Page:Guide to the Bohemian section and to the Kingdom of Bohemia - 1906.djvu/167

141 Although to a certain extent influenced by Wagner, Smetana preferred the lyrical and simple melodious form as, being more in keeping with the slavonic spirit. He is the composer of eight operas „Braniboři v Čechách“ (The Prussians in Bohemia), „Dalibor“, „Libuše“, „Prodaná nevěsta“ (The Bartered Bride), „Dvě vdovy“ (Two widows), „Hubička“ (The kiss), „Tajemství“ (The secret), „Čertova stěna“ (The devil’s wall) of which the most popular are those illustrative of country life. His compositions have a wide range; as in addition to the operatic works referred to, he produced some of the most successful comic operas ever performed in Bohemia. The unquestioned merits of his many and varied works, warrant his recognition as the founder of the modern Bohemian school of composition.

Smetana’s heir as a worthy representative of the purely slavonic in musical composition, was Antonín Dvořák, whose name is well known in England where his fame is acknowledged by the frequent performance of many of his best works by the principal choral and orchestral societies. Dvořák’s start in life was very humble, he had more difficulties to overcome in the pursuit of education than the majority even of music’s least favoured sons. But he overcame all obstacles, although for long he had to work for a living amidst surroundings anything but agreable or encouraging, but at first gradually, then rapidly, he advanced to fame and the world’s verdict was, that a great master had arisen in Antonín Dvořák. Attention begat everincreasing interest, until the Austrian government conferred on him a Staats-stipendium or annual allowance from the treasury. Brahms introduced his compositions to the musical public in Vienna; but the work which won for him the ear of all Europe was his Stabat Mater, which speedily became a favourite, especially in England where it was first performed by the London musical society in 1883. This work rises above the strong influences of national feeling so generally found, as we hawehave [sic] before remarked; in Dvořák’s writings, and reaches a more cosmopolitan atmosphere and challenges comparison with the most universally accepted settings of the Latin Hymn. Other compositions are songs etc., very spontaneous and delicate (seven gypsy songs op. 55) and pianoforte compositions