Smetana's Má vlast: Czech classical music's national symphonic cycle

Imagine writing a six-part orchestral tribute to your homeland when you can no longer hear a note. That is what Bedřich Smetana did. By late 1874 he was completely deaf, and he went on to compose Má vlast ("My Homeland"), the cycle Czechs treat as a musical national anthem in six movements.

You do not need the history to enjoy it, but the history makes the music land harder. Here is what the work is, what each movement describes and how to hear it in Prague.

What it is

Má vlast is a set of six symphonic poems. A symphonic poem is a single orchestral movement that tells a story or paints a scene, and Smetana composed these between 1874 and 1879. They were played separately at first. The complete cycle was first performed in Prague on 5 November 1882.

The six are Vyšehrad, Vltava, Šárka, Z českých luhů a hájů (From Bohemia's Meadows and Forests), Tábor and Blaník. Together they run for well over an hour. The last two are linked musically, and the final bars bring back the opening theme of Vyšehrad, so the cycle ends where it began.

The six, one by one

Vyšehrad opens with harps, evoking a legendary bard singing about the rock above the river. That theme returns through the cycle like a signature. The fortress is still there, and a walk round its ramparts is a good way to prepare (see our Vyšehrad guide).

Vltava is the famous one. It follows the river from two small springs, through forests where a hunt passes, a village wedding with a polka, a moonlit scene with water nymphs and the rapids at Saint John, before the water broadens and reaches Vyšehrad and Prague. The tune that carries the river is one of the most recognisable in classical music.

Šárka tells a legend of a warrior woman who takes revenge on men after being betrayed. It is quick, dramatic and violent. From Bohemia's Meadows and Forests is a pastoral piece, calm at the start and cheerful by the end. Tábor and Blaník are linked: they draw on the Hussite hymn Ktož jsú boží bojovníci ("You who are God's warriors"), and on the legend of knights sleeping inside Blaník mountain who will wake when the nation needs them.

A listening guide to Vltava

Vltava lasts roughly a dozen minutes and rewards hearing with the story in mind. It begins with flutes and then clarinets, the two springs that feed the river. The main theme enters in the strings and woodwinds, a rising and falling melody that carries the river forward. Around it come hunting horns, a rustic wedding dance, a shimmering night scene and a stormy passage at the rapids. Read a programme note first and you can hear the scene change without a word being spoken.

Why it matters

Smetana wrote in the middle of the Czech national revival, when writers, painters and musicians were building a culture in Czech as well as German. Má vlast is the clearest musical expression of that effort, which is why Czechs do not just admire it but feel it belongs to them.

The Prague Spring festival, founded in 1946, traditionally opens with Má vlast on 12 May, the anniversary of Smetana's death. Radio and television carry the concert, and people who never go to classical concerts listen.

Where to hear it

The natural home is Smetana Hall in the Municipal House, which carries his name (see Municipal House and Smetana Hall). The Rudolfinum is home to the Czech Philharmonic (see the Rudolfinum guide). Check both programmes, because Vltava also turns up in concerts aimed at visitors. How to find a classical concert covers the practical side. Tickets for the Prague Spring opening go on sale far in advance, so look at the festival site early if you plan a May trip.

Walk it

You can follow the music on foot. Vyšehrad comes first, and its cemetery is the resting place of Smetana and other Czech artists. The Vltava runs through the middle of the city, and a stroll along the embankment or across Charles Bridge (when to cross it) gives you the setting for the middle movement. The Bedřich Smetana Museum, near the bridge, belongs to the National Museum; check its opening times before you go (nm.cz).

The other great Czech composer is Dvořák, and the two make a good pair: Smetana the national bard, Dvořák the melodist who travelled. Read Dvořák and the New World Symphony next. For Smetana's comic side, the opera The Bartered Bride is a good start; the State Opera guide tells you where to look.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Is Vltava the same as the Moldau?

Yes. Moldau is the German name for the river, and the piece is often listed under that name abroad.

How long is Má vlast?

Well over an hour for the full cycle, depending on the conductor.

Why is it played on 12 May?

It is the anniversary of Smetana's death in 1884, and the Prague Spring festival traditionally opens with the work on that date.

Can I hear just Vltava?

Yes. It is often played on its own and is the best way in if you are new to the piece.

Next time you stand on Charles Bridge at dusk, hum the river theme under your breath. Czechs will recognise it, and some may join in.