Sláva Vorlová: A Tribute to a Forgotten Czech Composer
One of the lesser-known but significant events within the program of the Czech Music Year was the project by the Lieder Society titled Sláva Vorlová (130). On Thursday, March 21, 2024, this project was presented on the stage of Suk Hall in Prague’s Rudolfinum. Four singers and two pianists paid tribute to the unique Czech composer, whose birth anniversary we commemorate this year. As the evening’s host humorously pointed out, we are celebrating the year of Smetana, Suk, and Vorlová.
Sláva Vorlová, a forgotten native of Náchod (1894–1973), made a significant mark on Czech music in the 20th century, despite only beginning her musical career in the second half of her life, after experiencing tumultuous life events and with the crucial support of her second husband. She expressed herself in various musical styles and genres, always with originality and a keen sense of capturing the text or atmosphere. She was a highly emancipated individual who sought to navigate the circumstances of her time and create the best for art and artists.
The lack of interest shown by society towards her music in the past is now being compensated by a group of artists and musicologists led by altist Monika Jägerová, soprano Tamara Morozová, and musicologist Vojtěch Frank, who vividly introduced Sláva Vorlová in his moderation. Monika Jägerová discovered Vorlová’s work in the collection stored at the Czech Museum of Music and decided to bring it to concert stages. In recent years, along with Tamara Morozová, she has presented a „taste“ of Vorlová’s songs several times. This time, supported by a ministerial grant, they prepared a full-length program consisting of the composer’s four song cycles, two sets of musical aphorisms, and two piano compositions.
In the performance, Monika Jägerová presented mournful songs from the cycle Longing, op. 13 for alto and piano (1946, with texts by Olga Scheinpflugová, dedicated to the memory of Karel Čapek), while Tamara Morozová delivered captivating love songs from the cycle About Love, op. 17 for middle voice and piano (1947, with Vorlová’s own texts). Both ladies together performed the witty Brief Reflections for soprano and alto (1971, with texts by Miroslav Holub), and tenor Daniel Matoušek sang a selection from the cycle for tenor and piano A Ring for the Třeboň Madonna, op. 72 (with texts by Jaroslav Seifert).
The completely different moods, characters, and piano accompaniments of each group of songs showcased the astonishing creative range of Sláva Vorlová. With striking conviction, two sets of apt aphorisms, Uncombed Thoughts on texts by Polish poet and satirist Stanisław J. Lec, were presented by baritone Roman Hoza, who repeatedly amused the audience with a slight theatrical performance. All of this was accompanied by the sensitive piano accompaniment of Vojtěch Červenka. American pianist Katelyn Bouska contributed to the program with two solo piano compositions, The Power of Light and Paraphrase of Hussite Songs, showcasing her dedication to contemporary Czech music.
Songs are a specific genre in terms of both authorship and interpretation. It is essential to respect their intimacy, concise structure, and condensed emotional charge and distinguish them from other vocal disciplines. Throughout the evening, four singers were confronted with this spirit. While Tamara Morozová, Monika Jägerová, and Roman Hoza brilliantly adhered to all attributes, Daniel Matoušek seemed as if he had stepped off an opera stage and was struggling to adapt to the genre of the songs. His disproportionately strong fortissimo and vocal mannerisms, often surpassed even in opera, unfortunately did not aid the intimate texts of Seifert.
In addition to the moderation, the audience was also provided with an information-rich and visually appealing program. At the end of such an evening, there is nothing left to say but to exclaim: Glory to Sláva and honor to all similar artistic initiatives!