CZECH MUSIC THE

JOURNAL OF THE DVORAK SOCIETY

Volume 18 Number 2

Winter 1994 CONTENTS Page

Obituaries: Rudolf FirkuSny, Michael Henderson, FrantiSek Jilek, Graeme Matheson-Bruce, Jarmila Novotnä, Milan PoStolka, Jaroslav §eda

4

The Beginnings of Dvofäk's Musical Education by Jarmil Burghauser

32

Tracking the Wrong Indians: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Peter Alexander

52

The Dvofäk Myths in Spillville by Harvey Klevar and Paul Polansky

64

What's American About Dvofäk's "American" Quartet and Quintet by Hartmut Schick

72

On the Real Value of Yellow Journalism: James Creelman and Antonin Dvofäk by Michael Beckerman

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Dvofäk in a New Röle by John Clapham and Graham Melville-Mason

100

The Case Against Bohuslav Martinü by Count D.R.A. Cula

127

The Case For Bohuslav Martinü by Michael Henderson

133

Book Reviews

by Karel Janovicky and Graham Melville-Mason

145

Music Reviews

by Graham Melville-Mason

158

Record Reviews

by Peter Herbert, Karel Janovicky, Graham Melville-Mason, Graham Slater

162

Edited by GRAHAM MELVILLE-MASON The Editor welcomes contributions to Czech Music on any aspect of Czech and Slovak music, past, present or future. Articles, reviews, as well as Information of general interest, should be sent to: Graham Melville-Mason 69, Grasmere Road, LONDON N10 2DH

WHAT'S AMERICAN ABOUT DVORÄK'S "AMERICAN" QUARTET AND QUINTET by Hartmut Schick

O n e h u n d r e d y e a r s a f t e r A n t o n i n D v o f ä k ' s v a c a t i o n in S p i l l v i l l e , I o w a , in t h e s u m m e r of 1 8 9 3 , d u r i n g w h i c h he w r o t e his String Quartet in F (Op.96)[B.179] a n d his String Quintet in Eh (Op.97)[B. 180], t h e r e is c o n t i n u i n g still t h e c o n t r o v e r s y a b o u t t h e " A m e r i c a n " c h a r a c t e r of t h e s e w o r k s , as w a s s h o w n in t h e p a n e l discussions at t h e I o w a D v o f ä k C e n t e n n i a l S y m p o s i u m in I o w a C i t y in A u g u s t 1 9 9 3 . M u c h has b e e n w r i t t e n o n t h e i m p a c t o f A m e r i c a o n t h e m u s i c D v o f ä k w r o t e in t h i s c o u n t r y , m o s t l y s e a r c h i n g f o r 1

]

See e s p e c i a l l y A n t o n i n S y c h r a : E s t e t i k a Dvofäkovy symfonicke tvorby, P r a h a , 1959 (German t r a n s l a t i o n : Antonln Dvo/äk. Z u r Ästhetik seines symphonischen Schaffens, Leipzig, 1973) ; J o h n Clapham: Dvofäk and t h e Impact o f A m e r i c a , i n T h e M u s i c R e v i e w , 1 5 , 1954, pp.203-211 and Clapham: Dvofäk and t h e

72

p o s s i b l e r e l a t i o n s b e t w e e n its t h e m e s a n d s o n g s of A f r i c a n A m e r i c a n s or n a t i v e A m e r i c a n s w h i c h D v o r a k m i g h t h a v e heard t h e r e . O f t e n it has b e e n p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e p e n t a t o n i c i s m o f his A m e r i c a n w o r k s is n o t h i n g c o m p l e t e l y n e w in his c o m p o s i t i o n a l O u t p u t , w h i c h is as r i g h t as is w r o n g t h e o p i n i o n of a broader (European) p u b l i c , w h o regard t h o s e w o r k s as t y p i c a l D v o f ä k , o n l y b e c a u s e t h e y are a m o n g t h e m o s t f a m o u s , at t h e s a m e t i m e t a k i n g p e n t a t o n i c i s m as c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of B o h e m i a n f o l k s o n g , w h i c h also it is n o t . Even s c h o l a r s , h o w e v e r , rarely h a v e t r i e d t o reveal t h e uniqueness of these w o r k s in penetrating t h e c o m p o s i t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e b e y o n d t h e e x o t i c c o l o u r of t h e i r m e l o d i e s . H e r e , t o o , it s e e m s t o be f r u i t f u l t o distinguish more clearly b e t w e e n t h e p r e v i o u s l y w r i t t e n Symphony No.9 in e minor, (Op.95)[B.178], "From the New World" a n d t h e Spillville Chamber m u s i c . 2

W h e n a s k i n g w h e t h e r D v o f ä k ' s A m e r i c a n w o r k s are really " A m e r i c a n " or still B o h e m i a n in s t y l e , t h e r e c a n be no d o u b t t h a t at least D v o f ä k h i m s e l f i n t e n d e d t h e m t o be e s s e n t i a l l y A m e r i c a n . A s is w e l l k n o w n , he m a i n t a i n e d f r e q u e n t l y t h a t in his "New World" Symphony, t h e Quartet a n d t h e Quintet he h a d a t t e m p t e d t o grasp t h e " s p i r i t " of A m e r i c a n m u s i c , using t h e language of late n i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y European m u s i c . O b v i o u s l y he w a s v e r y m u c h i n t e r e s t e d in t h e c h a n t s a n d s o n g s of t h e A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n s as w e l l as t h e n a t i v e A m e r i c a n s and in t h e traditional and n e w l y c r e a t e d f o l k s o n g s o f t h e w h i t e p o p u l a t i o n . Y e t , f u r t h e r m o r e , w e s h o u l d n o t e t h a t he c o n s i d e r e d e v e n t h e s o n g s of t h e Irish i m m i g r a n t s as an A m e r i c a n phenomenon. Even w h e n w r i t i n g a b o u t " t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h i s c o u n t r y " o n his S y m p h o n y , he s a y s : " i t m e a n s t h e f o l k s o n g s t h a t are Negro, Indian, Irish e t c . T o this w e m u s t surely h a v e t o a d d t h e 3

4

American I n d i a n ,

in T h e M u s i c a l

Times,

1 0 7 , 1966,

pp.863-867.

2

An exception i s David Beveridge: Sophisticated Primitivism: The S i g n i f i c a n c e o f P e n t a t o n i c i s m i n Dvofäk's American Quartet, i n C u r r e n t M u s i c o l o g y , 2 4 , 1977, pp.25-36. See a l s o S c h i c k : S t u d i e n z u D v o f a k s Streichquartetten, (Neue H e i d e l b e r g e r S t u d i e n z u r M u s i k w i s s e n s c h a f t , 17), L a a b e r , 1990, pp.262-282. 3

S e e e s p e c i a l l y t h e a r t i c l e : Dvofäk on h i s New Work, i n The New York Herald, 1 5 t h . December 1893, reprinted in Clapham, J . : Dvofäk, Newton A b b o t & London, 1979, p.201. 4

L e t t e r t o F r a n c e s c o B e r g e r , 1 2 t h . J u n e 1894, i n A n t o n l n Dvo/ak: Koresponence a dokumenty, e d . M i l a n Kuna et.al.,

73

S c o t s . T h e r e f o r e , for e x a m p l e , t h e striking s y n c o p a t i o n s in D v o f ä k ' s A m e r i c a n m u s i c o u g h t t o be t a k e n as an A m e r i c a n s t y l i s t i c d e v i c e , e v e n if one w o u l d claim t h e " S c o t c h s n a p " t o be t h e i r o r i g i n a n d n o t t h e n e g r o s p i r i t u a l or c a k e w a l k , or similar p h e n o m e n a in t h e m u s i c o f n a t i v e A m e r i c a n s . T h e s a m e is t r u e w i t h t h e t o u c h i n g s o n g - l i k e t h e m e s w h i c h s o u n d so Irish t o our ears. In c o n s e q u e n c e , one w o u l d h a v e t o l o o k e v e n o n g e n u i n e C z e c h e l e m e n t s as " A m e r i c a n " in D v o f ä k ' s A m e r i c a n m u s i c , if t h e y r e f l e c t his e n c o u n t e r w i t h C z e c h i m m i g r a n t s w h o h a v e b e c o m e p a r t o f t h e American nation and culture themselves. Curiously e n o u g h , Czech e l e m e n t s , like t h e p o l k a t h e m e in t h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t o f t h e "New World" Symphony, are t o t a l l y m i s s i n g in D v o f ä k ' s m u s i c j u s t a t t h e m o m e n t w h e n D v o f ä k is a m o n g s t his c o m p a t r i o t s , a m o n g t h e C z e c h A m e r i c a n s o f Spillville, I o w a . T h i s is in s p i t e of t h e f a c t t h a t o t h e r w i s e D v o f ä k ' s " S p i l l v i l l e " Chamber m u s i c a b s o r b e d s o m a n y external impressions the composer had received there! T h i s c a n be e x p l a i n e d by s u g g e s t i n g t h a t , in Spillville, D v o f ä k has d e f i n e d m u c h m o r e s h a r p l y his s e l f - i m p o s e d P r o g r a m m e o f w r i t i n g American m u s i c , t a k i n g t h i s t a s k m o r e s e r i o u s l y t h a n he h a d d o n e in his S y m p h o n y c o m p o s e d in N e w Y o r k j u s t b e f o r e . B a s i c a l l y , t h e Symphony No.9 in e minor i s , in t e r m s of s t y l e , a n o r m a l s y m p h o n y o f E u r o p e a n late r o m a n t i c i s m w i t h o n l y s o m e e x o t i c t h e m e s , e v e n if w e r e c o g n i z e its r e l a t i o n t o L o n g f e l l o w ' s Hiawatha, w h i c h has b e e n p o i n t e d o u t b y M i c h a e l B e c k e r m a n . It is a S y m p h o n y w h i c h s t i l l c a n be s e e n in t h e line o f B e e t h o v e n . T h e s l o w i n t r o d u c t i o n g e n e r a t e s in a t r a d i t i o n a l m a n n e r t h e later m a i n s u b j e c t ; t h e f i r s t movement e x h i b i t s B r a h m s i a n " d e v e l o p i n g V a r i a t i o n " in an e x e m p l a r y m a n n e r ; t h e p a s t o r a l c h a r a c t e r of t h e s l o w m o v e m e n t is a well-established feature of s y m p h o n i e s since Beethoven and B e r l i o z ; t h e S c h e r z o u n m i s t a k a b l y relates t o t h e S c h e r z o of B e e t h o v e n ' s Symphony No.9; t h e r e c u r r e n c e of t h e m e s in later m o v e m e n t s a n d e s p e c i a l l y t h e Finale also is by no m e a n s a n e w d e v i c e in t h e n i n e t e e n t h Century s y m p h o n y . 5

vol.III, 5

Praha,

1989,

p.268.

B e c k e r m a n , M. : Dvofäk's of Hiawatha, i n 1 9 t h . - C e n t u r y pp.35-48.

"New W o r l d " L a r g o and T h e Song M u s i c , v o l . X V I / 1 , Summer 1992,

74

It is n o t t h e s a m e w i t h t h e Spillville Chamber m u s i c w o r k s . T h e y s e e m - t h e Quartet m o r e t h a n t h e Quintet - t o s t a n d in d i r e c t O p p o s i t i o n t o t h e t r a d i t i o n o f their g e n r e , b e h a v i n g d e c i d e d l y a n t i E u r o p e a n w h i c h m e a n s , in t h i s c a s e , a b o v e all a n t i - G e r m a n . O f c o u r s e , s u c h an Opposition c a n b e s t be d e m o n s t r a t e d in t h a t genre w h i c h has t h e m o s t rigid a n d m o s t c o n s e r v a t i v e a e s t h e t i c s , n a m e l y t h e s t r i n g q u a r t e t - t h e m o s t " c i v i l i z e d " of all t h e m u s i c a l g e n r e s . I n d e e d , it is c u r i o u s t o o b s e r v e t h a t t h e y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n o f c o m p o s e r s of s t r i n g q u a r t e t s are still m u c h m o r e a d h e r e n t t o t h e s e a e s t h e t i c s t h a n D v o f ä k w a s in his " A m e r i c a n " Q u a r t e t . Just c o m p a r e it w i t h D e b u s s y ' s String Quartet in g minor (Op. 10) c o m p o s e d in t h e s a m e year of 1 8 9 3 or Z e m l i n s k y ' s String Quartet No.1 inA (Op.4) of 1 8 9 7 . W h i c h are t h e s e u n c o n v e n t i o n a l or " u n c i v i l i z e d " f e a t u r e s ? Firstly: D v o f ä k ' s O p u s 9 6 p r e t e n d s t o be n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n c u l t i v a t e d Hausmusik, m u s i c f o r d o m e s t i c u s e . T e c h n i c a l l y it is so easy t h a t D v o f ä k , being a viola player, c o u l d play t h e f i r s t violin p a r t in Spillville. A s a w h o l e , it c a n be p l a y e d w i t h o u t t o o m a n y p r o b l e m s b y a n y r e a s o n a b l y g o o d a m a t e u r e n s e m b l e . W i t h t h a t q u a l i t y , it o p p o s e s clearly t h e t e n d e n c y of t h e g r o w i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m in t h e d e m a n d s of q u a r t e t w r i t i n g w h i c h , since B e e t h o v e n , h a d lead t o s t r i n g q u a r t e t s being c o m p o s e d f o r p r o f e s s i o n a l e n s e m b l e s a n d P e r f o r m a n c e in c o n c e r t halls. T h u s , already w i t h regard t o i n s t r u m e n t a l t e c h n i q u e , t h e String Quartet in F b e l o n g s , s o t o s a y , r a t h e r t o a place near t h e m a r g i n s of c i v i l i z a t i o n , j u s t as Spillville w a s , t h a n t o Prague, Berlin or L o n d o n . In t e r m s o f its C o n t e n t s , a c t u a l l y it b e l o n g s m o r e t o t h e o p e n air t h a n t o a c i t y c o n c e r t hall, for it is definitely a piece of nature m u s i c , n o t b y a c c i d e n t w r i t t e n in t h e classical pastoral key of F m a j o r . T h u s , t h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t Starts w i t h a s t a t i c b u t o s c i l l a t i n g s o u n d p a t t e r n , like W a g n e r ' s Waidweben. Into t h i s s o u n d i n g " l a n d s c a p e " o b v i o u s l y e n t e r s a s i n g i n g , e v e n r e j o i c i n g , m a n , as e x p r e s s e d in t h e m e l o d y o f t h e v i o l a , n o t by accident D v o f ä k ' s o w n i n s t r u m e n t . I a m sure t h a t here w e h a v e a kind of s e l f - p o r t r a y a l of D v o f ä k arriving in Spillville a n d b e i n g o v e r w h e l m e d b y t h e n a t u r e he h a d f o r s o l o n g b e e n m i s s i n g in N e w Y o r k . T o this also c o r r e s p o n d t h e v a r i o u s bird-call m o t i f s in the Scherzo. 6

6

in

These p a s t o r a l S c h i c k , H. o p . c i t .

t r a i t s are discussed pp.268-273.

75

more

extensively

N o w , t h e r e are p a s t o r a l w o r k s in t h e S y m p h o n i e m u s i c o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h Century but n o t in t h e s t r i n g q u a r t e t a n d t h i s is n o t b y accident. P o r t r a y i n g n a t u r e " i s j u s t n o t d o n e " in t h e m o s t d i s t i n g u i s h e d g e n r e o f Chamber m u s i c . It is a f a r t o o u n e i v i l i z e d t h i n g t o d o . A c c o r d i n g t o European - a n d especially G e r m a n - n o r m s , it is a lapse in m a t t e r s of style also t h a t , in t h e last m o v e m e n t o f t h e Q u a r t e t , D v o f ä k o b v i o u s l y inserts r e m i n i s c e n c e s o f his o r g a n p l a y i n g in t h e c h u r c h at Spillville. E l e m e n t s o f P r o g r a m m e m u s i c h a v e n o b u s i n e s s b e i n g in t h e European s t r i n g q u a r t e t . Thus the only e m i n e n t p r e c e d e n t f o r t h i s , S m e t a n a ' s String Quartet No. 1 in e minor (From My Life), a l w a y s w a s r e g a r d e d as a v e r y p e r s o n a l e x c e p t i o n , critieized o f t e n enough even s o . S t r i c t l y s p e a k i n g , t h e s e p a s s a g e s w i t h s t y l i z e d o r g a n m u s i c also c a u s e a f o r m a l b r e a k , f o r t h e y are i n s e r t e d a l m o s t in a p a t c h w o r k manner. T h i n g s are similar w i t h t h e n e w t h e m e , w h i c h D v o f ä k i n t r o d u c e s in t h e r e c a p i t u l a t i o n o f t h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t - t h e ' c e l l o m e l o d y in Dl? a t bar 1 2 3 . Appearing w i t h o u t any obvious m o t i v a t i o n , t h e t h e m e v a n i s h e s w i t h o u t b e i n g u n f o l d e d . J u s t as s c a n t i l y m o t i v a t e d w o u l d s e e m t o be t h e s m a l l , p o i n t e d l y s i m p l e a n d p e n t a t o n i c fugato f r o m t h e d e v e l o p m e n t s e c t i o n o f t h i s m o v e m e n t , w h i c h d o e s n o t s e e m ever t o have heard o f t h e p r i n c i p l e o f t h e a n s w e r i n g e n t r y at t h e i n t e r v a l o f a f i f t h . A g a i n , in t h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t o f t h e String Quintet in Eb (Op.97) a n e w t h e m e a p p e a r s in t h e d e v e l o p m e n t , at bar 1 4 5 , f r o m w h i c h D v o f ä k also t a k e s no consequence. Evidently, in his A m e r i c a n Chamber m u s i c , D v o f ä k ' s m u s i c a l t h i n k i n g w a s less o r i e n t a t e d t o w a r d s t h e t r a d i t i o n a l rules o f m u s i c a l l o g i c , s u c h as is p e r f e c t l y e m b o d i e d in B e e t h o v e n a n d B r a h m s . W h i l e , s i n c e B r a h m s , European Chamber m u s i c b e g a n t o e x t e n d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t s e c t i o n t o t h e w h o l e m o v e m e n t , it is j u s t t h i s e l e m e n t w h i c h D v o f ä k r e d u c e s c o n s i d e r a b l y in Spillville. In b o t h w o r k s it is o n l y t h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t s t h a t are s h a p e d in Sonata f o r m , i n c l u d i n g a d e v e l o p m e n t s e c t i o n w h i c h , in b o t h c a s e s , is v e r y Short a n d l o o k s r a t h e r u n e x c i t i n g . A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e final r o n d o f r o m t h e Quintet s e e m s t o replace q u i t e clearly t h e m o m e n t o f t h e m a t i c w o r k i n g a n d evolution by stringing together fixed sections. T h e 1 1 3 bars of t h e f i r s t f o u r s e c t i o n s are s i m p l y r e p e a t e d w i t h o u t a n y c h a n g e e x c e p t t r a n s p o s i t i o n a n d lack a n y d e v e l o p m e n t s e c t i o n s a t a l l . T h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t o f t h e Quintet, in f a c t , f o l l o w s t h e basic d y n a m i c s h a p e

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of Sonata f o r m . By repeating t h e s l o w i n t r o d u c t i o n at t h e e n d of t h e m o v e m e n t , t h e musical process becomes cyclic and seems t o have n o t a r g e t and no real f o r w a r d progress. In c o n t r a s t , j u s t i m a g i n e t h e s l o w i n t r o d u c t i o n of t h e "New World" Symphony r e p e a t e d at t h e e n d of t h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t ! T h e latent static nature of nearly all f o r m s in b o t h c o m p o s i t i o n s has i t s e q u i v a l e n t in t h e t e n d e n c y also t o n o n - d e v e l o p i n g r h y t h m s . In n o n e o f D v o f ä k ' s w o r k s are r h y t h m i c o s t i n a t i m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n in t h e String Quintet (Op.97). In t h e Lento of t h e String Quartet in F, t h e part f o r t h e viola is so m o n o t o n o u s , w i t h an a l m o s t u n c h a n g i n g a c c o m p a n y i n g f i g u r e , t h a t t h e usual q u a r t e t d i a l o g u e b e t w e e n all f o u r i n s t r u m e n t s o n equal t e r m s is o u t of t h e q u e s t i o n . T h e d i s c u r s i v e principle of Chamber m u s i c f r o m H a y d n t o B r a h m s , w h i c h is based u p o n a m u s i c a l logic a n d p l a n n e d e v o l u t i o n , in b o t h of D v o f ä k ' s w o r k s here declines in f a v o u r of principles b e l o n g i n g t o t h e music of b o t h A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n s a n d n a t i v e A m e r i c a n s , s u c h as r e p e t i t i o n a n d a d d i t i o n of m e l o d i c a n d r h y t h m i c u n i t s , as w e l l as a d d i t i v e s t r u c t u r e s w h i c h are either s t a t i c or m o v i n g in a c i r c l e . Of course, the abstinence f r o m intensively t h e m a t i c w o r k and d r a m a t i c d e v e l o p m e n t lends t h i s m u s i c its c h a r m i n g relaxed ease. W h e t h e r , h o w e v e r , t h i s a p p a r e n t a t t i t u d e of " t a k i n g t h i n g s a bit m o r e e a s y " , w h i c h t o d a y is k n o w n as s o m e t h i n g t y p i c a l l y A m e r i c a n , w a s in c o r r e s p o n d e n c e t o t h e A m e r i c a n m e n t a l i t y at t h e e n d of t h e n i n e t e e n t h Century or j u s t D v o f ä k in holiday m o o d , r e m a i n s a m y s t e r y . H o w e v e r , I a m sure t h a t , e v e n t h e n , t h i s a t t i t u d e w a s r e g a r d e d as p a r t i c u l a r l y n o n - G e r m a n i c a n d in t h i s r e s p e c t also d i s t a n c e d itself f r o m Europe. W h a t a b o u t t h e s p e c i f i c m e l o d i c material of t h e t w o c o m p o s i t i o n s ? It is c e r t a i n l y no a c c i d e n t t h a t , e v e n up t o t o d a y , t h e Joint diligence o f m a n y e x p e r t s has n o t been able t o f u r n i s h p r o o f of a n y of D v o f ä k ' s m o t i f s o r i g i n a t i n g d i r e c t l y f r o m Indian or N e g r o m u s i c . E v e n t h e a r g u m e n t linking t h e spiritual Swing Low t o t h e "New World" Symphony, in m y o p i n i o n , is n o t a c o m p e l l i n g o n e . I a m c o n v i n c e d t h a t D v o f ä k t o o k t h e m u s i c of t h e v a r i o u s e t h n i c g r o u p s in A m e r i c a as no m o r e t h a n a f u n d of p a t t e r n s f r o m w h i c h he a b s t r a c t e d melodic and r h y t h m i c principles, t h e r e b y preferring t o use in these w o r k s s u c h principles as w e r e alien t o European art m u s i c . S o m e t i m e s even the first idea of a t h e m e is rather n e u t r a l , n o t t o be

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l i c k e d i n t o p e n t a t o n i c s h a p e until later o n , as Klaus D ö g e s h o w e d f r o m t h e S k e t c h e s o f t h e "New World" Symphony. The third s u b j e c t f r o m t h e String Quartet (Op.96), [see Ex.1] also d o e s n o t l o o k v e r y " A m e r i c a n " y e t in t h e S k e t c h e s [a]. T h e m u c h s t r o n g e r e x o t i c i s m o f t h e f i n a l v e r s i o n [b] is o b v i o u s l y s o m e t h i n g a r t i f i c i a l , a p r o d u c t of D v o r a k himself. Generally, D v o f ä k e n d e a v o u r e d t o grasp t h e spirit o f t h e m e l o d i e s he m e t a n d m a r r y t h e m t o his o w n ideas, n o t t o a d o p t original f o r e i g n t u n e s d i r e c t l y as E d w a r d M a c D o w e l l did, for e x a m p l e , w h o w r o t e a Indian Suite at t h i s s a m e p e r i o d w i t h Indian t u n e s d r a w n f r o m T h e o d o r e B a k e r ' s d i s s e r t a t i o n Über die Musik der nordamerikanischen Wilden, (Leipzig, 1 8 8 2 . ) . 1

Ex.1 N a t u r a l l y , n o t e v e r y t h i n g a b o u t t h e t w o Spillville Chamber w o r k s is " A m e r i c a n " a n d n e i t h e r , by t h e s a m e t o k e n , are t h e y b o t h " n o n E u r o p e a n " . For e x a m p l e , t h e v a r i a t i o n s m o v e m e n t f r o m t h e String Quintet c o r r e s p o n d s v e r y m u c h t o t h a t f r o m D v o f ä k ' s String Sextet in A (Op.48)[B.80] o f 1 8 7 8 a n d c o u l d be s i t u a t e d in a n y preA m e r i c a n Chamber w o r k , e v e n t h o u g h D v o f ä k originally w r o t e t h e t h e m e for a s o n g p u t t o English w o r d s . T h e Quintet d i f f e r s f r o m t h e Quartet in t h a t it u n d o u b t e d l y requires p r o f e s s i o n a l p l a y e r s a n d s o , in this respect of c o u r s e , belongs t o " c o n c e r t hall m u s i c " . H o w e v e r , at t h e s a m e t i m e , t h e m o s t anti-European m o v e m e n t is f o u n d in t h i s Quintet, n a m e l y t h e Scherzo, w i t h its o s t i n a t o r h y t h m t h r o u g h o u t , m o s t l y in t h e viola p a r t . Even if t h e r e m a y be a s l i g h t r e s e m b l a n c e t o t h e Scherzo of B e e t h o v e n ' s String Quartet No.7 in F (Op.59 No. 1), in t h e v e r y f i r s t b a r s , it is e x t r e m e l y u n u s u a l in European m u s i c n o t t o Start w i t h either a m e l o d y or at least an h a r m o n i c c h o r d a l s t r u c t u r e . H e r e , i n s t e a d , w e f i n d a n a k e d , in a w a y f l a t , rhythm clearly evoking a drum, which is an invariable 8

7

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a c c o m p a n i m e n t t o a n y Indian m u s i c . N o A m e r i c a n Indian w o u l d Start s i n g i n g unless a d r u m h a d e s t a b l i s h e d i t s p a t t e r n in j u s t s u c h a w a y . A l s o t h e Quartet's last m o v e m e n t begins a n d w o r k s s c a r c e l y less o b v i o u s l y w i t h a " d r u m " r h y t h m , t h o u g h t h i s is s e t in t w o p a r t s a n d s o a t least s u g g e s t s a t o n i c . T h e r e b y , D v o f ä k o f course Signals t h a t it is actually unsuitable to a c c o m p a n y " I n d i a n " m e l o d i e s h a r m o n i c a l l y a n d in several v o i c e s , e v e n if one tries t o avoid characteristics o f European h a r m o n y , s u c h as leading n o t e s , as he d o e s . T h i s c o n t r a d i c t i o n b e t w e e n a g i v e n A m e r i c a n m u s i c , w h i c h is essentially for one v o i c e , a n d an e n s e m b l e w i t h several m e l o d y i n s t r u m e n t s , w h i c h b y itself requires a p o l y p h o n i c t e x t u r e , c o m e out quite o f t e n . It appears p e r f e c t l y clearly at t h e beginning of t h e String Quintet (Op.97) [see E x . 2 ] . A s h a s n e v e r o c c u r r e d in D v o f ä k ' s c o m p o s i t i o n s b e f o r e , t h e Quintet a c t u a l l y Starts w i t h o n l y o n e v o i c e t h r o u g h o u t t h e f i r s t f o u r bars (second viola). W h e n the other four instruments enter, no c o n t r a p u n t a l m o v e m e n t arises b u t w e hear a nature-like s o u n d w o r l d w i t h e c h o f i g u r e s , f l o a t i n g a b o v e a d r o n e bass o f a f i f t h w h i c h , b y bar n i n e , still r e f u s e s t o s u p p l y t h e m a t c h i n g h a r m o n i e s .

Ex.2

79

A n o t h e r a n d f a r m o r e e x t r e m e u n h a r m o n i z e d p a s s a g e is t h e e n t i r e f i r s t s u b j e c t o f t h e String Quartet in F fOp.96), w h i c h is e m b e d d e d o n l y in a c h o r d o f F m a j o r . A l s o a n o t h e r h a r m o n i c a l l y s t a t i c a n d r h y t h m i c o s t i n a t o s t r u c t u r e o f a c c o m p a n i m e n t , r e a c t i n g only e v e r y f e w bars o n t h e t h e m e , is f o u n d at t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e s l o w m o v e m e n t o f t h i s Quartet. A similar S i t u a t i o n o c c u r s w i t h t h e s e c o n d s u b j e c t o f t h e Finale (see E x . 3 ) .

Ex.3 Finally, t h e g m i n o r t h e m e o f t h e Finale o f t h e Quintet also is n o t h a r m o n i z e d . (see E x . 4 ) O n l y o n e Single c h o r d , played pizzicato, is u n d e r l a i d , t h e melody t h u s being accompanied mainly b y r h y t h m . 9

Ex.4

9

T h i s n o n - h a r m o n i c accompaniment i s a l s o t h e main d i f f e r e n c e between t h e q u i t e s i m i l a r themes i n Smetana's P i a n o T r i o i ng m i n o r (1855, r e v . 1 8 5 7 ) and S c h u b e r t ' s P i a n o T r i o N o . 2i n E h (Op.100)[D.929](1827), which has been i n e n t i o n e d by J o h n Clapham i n h i s Dvofäk a n d t h e Impact o f A m e r i c a , o p . c i t . , p.208.

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A n u m b e r of o t h e r t h e m e s D v o f ä k d o e s p r o v i d e w i t h a regulär h a r m o n i c s t r u c t u r e , t h o u g h o f t e n t h e leading n o t e is m i s s i n g . Even h e r e t h e a c c o m p a n i m e n t is c o n s p i c u o u s l y t h r i f t y a n d p o i n t e d l y s i m p l e , as if D v o f ä k w a n t e d t o s a y : " a c t u a l l y it is a b o u t a t u n e originally for one voice only". Compare the main subject f r o m the String Quintet (Op.97) (see E x . 5 ) , t h e Minore theme from the Scherzo o f t h e s a m e w o r k (see Ex.6) w i t h its v e r y d i s c r e e t pizzicato a c c o m p a n i m e n t , or t h e piain a n d s i m p l e t e x t u r e at t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e Finale, as w e l l a s , f r o m t h e String Quartet (Op.96), t h e t h i r d s u b j e c t of t h e first m o v e m e n t (bar 4 4 et.seq.) or t h e s e c o n d s u b j e c t f r o m t h e r e c a p i t u l a t i o n o f t h e final m o v e m e n t (see E x . 7 ) .

Ex.5

Ex.6

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Ex.7 H e r e , t h e v o c a l , s o l o i s t i c air o f t h e s e t h e m e s , w h i c h s e e m t o leave t h e i n s t r u m e n t a l t e x t u r e , is e m p h a s i z e d especially b y t h e l a c k o f t h e a c c o m p a n y i n g thirds w h i c h Dvofäk otherwise loved so m u c h . Parallel t h i r d s w o u l d s i m p l y be m u c h t o o " E u r o p e a n " . I n c i d e n t a l l y , I s u s p e c t that, a t the b e g i n n i n g o f the String Quintet (Op.97) (see E x . 2 ) , a m a i n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f e a t u r e o f t h e m u s i c o f b o t h A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n s a n d n a t i v e A m e r i c a n s is h i n t e d a t in t h e feature o f r e s p o n s o r i a l s i n g i n g , t h e a l t e r n a t i o n b e t w e e n a p r e c e n t o r a n d a r e s p o n d i n g c h o i r . Probably it is n o a c c i d e n t t h a t , as in t h e Quartet, it is n o t t h e f i r s t violin b u t t h e s e c o n d v i o l a w h i c h t h e m a t i c a l l y begins t h e w o r k , an i n s t r u m e n t w h o s e t o n e c o l o u r a n d p i t c h c o m e s m u c h nearer t o t h e male h u m a n v o i c e . T h e u p p e r p a r t s pick up t h e ending o f t h e vocal p h r a s e , e c h o - l i k e , s i n g i n g a s h o u t i n g m o t i f t h a t , w i t h i t s p r i m i t i v e t w o part w r i t i n g , r e m i n d s o n e o f t h e Choral i n t e r j e c t i o n s in the responsorial m u s i c o f the A f r i c a n A m e r i c a n s . It is n o t t o o m u c h a Stretch o f the i m a g i n a t i o n t o h e a r , f r o m bar 7 , t h e f i r s t viola as an a c c o m p a n y i n g d r u m . O f c o u r s e , t o s u c h a s t r u c t u r e it f o l l o w s t h a t t h e r e p e t i t i o n a t t h e s a m e p i t c h b u t d i f f e r e n t i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n at bar 1 5 n a t u r a l l y b e l o n g s . In c o n c l u s i o n , it s e e m s a l t o g e t h e r rather peripheral w h e t h e r a n y m e l o d i e s or " d r u m " r h y t h m s in t h e s e w o r k s are a u t h e n t i c or n o t . Far m o r e i m p o r t a n t is t h a t , in A m e r i c a , D v o f ä k h a d w r i t t e n C h a m b e r music t h a t finally b r e a k s o u t o f t h e European t r a d i t i o n , e v e n f u r t h e r t h a n d o t h e S t r i n g Q u a r t e t s o f A r n o l d S c h ö n b e r g . It is a m u s i c w h i c h o f t e n e n o u g h r e s t r i c t s itself t o o n l y f o u r or f i v e d i f f e r e n t n o t e s , i n s t e a d o f dealing w i t h t h e w h o l e c h r o m a t i c s c a l e , a m u s i c rediscovering r h y t h m as a n a u t o n o m o u s e l e m e n t w h i c h w a s a l m o s t

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lost in late R o m a n t i c i s m , a music w h i c h n e w l y discovers t h e one-line m e l o d y as a p h e n o m e n o n in itself and n o t in a W a g n e r i a n m a n n e r as t h e p r o d u c t of h a r m o n y , a m u s i c w h i c h i n t r o d u c e s m a t e r i a l f r o m nature and so-called primitive music into t h e sacred halls of Chamber m u s i c , a m u s i c w h i c h w a n t s t o be easily playable a n d e n t e r t a i n i n g i n s t e a d of g e t t i n g m o r e a n d m o r e a s t r a i n f o r t h e listener a n d m o r e a n d m o r e s t r e n u o u s f o r t h e player.

In other words, this is music perhaps belonging to the eighteenth Century or rather to t h e twenties of our own Century, among t h e w o r k s of H i n d e m i t h a n d s o m e French c o m p o s e r s . A t all e v e n t s , it is no European music of t h e f a d i n g n i n e t e e n t h Century b u t - a n d t h i s m u c h more t h a n D v o f ä k ' s Symphony No.9 in e minor - really m u s i c "from the New World". (This article is a slightly revised version of a paper given at the Iowa Dvofäk Centennial Symposium at Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and Spillville, 4th. to 7th. August 1993.)

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