Die Moldau

'Die Moldau' (Vtlava) is the second movement of the the symphonic poem cycle Ma Vlast by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. In this piece, Smetana uses tone painting to evoke the sounds of one of Bohemia's great rivers. The composition describes the course of the 'Moldau', starting from the two small springs through woods and meadows, through landscapes where a farmer's wedding is celebrated, the round dance of the mermaids in the night's moonshine and flowing toward Prague, passing the 'High Castle', and then majestically vanishes into the distance. The piece contains Smetana's most famous tune which is an adaptation of the melody 'La Mantovana', attributed to the Italian renaissance tenor, Giuseppe Cenci.