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trained-pianist
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« on: 22:47:28, 08-01-2008 » |
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There is something that puzzled me for some time now.
Now and then I run into program notes that says that Dumka is a dance.
Since this is a word that is common for many Slavik languages I know it very well. Dumka is definately not a dance. It is a meditative thought that Slavs like to indulge in. Like many of you (Reiner and Richard) know it comes from the word think. It is a conversation we have inside ourhead, reasoning etc.
Here is a good desciription, close to the meaning.
The Dumky Trio is the last and best known of Dvorak’s piano trios. "Dumky" is the plural of "Dumka" which can be translated as "a fleeting thought". The Trio is made up of six movements, each a "dumka". Dumky, therefore refers to the work as a whole. Dvorak translated the idea of fleeting thoughts into music by contrasting slow elegiac sections with fast impassioned ones
I heard some quartets here playing the piece as a dance. It was very strange. I did try to tell them about the meaning, but they did not believe me.
I just want as many people as possible to know that, so that they understand this kind of pieces correctly. Tchaikovsky has Dumka too.
In Russian it is usually singular, not plural.
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George Garnett
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« Reply #1 on: 22:57:45, 08-01-2008 » |
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Thank you for that, t-p.
I was also (mistakenly) under the impression that a Dumka was a dance so thank you for putting me right. Once again these Boards prove their worth as a fantastic free musical education.
There's a Janacek Dumka as well which now makes much more sense with the meaning as you describe it.
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« Last Edit: 23:01:53, 08-01-2008 by George Garnett »
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martle
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« Reply #2 on: 23:01:42, 08-01-2008 » |
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Seconded! Thanks, t-p. So how did 'that' movement in the Dvorak get so associated with a dance form? It certainly sounds like a particular rhythmic/metric style...
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Green. Always green.
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Sydney Grew
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« Reply #4 on: 00:12:16, 09-01-2008 » |
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It is a meditative thought that Slavs like to indulge in. Like many of you (Reiner and Richard) know it comes from the word think. It is a conversation we have inside our head, reasoning etc. How interesting, Madame Pianist! We used to be very enthusiastic about Mikalas Schneider-Trnavsky's orchestral Dumka a Tanec. We classed him as a first-rater! But on second thoughts he was perhaps only a second-rater. Once on the B.B.C. message-board we attempted to post a link to his music but the moderators would not have it. What spoil-sports they were! Members may now hear the work HERE (7 Mb) and form their own judgement - which let it be understood however cannot possibly change the objective quality of the work itself and its standing in the canon. After reading Madame Pianist's post we understand that the title probably means " Dumka and Dance." |
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #5 on: 09:01:01, 09-01-2008 » |
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Sydney Grew,
I don't know this composer. The name of the piece does sound like a Dance (Tanec), but that specifically says Dance. Otherwise in my understanding the word Dumka will mean thinking about life, sometimes the thought could be more optimistic, some times one is in a gloomy mood (which Slavic people used to love a lot, brooding is part of the character).
Strangely I am changing my opinion about Russian National character. People that I meet now are strong, don't like to complain, but they still love to get together and talk for hours. May be the character is changing.
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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #6 on: 09:08:15, 09-01-2008 » |
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they still love to get together and talk for hours.
Especially in the kitchen  I spent the Christmas (Jan 7th) evening with friends at their house outside the city. They have a large lovely lounge, with a fireplace. But of course, we sat in the kitchen  Maybe this is the reason Puccini's opera "Тоска" (TOSCA) is so popular in Russia  |
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"I was, for several months, mutely in love with a coloratura soprano, who seemed to me to have wafted straight from Paradise to the stage of the Odessa Opera-House"
- Leon Trotsky, "My Life"
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #7 on: 09:17:42, 09-01-2008 » |
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In the kitchen everything is informal, one becomes part of the family.
I think that if you have good party together would for Russian mean that you are friends. Therefore, they often misunderstand Westerners.
Since I live in the West for so long I am a little different, though young generation of Russians is strange to me.
Strangely Irish people also like to sit in the kitchen. The houses here have big kitchens. There are many similarities in character between these two nationalities. May be it is because Skeffs (you call them Scotts) lived in what is now Russia and were know to Russians.
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rauschwerk
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« Reply #8 on: 09:32:38, 09-01-2008 » |
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My favourite Dumka is, without doubt, the second movement of Dvorak's Piano Quintet. Such melodies! It's basically slow, but there is an episode which accelerates and becomes almost manic before suddenly breaking off.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #9 on: 09:49:34, 09-01-2008 » |
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I love that quartet too, have Nash Ensemble CD of the piece.
I understand it like the slow are brooding thoughts about one's live. In the fast his thoughts go in more positive direction.
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A
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« Reply #10 on: 18:47:44, 15-01-2008 » |
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My favourite Dumka is, without doubt, the second movement of Dvorak's Piano Quintet. Such melodies! It's basically slow, but there is an episode which accelerates and becomes almost manic before suddenly breaking off.
Agreed rauschwerk, in fact the whole quintet is a delight to listen to and play (IMHO!!) A |
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Well, there you are.
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Jonathan
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« Reply #11 on: 21:31:03, 15-01-2008 » |
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There's the Tchaikovsky, Op.59 "Dumka - Russian Rustic Scene" as well. My personal favourite!
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Best regards,
Jonathan
*********************************************
"as the housefly of destiny collides with the windscreen of fate..."
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #12 on: 21:38:30, 15-01-2008 » |
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I like that Dumka too, Jonathan.
I like all Dumkas I know. For some reason they tend to be melancholic as reflection of Slav character (it is generalization really).
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MabelJane
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« Reply #13 on: 21:40:44, 15-01-2008 » |
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My favourite Dumka is, without doubt, the second movement of Dvorak's Piano Quintet. Such melodies! It's basically slow, but there is an episode which accelerates and becomes almost manic before suddenly breaking off.
I love it too! |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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opilec
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« Reply #14 on: 21:45:42, 15-01-2008 » |
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My favourite Dumka is, without doubt, the second movement of Dvorak's Piano Quintet. Such melodies! It's basically slow, but there is an episode which accelerates and becomes almost manic before suddenly breaking off.
I love it too! Já taky! |
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