SMETANA: CERTOVA STENA (THE DEVIL'S WALL)

MS 5564
MS Short Title SMETANA: CERTOVA STENA (THE DEVEIL'S WALL)
Text Bedrik Smetana: Certova Stena (The devil's Wall), analysis of the three devil themes, combined as counterpoint, outlining augmented harmony and with an extra enharmonic version of the bass
Description MS in Czech on paper, Jabkenice, 10 April 1882, 1 p 11x20 cm, 8 bars noted on one system with 2 and 3 staves, identification and explanations in cursive script, autograph, signed.
Provenance Sotheby's 7.12.2015:185.
Commentary Smetana (1824-1884) finished his last opera on 17 April 1882, ten days after the date of the present MS, and was premiered on 29 October 1882. "The Devil's Wall" refers to a group of rocks in the river Vlata, placed there by the devil to flooding the river. The three devil themes occurs in the main allegro of the orchestral prelude, and again in scenes 1, 4 and 5, as well as Act 3, scene 7.
Place of origin Jabkenice, Czeck Republic
Dates 1882 AD