Introduction
“The composition describes the course of the Vltava, starting from the two small springs, the cold and hot Vltava, up to the unification of the two branches in a single flow; the course of the Vltava between woods and meadows, along with peasant weddings, and dances of nymphs in full moon nights: on the nearby rocks that form the basis of ruined castles and palaces. The Vltava swirls around the rapids of St. John and then widens and flows towards Prague, passes under the Vyšehrad and then vanishes majestically in the distance, ending its course in the Elbe”
With these words, Smetana describes his most popular work. The Moldau is a symphonic poem part of a symphonic cycle titled “Má vlast“.
Má vlast (My homeland) is a group of six symphonic poems, composed between 1874 and 1879.
It was performed in full for the first time in Prague on November 5, 1882, two years before the death of the composer, who had long since been completely deaf.
While it is often presented as a single work in six movements the individual pieces can be performed as individual works.

Bedřich Smetana
Smetana combined the form of the symphonic poem, introduced by Liszt, with the ideals of nationalistic music that were in vogue at the end of the 19th century.
However, curiously enough, the main theme of The Moldau is not originally from Bohemia: it comes from the motif of the popular Italian Renaissance song Il ballo di Mantova (also known as “Fuggi fuggi fuggi“), which the mercenary troops raiding Italy (before it became Italy) in the numerous conflicts of the ‘500 and’ 600 spread throughout Europe.
From here it entered the Slavic folk traditions, from which Smetana drew the main theme of the Vltava. It reached the Jewish musical tradition as well becoming part of the national anthem of Israel in 1948.
Smetana: an analysis of the Vltava (The Moldau)
The sources of the Moldau
In case you don’t have it at hand, here’s a quick link to the score.
The structure of the piece is what essentially Smetana outlines in his description of it. Which, by the way, you can find printed in the score.
The symphonic poem begins with the first of the 2 sources, with a wavy figure in the flutes.
Notice also the tempo marking: Allegro comodo non agitato which means comfortably and without agitation. And notice also that wonderful touch of color with the pizzicato of the violins, like little sprinkles of water
The second source appears with the clarinets, soon joined by the violas. The way these water lines are depicted in music, tailing and interlacing each other, is fantastic: the 2 springs join and run away from each other.
The orchestration gradually thickens: look at the pedal of the violas on bar 24, turning into 16th notes a few bars later.
The undulating motive of the 2 sources is passed to the second violins, violas, and cellos, on top of which the main theme comes in played by the violins.
Technical tip
Take a look at the amount of information written out in the score. Triangle: elegant; violins, violas, and cellos: lusingando (alluring); second violins: ondeggiante (undulating). The dynamic is piano with small swells. We’re still at the beginning of the piece and over-conducting this part will exaggerate the turmoil taking away the effect coming up later.
A very elegant and non-invasive way of conducting this is by using your left hand to register the line, pulsing every 2 bars. Given the register, baton placement is clearly at waist level, and you can mimic the undulating movement of the music by moving away and towards your body.
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Forest hunting
Horns, trumpets, and trombones introduce the section representing the hunting in the woods. The connecting rhythmic element of the 16th is still there, played by the violins.
But look at the horns part: the first bar has a dotted rhythm; the second bar mixes the jumps typical of the hunting horns with the rhythmic figures of the first theme. This is really masterful writing.
This episode is one long wave: from bar 80, in forte, it grows times and again, climaxing on the E major at letter C, only to gradually come back to a triple pianissimo.
Peasants’ wedding
We arrive at a change of scenery: a peasants’ wedding. A joyful moment where the meter changes to 2/4 and it’s characterized by a dancing rhythm: a polka. The homophonic texture gives the idea of all the guest dancing synchronized.
See the 16th notes in the theme? They are the connecting factor to the 2 previous sections. And to the next one. The wedding comes and goes very shortly, again with a wave-like arch of crescendo-diminuendo, and leaves room to the full moon night.
Moonlight; Dance of nymphs
Flutes and clarinets are back with the undulating motive of the river.

The melody is left to the strings with mute, with the harp coming in at the end of each half-phrase. We can see the moon reflecting in the ripples of the water; and the delicate dances of the nymphs.
St.John’s rapids
We soon land in the St.John’s rapids. The 16ths notes, now moving only furiously upwards

the repeated chords of the brass

the head of the theme hiding in the bassoons, part of the cellos and the basses. Everything contributes to raising the tension.

Look at those flutes, taking us down the vortex of indomitable forces of the river.

Technical tip
The best thing you can do here, as a conductor, is to stay calm: the more you get agitated, the more confusing it will be. Once the fortissimo has been initiated, keep your gestures small, or you will have no way to go in the following section
Do you want to dive deeper into the history of Vltava and the interconnections with the other movements of Má vlast? Check out the bonus episode!
The Vltava flows broadly there
Più’ moto: meaning faster. After the rapids, the main theme explodes in full orchestra, more agitated this time, and in the E major key.

At letter L we land on the Vyšehrad theme, taken out of the first symphonic poem of the cycle: it’s a majestic chorale of woodwinds and brass.
The strings underneath play different variations of wavy motives: in duplets, triplets, and septuplets. The generated overlapping rhythms, helped by the cymbals, produce the effect of violent splashes of water against the rocks surrounding the ancient castle.

It’s the triumphal entry into Prague. The Moldau embraces the golden city, marking the culmination of its journey, the arrival at the destination.
Then, slowly, it leaves. The Vltava cannot escape its destiny: it keeps flowing, abandoning the buildings, the monuments, and the bridges of the capital until the waters of the Elbe welcome it. The last part of this symphonic poem has the tones of a farewell: a farewell to Prague, to life; a farewell to command because from here on it will be another river to lead the way into the sea.
In conclusion
Smetana has, without doubt, captured the many faces of the river flowing through different landscapes of his homeland.
The constant of the 16th notes running from the flutes to the violins incarnate the ripples of the surface; the brass instruments underline power or danger; the length of the notes, coupled with the tempo markings, represent the different speeds of the currents; and the melody shows the river changing according to the different landscapes. Smetana captured the essence not just of the river but of his beloved homeland as he saw it.
“Music is what life sounds like“.
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