Karel Husa's "Music for Prague 1968": An exploration of compositional process and historical background.

Abstract

Karel Husa's Music for Prague 1968 is a composition for wind ensemble, written immediately after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. This study examines compositional elements in Music for Prague 1968, with specific attention given to the use of serial technique and symmetrical constructions. Utilizing a combination of traditional and serial compositional techniques, Husa creates structure by varying the degree of serial constraint throughout the four movements. Additionally, the study explores extramusical information about the composition in order to foster greater understanding of the social and political circumstances surrounding the development of Czech nationalism, the 1968 invasion, and ultimately, the composition of Music for Prague 1968. The composition makes extensive use of the Hussite hymn, "Ye Warriors of God, " evoking the early roots of Czech nationalism. Viewed through the interpretive lens of nationalistic expression, the flow of serial constraint becomes not only a means to a musical end, but also a metaphorical commentary on totalitarian oppression.