Great works: Smetana's Ma Vlast
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
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What is the course about?
Between around 1872 and 1879, Smetana created a string of symphonic poems entitled Má Vlast. These pieces variously depict details of the Czech landscape and key figures and events from Bohemian history. But why write this extraordinary cycle? And what does a listener need to know in order to understand the stories Smetana is telling? We will dip into each of these pieces, with a particular focus on Vltava, to explore the origins of the music and their ultimate reception – a remarkable achievement for a composer who, by the time he began their creation, was rapidly losing his hearing.
The class is taught live on Zoom.
To access the live class you will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook). Please note a tablet or smart phone is not suitable for this class. The screen size is too small. It will limit your ability to lipread and participate fully in class.
We will contact you by email with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
- Compositional history of Ma Vlast and details of its premieres and publication
- The circumstances of Smetana’s life at the time he composed the pieces
- Their structure and narrative explanations
- Reception of the music within Bohemia and further afield; including reasons for the popularity of Vltava.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Summarise the circumstances of composition of the cycle
- Identify some of the key musical features of Smetana’s writing
- List the characters and events portrayed in the individual symphonic poems
- Explain the difficulty of bringing these pieces to a wider audience – and why their success was relatively limited, with the exception of Vltava.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is intended to be accessible for anyone with an interest in western classical music. We will look at various scores and historical documents during this course but you do not need to read music notation to participate in these activities. All texts will be in English, or accompanied by an English translation. Musical scores are all available free online via IMSLP.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
- Sessions will comprise combinations of lecture, discussion, quizzes, guided listening, video and score study.
- Course materials (handouts, scores, links to online videos) will be shared via google classroom.
- You will be encouraged to do extra reading outside class.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Please have a notebook and pen handy for note-taking.
You may wish to buy some of the music or books recommended in class.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
To find out more about music history classes Music history courses in London and online which lists our full programme of classes ordered by term, and by day of the week. You may then click on each title to read the full course outline.
