Colton Schaefer

Karel Husa: Music for Prague 1968

Foreword by: Karel Husa

Three main ideas bind the composition together. The first and most important is

an old Hussite war song from the 15th century, “Ye Warriors of God and His Law,” a

symbol of resistance and hope for hundreds of years, whenever fate lay heavy on the

Czech nation. It has been utilized also by many Czech composers, including Smetana in

My Country. The beginning of this religious song is announced very softly in the first

movement by the timpani and concludes in a strong unison (Chorale). The song is never

used in its entirety.

The second idea is the sound of bells throughout; Prague, named also the City of

“Hundreds of Towers,” has used its magnificently sounding church bells as calls of

distress as well as of victory.

The last idea is a motif of three chords first appearing very softly under the

piccolo solo at the beginning of the piece, in flutes, clarinets and horns. Later it reappears

at extremely strong dynamic levels, for example, the middle of the Aria.

Different techniques of composing as well as orchestrating have been used in

Music for Prague 1968 and some new sounds explored, such as the percussion section in

the Interlude, the ending of the work, etc. Much symbolism also appears: in addition to

the distress calls in the first movement (Fanfares), the unbroken hope of the Hussite song,

sound of bells, or the tragedy (Aria), there is also the bird call at the beginning (piccolo

solo), symbol of the liberty which the City of Prague has seen only moments during its

thousand years of existence.

Karel Husa
Colton Schaefer

Karel Husa wrote Music for Prague as a commemoration for the Prague Spring reform

that was squelched by the Soviet Union in 1968. Music symbolism appears throughout this piece.

Trombones mimic raid sirens, oboes play sections of Morse code, the piccolo plays bird calls,

and bells represent Prague as “The City of a Hundred Spires”. A motive from a 15th century song

serves as the main themes throughout the piece. This paper will analyze “Music for Prague”, its

form, symbolism, and compositional techniques.

Music for Prague was composed in seven weeks, from August through November of

1968. Husa, having been born and raised in Prague, still had close family living there, which

gave him affection for the city. He symbolized this through imitation of the sound of bells; for

centuries Prague has used its church bells as calls of distress and victory. The symbolism of the

music continues; Husa quotes a motive of a 15th century Hussite chorale, “Ye Warriors of God

and His Law”, this is actually the basis of the entire composition. This held extreme symbolic

value, since it was very well known to the Czech people and had been used by several composers

before Husa (including Smetana, Dvorak, and Josef Suk).

“Ye Warriors of God and His Law is a symbol of resistance and hope for hundreds

of years, whenever fate lay heavy on the Czech nation.” Karel Husa
Colton Schaefer

The most important element holding this piece together is the Hussite war song. Husa

derives all the material in the piece from this fragment of the melody.

Koops

The piece starts with Timpani, which has a short motive derived from “Ye Warriors of

God”. Immediately followed by a piccolo solo, this represents bird calls (a symbol of freedom).

This is only the beginning of Husa’s use of symbolism. Two pitch sets are used in “Music for

Prague”, this first set is used in the “bird call” from the piccolo solo. The pitch sets are the

twelve notes of the chromatic scale; Husa uses both sets in relation to the Hussite motives, they

are not related to each other. The piccolo solo (bar 5) follows this very closely; the solo plays the

set in exact order up to the D#. The rest of the notes follow, with a bit of variation on each note.
Colton Schaefer

The first pitch set is used in the first movement of the piece, mostly as the melody within

the piccolo solo.

Koops

D G# A G F# C# D# F E A# B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Movement I: Introduction and Fanfare. The tonal center “D” is established with the

timpani and flute introduction. The “Introduction” has the “bird call” piccolo solo, setting up the

idea of peace and hope; the piece quickly moves from D to C# and Eb, breaking down the idea of

peace and establishing conflict. The trumpet fanfare, representing the Soviet Union forces taking

over Prague, disturbs the “peace” represented by the piccolo solo. When the adagio returns the

piccolo once again uses the first pitch set (as seen above) for the melodic line. A sense of conflict

is established when the final two notes played are C, in the timpani, and C#, in the piccolo.

Introduction Fanfare Closing

Adagio Allegro Adagio
( =52) ( =108-112) Approximately twice as fast ( =52)
34 measures 66 measures 8 measures
Colton Schaefer

The second pitch set in “Music for Prague” is used primarily in the “Aria”, this is used as

an ostinato bass but it is also used to build the melody of the “Aria”.

Koops

G Ab Gb F C C# D# D E A Bb B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Movement II: Aria. This movement is an elaborate solo, sometimes for two voices, with

an instrumental accompaniment. It is set up in a modified song form of: ABB’A’. The movement

uses the second pitch set (as seen above) for accompaniment and melody. The accompaniment

uses pedal tones starting on the lowest note of second pitch set to the highest note of the pitch

set, it then retrogrades the notes ending on the same note it started with. The accompaniment

eventually becomes much louder than the solo(s), symbolizing being subdued by enemy forces.

However the solo remains and eventually is heard again, bringing back hope of resistance against

the enemy.
Colton Schaefer

Pitch Set II Koops

G Ab Gb F C C# D# D E A Bb B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Colton Schaefer

Movement III: Interlude. This is a short percussion interlude, inserted in between the 2nd

and 4th movements. This entire movement is a palindrome, the rhythm of the cymbal, triangle,

and tam-tam are exactly reversed from the beginning at the end. The movement begins with a

snare roll and ends with a snare roll, although the rolls vary greatly from the beginning to the

end.

“The snare drum has an elemental, menacing, and militaristic quality,

while the vibraphone symbolizes a human voice growing increasingly agitated.

The accompanying parts suggest the bells of Prague ringing a warning against the

approach of the invaders.” Quote from Byron Adams, suggesting what

“personalities” Husa has assigned to the given percussion instruments

This movement starts off incredibly quiet; the snare drum starts with a cloth covering the

drum and the snares off. By the midpoint the snare takes off the cover, but still leaves the snare

off. Within the last two bars the snares are turned back on, the final roll that finishes the

movement is very loud at a ; notes in the music also state: “one to three snare drums help the

roll here, starting , sempre crescendo until sound is nearly unbearable.”

Percussion 1 Percussion 2 Percussion 3

Small Antique Cymbal Medium Antique Cymbal Large Antique Cymbal

(preferably B”) (preferably E”) (preferably C”)
Small Triangle Medium Suspended Cymbal Large Triangle
Small Suspended Cymbal Medium Tam-tam Large Suspended Cymbal
Small Tam-tam Large Tam-tam

Snare begins Vibe joins the Midpoint Vibes Continue Snare concludes
main soloist
1 measure 8 measures 2 measures 5 measures 1 measure
(irregular measures) (irregular measures) (irregular measures) (irregular measures) (irregular measures)
Colton Schaefer

Movement IV: Toccata and Chorale. This movement is in , and has a huge range of

development starting with a 5 note motive. Nine bars after “M”, Husa returns to the opening

material having the trumpets play “Ye Warriors of God”. “Q” begins a movement to the chorale;

“R” is when the chorale actually starts. The chorale section then uses both the 5 note motive and

the chorale chords to complete the section. “T” brings back “Ye Warriors of God”, all brass,

string bass, saxophones, and contrabassoon play the melody until the high woodwinds break the

unison melody by playing the 5 note motive. “U” is when the piece falls into “chaos”, every

instrument is playing a different fragment of one of the main motives used throughout the piece.

Lastly the snare drum breaks the noise (likely representing the military putting down resistance).

The piece ends by once again using “Ye Warriors of God” and ends on a unison E.

(Listening Guide on next page)

(Example of “Chaos”)(Shows three motives from previous movements)

Colton Schaefer

Movement IV listening guide:

m.1-19 5 note motive is established

A Clarinet Solo begins
B No major development occurs
C Trumpets take over with soli
D Development occurs underneath the clarinet solo
E No major development occurs
F Development continues, more instruments added, more motives occur (new and old)
G High woodwinds play triplet pattern, followed by the trumpet soli
H Brass “battle” with the woodwinds, brass play off the main beats while the woodwinds
play constant 8th notes
I Development, use of notation and motives from previous movements, flute, oboe, and
Eb clarinet use last 3 pitches from the second pitch set
J Development continues with use of material from previous movements
K 12 bars after “K”, saxes begin to use material from the 1st movement
L 5 bars after “L” trumpets begin to play a rhythmically altered version of the “Fanfare”
M 9 bars after “M” “Ye Warriors of God” returns in the trumpets
N 5 bars after “N” the 5 note motive returns
O Trumpets “battle” with the high woodwinds, trumpets play rhythmically altered
“Fanfare” woodwinds continue development by playing fragments of various motives
P No major development occurs
Q 13 bars after “Q” the transition begins, which leads to the beginning of the chorale
R Grand statement from the brass section
S Parts begin one at a time, with the timpani solo as the main melody of “Ye Warriors of
God”
T 5 note motive returns
U “Chaos” section, finishes with restatement of “Ye Warriors of God”, final E unison
note
Colton Schaefer

Karel Husa composed “Music for Prague” as a way to memorialize the events that

happened in Prague spring of 1968. “Music for Prague” was commissioned by the Ithaca College

Concert Band and composed during the summer of 1968. The work was premiered by the Ithaca

College Concert Band in Washington D.C. on January 31, 1969. A few ideas were written by

Husa in the Foreword that is printed at the beginning of the score. It was also Husa’s wish that

the Foreword be printed and/or read in its entirety before the each performance.
Colton Schaefer

Works Cited

Austin, Terry, and American Bandmasters Association. The Journal of Band Research: A
Repertoire Anthology (1964-1989). Chicago: GIA Publications, 2013 Print. Journal of band
research.

Husa, Karel, et al. A Portrait of Karel Husa. Albany, N.Y.: Albany Records, 2007. Web.

Husa, Karel, et al. The Bicentennial Collection. 8, Composers Conduct, Husa, Colgrass,
Benson. Franklin, TN: Altissimo!, 1999. Web.

Husa, Karel, et al. Karel Husa. Santa Fe, NM: First Edition Music, 2004. Web.

Husa, Karel, et al. Music of Karel Husa. Clarence, NY: Mark Custom Recording Service, 2002.
Web.

Husa, Karel, et al. Music of Life : Orchestral Masterworks. Place of publication not identified:
Ablaze Records, 2011. Web.

Koops, Alexander. Music for Prague 1968. Tech. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Radice, Mark A. Chamber Music: An Essential History. Ann Arbor: University of Michigaess,
2012. Print.