Mother (opera)
Encyclopedia
Mother, op. 35, is a quarter-tone opera in ten scenes by Czech composer Alois Hába
. It was completed in 1929 on the composer's own libretto, its plot is drawn from author's native Valašsko
. The opera is written in prose.
parts of the score Hába approached to the intonational diction of the folk dialect. In spite of the folklore atmosphere of the work, its music is very independent and entirely original. The opera is strongly connected to Moravian
ethnic traditions and takes advantage of local dialect and music
.
Daniel Albright describes it as, "a remarkable work: slightly in awe of its own daring, in that Hába seemed more fascinated by the quarter-tone scale themselves than by any melody
that might be construed from them, and yet resolute in refusing to employ the small intervals in the expected way, as a resource for denoting pain and disorientation [ expressionism
]," instead Hába intended the opera as a peasant comedy in the tradition of Smetana
's Bartered Bride (1866).
in Munich
, Germany
in May 1931.
Alois Hába
Alois Hába was a Czech composer, musical theorist and teacher. He is primarily known for his microtonal compositions, especially using the quarter tone scale, though he used others such as sixth-tones and twelfth-tones....
. It was completed in 1929 on the composer's own libretto, its plot is drawn from author's native Valašsko
Moravian Wallachia
Moravian Wallachia is a mountainous region located in the easternmost part of Moravia, Czech Republic, near the Slovakian border. The name Wallachia was formerly applied to all the highlands of Moravia and neighboring Silesia, although in the nineteenth century a smaller area came to be defined...
. The opera is written in prose.
Background
After Hába successfully resolved instrumental and theoretical problems with quarter-tone system in the 1920s, he started to compose fully in that style. His work is bi-chromatic and in some folklore-inspired scenes and recitativeRecitative
Recitative , also known by its Italian name "recitativo" , is a style of delivery in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary speech...
parts of the score Hába approached to the intonational diction of the folk dialect. In spite of the folklore atmosphere of the work, its music is very independent and entirely original. The opera is strongly connected to Moravian
Moravians (ethnic group)
Moravians are the modern West Slavic inhabitants of the historical land of Moravia, the easternmost part of the Czech Republic, which includes the Moravian Slovakia. They speak the two main groups of Moravian dialects , the transitional Bohemian-Moravian dialect subgroup and standard Czech...
ethnic traditions and takes advantage of local dialect and music
Moravian traditional music
Moravian traditional music represents a part of the European musical culture connected with the regions around the western Carpathian Mountains. It is characterized by a specific melodic and harmonic texture related to the Eastern European musical world...
.
Daniel Albright describes it as, "a remarkable work: slightly in awe of its own daring, in that Hába seemed more fascinated by the quarter-tone scale themselves than by any melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
that might be construed from them, and yet resolute in refusing to employ the small intervals in the expected way, as a resource for denoting pain and disorientation [ expressionism
Expressionism (music)
,Expressionism as a musical genre is difficult to exactly define. It is, however, one of the most important movements of 20th Century music. The three central figures of musical expressionism are Arnold Schoenberg and his pupils, Anton Webern and Alban Berg, the so-called Second Viennese...
]," instead Hába intended the opera as a peasant comedy in the tradition of Smetana
Bedrich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music...
's Bartered Bride (1866).
Performance history
The work was premiered at the GärtnerplatztheaterStaatstheater am Gärtnerplatz
Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz is an opera house and opera company in Munich. Designed by the architect Michael Reiffenstuel, it opened on 5 November 1865 as the city's second opera house after the National Theatre....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in May 1931.
Roles
- Křen, the farmer (tenor)
- Maruša, his wife (soprano)
- Francka, one of Křen's children by his first marriage (soprano)
- Nanka,one of Křen's children by his first marriage (mezzosoprano)
- Maruša, one of Křen's children by his first marriage (soprano)
- Francek, one of Křen's children by his first marriage (tenor)
- Vincek (tenor)
- Maruša's father (bass)
- Sister-in-law (soprano)
- Brother-in-law (bass)
- Priest (tenor)
- First lachrymose old woman (soprano)
- Second lachrymose old woman (soprano)
Synopsis
In a poor part of Moravia there lives a small farmer Křen with his large family. Hard working Křen toiled his first wife to death and married again. His second wife, Maruša, isn't satisfied with the passion of her husband. With her maternal love she eventually succeeds in breaking the defiant nature of her husband, accustomed to physical work and satisfaction. She gives birth to children and brings them up according to her idea of "God's will". She becomes the fellow-observer of life, for ever regenerating itself, in the similar way as the course of life is conceived by the Christian view of the world.Recordings
- Alois Hába: Matka (Mother) (Sung in Czech). Prague National Theatre Chorus and Orchestra, cond. Jiří Jirouš, quarter-tone piano Jiří Pokorný. Supraphon 10 8258-2 612
Further reading
- Vysloužil, Jiří: Hudební slovník pro každého II. Vizovice: Lípa, 1998. ISBN 80-86093-23-9.
External links
- "Alois Haba - Czech Contemporary Composer", Czech music information centre
- "Chronological List of Works of Alois Hába", TonalSoft: Encyclopaedia of Tuning