A Study On The Structure Of Smetana's Symphonic Poems

Smetana, the representative of Czech Nationalistic Music, his works of symphonic poem make him one of the most significant composers in program music cross the world and history. His works endow this poetic musical genre with truly original art connotations and completely new forms. This also reflects his shifting of nation consciousness. Smetana not only promoted the development of Czech music, but also open up a new era in composition of symphonic poem for other nationalistic musician. This dissertation aims at the analysis and research in the structure of Smetana's symphonic poems. It is composed of three chapters which refer to the background and motivation, theme type and analysis, structural characteristics and breakthroughs of the nine symphonic poems by Smetana along with his contributions to this music genre. The first chapter focuses on the two different periods and theme types which those nine works covered, so we can penetratingly understand and distinguish the differences of his compositions in early stage, adhering to Liszt's art principles and techniques in the composition of symphonic poems, and in maturity stage, innovating in patriotism and nationalism; The send chapter, based on the nine works themselves, analyzes them in details one by one from structural features, chain form, theme transformation, ternary form and other music forms; The third chapter, founded on the achievement of the first two chapters, further summarizes the Smetana's contribution to the genre of symphonic poem in the extensiveness of themes, intensiveness of patriotism and successful attempt on cycle as an end.