes playing fluctuating notes articulating with each other, soon followed by the addition of the clarinet playing the opposite of the flute part in the same way, followed by the strings. It is worth noting that a pizzicato violin sound can be heard here, which seems to imitate the sound of water splashing on the rocks. This part is like many streams flowing from the source and converging and flowing towards the Vltava River.

At 1:34 of the piece, the string section deeply plays the theme of the piece, a beautiful and soothing theme that is carried throughout the piece. Smetana uses strings to play the theme, fully highlighting the lyrical and beautiful characteristics of string instruments. Then from E minor to G major which reflecting the breadth of the Vltava River and expressing his love for the Vltava River.

After a few times of playing the theme, the volume here slowly fades at 4:00 of the piece. The beat of the piece has changed from 6/8 to 2/4. As the brass instruments slowly play a few notes means the night is coming. Then the string section and flute played beautiful melody, which was like people having a great wedding under the moonlight, or like mermaids dancing in the Vltava River under the moonlight.

As the night leaves, the dawn comes with it. At 6:04 of the song, here a string section is used to play long lines of melody in the high range. The flute plays a flowing notes over the melody. Here it seems to tell the story of the slow arrival of morning after a night of merriment. The violin and flute play means the coming of dawn and shows a lively scene on both sides of the Vltava River, also suggesting that the Vltava River is constantly flowing.

At 8:34 of the piece, the theme of the piece appears for the second time, and here is the climax of the piece. Smetana uses a grand brass section to describe the sound of the Vltava River as it continues to flow forward, with the sound of huge waves crashing against the rocks. Here the music picks up speed and is replaced by tension without the gracefulness of what came before. This tension reaches its peak with the addition of timpani.

Finally, at 10:42 of the piece, the emotions are finally released and the theme changes from E minor at the beginning to a bright E major. This is a symbol of the people's victory in their struggle and their joy in victory, as well as of Smetana's love for the Vltava River.