Bedřich Smetana - Šárka from Má vlast | Ruth Reinhardt | WDR Symphony Orchestra

Bedřich Smetana - Šárka from Má vlast | Ruth Reinhardt | WDR Symphony Orchestra
貝德福德日赫·斯美塔那 - 沙爾卡 從瑪弗拉斯特 | 露絲‧萊因哈特 | 西德廣播交響樂團

21,427 views Jun 17, 2024 WDR FUNKHAUS #Smetana #Šárka
Bedřich Smetana's Šárka from: Má vlast , played by the WDR Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Ruth Reinhardt. Recorded live on 22.02.2024 at the WDR Funkhaus.

Bedřich Smetana - Šárka from Má vlast
WDR Symphony Orchestra
Ruth Reinhardt, conductor

Introduction to the work:
When Bedřich Smetana composed his symphonic poem “Die Moldau” in 1874, he had no idea that he would write one of the most popular works of classical music to this day. And it was not his plan either. Born in Litomyšl in eastern Bohemia, he felt a strong connection to his homeland. He chose Czech subjects for his operas and had the characters sing in Czech. In this way, he contributed to his compatriots' sense of identity - and not only with his operas, but also with instrumental music, namely the cycle of six symphonic poems “Má vlast ”. You could say that he laboriously wrested these works from himself. For he was struck by the worst misfortune that can befall a composer: “In the fall of 1874, I got up one morning and was stone deaf. [...] The greatest torment for me was the almost uninterrupted roaring inside, [...] which began with a false whistle and rose to a terrible scream". Smetana was forced to compose sporadically, usually only for hours at a time.

As early as the 1860s, he had the idea of creating a musical monument to his native Bohemia. A good ten years later, the project took concrete shape - and between 1874 and 1879, the cycle “Má vlast ” was created. He wrote a short program for all six symphonic poems, including number 3, “Šárka” from 1875: “In this composition, it is not the region that is recorded, but the plot, the saga of the maiden Šárka, who swears bitter revenge on the entire male sex in passionate anger over the infidelity of her lover. The sound of weapons can be heard from afar. Ctirad is approaching with his squires to conquer and punish the belligerent girls. He [...] sees Šárka tied to a tree and is enchanted by her beauty. He burns with passion for her and frees her. Šárka takes a drink and puts Ctirad and his squires into a frenzy and finally into a deep sleep. At the sound of a horn, which Šárka's companions answer in the distance, they rush out of the forest and wreak havoc."

(Text: Otto Hagedorn)

Film Provided by ARD Klassik