Childhood compositions. | Agraf Nt.: 1. In the Realm of Fables: Noc, Prisery, Prichod rusalek, Rusalky tanci, Svita, Blesk, Boure, Smutek rusalky, Boure se vzdaluje, Vily pribehnou a tesi ji tancem. / Night, Spectres, Arrival of the water nymphs, The water nymphs dance, Dawn, Lightning, Storm, A Water nymph's sorrow, The storm recedes, Fairies run in and cheer her up with dancing. 2. War: Cihani, Prepadeni, Rozptyleni nepritele, Na bojisti klid, Doznivani. / Lying in wait, The Attack, Crushing the enemy, Quiet on the battlefield, Fading away. 4. The Harbour: Vlnky, Rozjizdejici se lod, Zpev lodniku, Doznivani v dali, Pristav opusten. / Little waves, A ship setting sail, Sailors sing..their voices subside in the distance, The harbour abandoned. Ms Nt.: Vitulka jela do Smokovce na rekreaci / Vitulka left for a recreation stay in Smokovec.

Interview with Vitezslava Kapralova (fragment). | Divka hudebni skladatelkou a dirigentkou. Rozhovor s Vitezslavou Kapralovou z Brna. Fragment. Zdroj neurcen, pravdepodobne magazin pro zeny (ca listopad 1936).
"Drnkala jsem na klavir, sotva jsem nan dosahla, ale neznala jsem samozrejme noty. Nikdo se take nenamahal me je naucit. Tatinek byl ve valce, maminka vedla skolu a na mne nebylo kdy, zejmena, kdyz se jeste nevedelo, zda ze mne jednou opravdu neco muzikalniho muze byt. Tony jsem tehdy rozeznavala pouze sluchem, nu, a protoze jsem jinak nemela co hrat, komponovala jsem si leccos podle fantasie. Predevsim jsem zhudebnovala slysene vypraveni z pohadek, hlavne carodejnice a jine strasidelne zjevy. Sbirka se jmenuje "Z mych nejranejsich skladeb", je ovsem urcena pouze pro soukromi, nikoliv pro verejnost, ackoli jedna ze skladeb vysla dokonce tiskem - Na dalekou cestu.. Rozhodne si tyto vecicky prilis necenim. Hledim na to jako na prve pokusy, avsak nekdy se prece jen divim, ze se mi to uz tenkrat darilo. Jenze v nasem oboru neni clovek nikdy zcela spokojen, stale chce pokracovat a snad je to tak dobre. Slozim-li nejakou skladbu k me spokojenosti, tu mne to ovsem tesi, moc tesi, ale velmi brzy mi to uz nestaci a snazim se pracovat dale a lepe..."

Kapralova's Piano Concerto in D minor, Op. 7 | Aside from the Five Compositions for Piano, op. 1, which Kapralova later orchestrated as Suite en miniature for small orchestra, the Piano Concerto in d-minor, op. 7, is her first assured orchestral work of large scale. Full of youthful exuberance and brilliance, combined with exoticism and romantic sentiments, it displays Kapralova's remarkably precocious aptitude as a composer: at only 20, she already shows an impressive command of the orchestra's resources and the traditional concerto form. The piano concerto is well balanced in structure and rich in harmonies, anchored in a post-romantic idiom, and rooted in the modernist tendencies of Czech music during the first half of the 20th century, where folk music holds a strong effect on a unique harmonic language. Centered in the key of d-minor, it is an unpretentious work where nostalgia alternates with frequent hints of late-19th century virtuoso writing, as typified by Saint-Saëns or Anton Rubinstein. Its gestures are bold and simple, with striking melodies and rhythmic clarity, conveying all sides of Kapralova's well-rounded musical personality: passion, humor, energy, lyricism, discipline, and spontaneity. The first movement, marked Allegro entusiastico, deviates from the traditional concerto pattern where the initial movements are often written in a modified sonata form. The main theme in d-minor is first briefly introduced by the orchestra, then the piano solo presents the complete melody. The music is distinguished by its long lyrical lines, alternating between the tutti and the soloist undergoing modulations. The second movement begins with a folk song in Bb-minor with strings and piano solo, treated in canonic form. Dominated by this bittersweet and melancholic folk melody, the entire movement is relatively short, and precedes without break the third and final movement. With its exotic character and high-spirited rhythm, the use of folk music is most evident in the third movement. It follows a rondo form, typical of a traditional concerto. Contrary to the previous movement, the theme is joyful, decorated with virtuosic passages for the soloist. Colored by the use of pentatonic scales, the recurrent section is a dance in contrast with the folk songs of the intermediate sections. The coda recalls the opening dance melody, leading to the ending in D-major. | © Jenny Lin, October 2001

Program notes for the renewed premiere of the piano concerto on May 5, 2010 (in Czech)

Pisne s orchestrem (Orchestral songs) | The collection (but not the individual songs) is mentioned in a list of works that was attached to a CV prepared by Kapralova at the request of Alois Haba for the 1938 ISCM Festival brochure. The list was sent to Haba in Kapralova's letter dated February 3, 1938. It is possible that the collection was one of the projects that Kapralova later abandoned, since it is never mentioned again in any of her correspondence and lists of works that followed.

Smyccovy kvartet, op. 8 | 1. Con brio. Po kratkem bourlivem uvodu 6 taktu nasleduje hlavni tema s rytmickym pruvodem, ktere konci zvukovou tesnou. Po dvojim uvedeni tematu nastupuje Meno mosso jako vedlejsi myslenka, pruhlednejsiho vyrazu, ktere vyustuje do scherzoviteho Vivace, zastupujiciho zaverecnou myslenku. Po teto exposici nasleduje provedeni, ktere prechazi do reprisy, obvykle stavby. 2. Lento. Ze soloveho tematu ve violoncele se rozvine ctyrhlas, jenz se brzo zuzi, aby pokracoval v hbitych prerusenich pizzikatovymi motivy az do nastupu zpevneho Cantabile. Po opetnych zvukovych tesnach nastupuje zakladni tema. 3. Allegro con variazioni. Tema 3/8 jest obmenovano v sedmi variacich, ponejvice zvukoveho a rytmickeho charakteru. | F.B., Rytmus, IV/9-10, April 1939, p.65.

Three Piano Pieces, op. 9.
Originally several versions of the passacaglia, included a chamber version, existed - it was the 2nd version that was published, under the title Grotesque Passacaglia, after winning the Tempo competition among 24 works submitted. The opus 9 autographs include a third, longer version of Passacaglia entitled Scherzova (Scherzo) passacaglia. It was this version that was included in the opus 9 premiered by Solc. The differences between Grotesque Passacaglia and Scherzo Passacaglia are substantial enough (see further) so that they could be considered independent compositions.
Grotesque passacaglia (123 measures long) and Scherzo Passacaglia (166 measures long) share 114 measures; Grotesque Passacaglia has 9 measures that do not exist in Scherzo Passacaglia; Scherzo Passacaglia, however, has 52 new measures that do not exist in Grotesque Passacaglia. I am indebted to Dr. Veroslav Nemec for the details outlining the major differences between the two passacaglias.

Ukolebavka. Jablko s klina, op. 10 | Ukolebavka v hudebni priloze Evy je komponovana pro stredni zensky hlas. Oznaceni tempa a prednesu: "klidne a proste", vystihuje charakter skladby, jiz vedle toho obestira take nadechem ticheho smutku a resignace. V dusledku toho nemohou byt dynamicke kontrasty prilis velike a vyrazovy vzruch musi se stlumit vzdy do zakladni nalady proste ukolebavky. / Vsechny osminy v hlavnim doprovodu, ktere jsou vazany obloucky, hraji se velmi jemne a lehce na rozdil od melodie, ktera je zpravidla nesena ve ctvrtkach a predpoklada ponekud vyraznejsi prednes, zvlaste ve stredni casti skladby a jejim zaveru. | Eva, 15.12.1936, IX/4, p. 25.

Military Sinfonietta, op. 11 | The following notes were intended for Kapralova's friend, Brno composer and conductor Theodor Schaefer, whom Kapralova consulted on the sinfonietta's orchestration: Tak nejak podobne v cornach / Kam dat nyni tu augmentaci nevim, ponevadz chci nyni corny angazovat dal, snad i predtim to hodit a nechat, bud anglicke corny nebo pozouny? / Jsem priserne ospala, tak to prosimte prehledni, je to zda se mne klasicky hloupe, ale co delat. Novak to chtel vlastne vsechno hodit o 8vu vys (to na tehle strance), ale mne se tam libil ten angl. roh a prosim udelej jeste kousek zaverecne, ano? abychom vedeli jak to si Novak predstavuje instrumentaci. Rozhodne ale nic nepreplacavej a na pocatku nech jen dreva. Ten Hanf to nechce nechat tisknout, lump jeden ketaska. Je mne smutno. Musim pridelat pozoun, to bude prace, o je. Vita / Teosku, bud prosimte tak hodny a prehledni to. Tuhle stranku uz nevim a nemam cas dopracovat. Musim jit platit skolne a jit na ten roentgen a stehovat se. Doufam, ze uz budu mit pokoj v tom novem pokoji. To je bajecne s tim vydanim. Ten "balicek" jsem zadny nedostala. Kdys to posilal? Ze by se to ztratilo? At mne maminka posle pristi tyden neco dobreho zas na zub. Ovoce ne, mam dosti. Napisi az z noveho kvartyru a ty se moc neudri. Pry moc behas a shanis. Dej na sebe pozor a zase mne neco napis. Liba te Vita. | "And similarly the horns. / I don't know where should I now place the augmentation because I want to continue utilizing the horns. Perhaps it should be done sooner and left that way, either the English horns or the trombones? / I am terribly sleepy, so please go over it, I find it classically dumb but there's nothing one can do. In fact, Novak wanted everything (on this page) an octave higher but I liked the English horn. And please, do a bit of the closing, will you? so that we know what Novak thinks about the scoring. But don't make it too lush and leave only the woodwinds at the beginning. Hanf refuses to get it printed, damned. I am getting depressed. I have to add a trombone, what a chore, oh yeh, Vita." | "Teosek, could you please kindly go over this page - I got stuck and have no time to finish it. I have to go to pay tuition fees, have X-rays done and move to my new place. I just hope that I will finally have some peace there. That's a great news about that publishing. No, I have not received the 'parcel'. When did you send it? Do you think it might get lost? Tell mummy to send me some goodies next week but not fruit, I still have some. I will write to you from my new place. And do not work too hard, I hear you are always on the run. Take care of yourself and don't forget to write to me. Kisses, Vita." | Translation © Karla Hartl, 2003.

Song of One Evening | Agraf Nt: Svemu sladkemu malemu jeho mala mila / "To my sweet darling his little sweetheart."

April Preludes were arranged as a piano trio in 1976 by Josef Ceremuga [b.Ostrava 14 June 1920-d.Prague 6 May 2005].

Carol (1937) | Agraf Nt (to her father): Zatim dnes jenom tohle, sebralo mne to moc casu. Prihlasila jsem se do franiny k Aleonovi, byl rad, ze uz tebe ucil, tato, a nyni dceru. Dekuje za pozdrav. Ale stalo me to 60 a uz jsem uplne bez penez. Dopis podrobnejsi zasilam az zitra, aby mne nezavreli Foyer, kam jdu na veceri (jen do osmi). Ta koleda se mne povedla, jen ji umet zahrat. Je to neco jako Groteskni Passacaglia. | "This is all for today, it took a lot of time. I have registered for French with Aleon and he was pleased, since he had already taught you, Daddy, and now the daughter. He thanks you for your good wishes. But it cost me 60 [francs] and now I have no money left. I will send you details tomorrow, now I have to hurry so that I get to the Foyer, where I am heading for my supper, before they close it (open only till 8). This carol is good, now only to be able to play it. It is a bit like Grotesque Passacaglia." | Translation © Karla Hartl, 2003.

Hymn of the Volunteer Nurses of the Czechoslovak Red Cross (1938) | Agraf Nt (to her father): Posilam to prece. Tati, oprav to sam na dvojhlas, tj. seksty a tercie, ono uz to samo vychazi. Ja na to nemam uz cas, zpozorovala jsem to pozde, ze to ma byt dvojhlas. Co se Ti nelibi, oprav. | "I am sending it, after all. Daddy, double the voice, will you, i.e. sixths and thirds, it should come out naturally. I can't spend any more time on it, it was too late when I noticed that there should have been two voices. And correct what you don't like." | Translation © Karla Hartl, 2003.

Occassional compositions. | Folk songs: Ach synku, synku; Tece voda tece; Bodaj by vas vy mladenci; Nechod Janku pres Polianku.

My Dear One (Seconds, op. 18) | Agraf Nt (to her mother): Jsem Ti uz dlouho dluzna pisnicku, zde Ti ji tedy posilam, myslim, ze se Ti bude hodne libit, asi jako mne ty slova. Tata at do ni nerejpa ani v nejmensim. Zaroven preji vsechno nejlepsi, stesti a zdravi a brzske shledani. Pariz 31.5.1939. | "I have been owing you, for a long time, a song - so here it is. I think you will like it a lot, as much as I like the words. Tell Dad not to touch it in the least. I wish you all the best and (hope) that we'll be reunited soon. Paris 31.5.1939." | Translation © Karla Hartl, 2003.

Suita Rustica, op. 19 | Folk songs: The following folk songs are quoted in the suite: "Preletel slavycek pres Javornycek" [The nightingale flew over Javornycek], "Ciaze je to rolicka nezorana" [Whose is it, this unploughed little field], "Mela jsem holubka v truhle schovaneho a on mi vyletel do pole sireho" [I had a little pigeon hidden in my wooden trunk and he flew away into the fields] "Sedlak, sedlak" [Farmer, farmer] [furiant], "Esce me nemas, hopaj, supaj" [You don't have me yet], "Vysoko zornicka, dobru noc Anicka" [Good night Ann, the evening star is high in the sky], "Vandrovali hudci" [Wandering pipers], "Bude vojna, bude" [There will be a war].

Melodrama "To Karel Capek" (1939) | Agraf Nt (front page): Recitovalo se to francouzsky / It was recited in French (last page): Ten konec byl moc hezky / The ending was really neat.

Partita, op. 20 | Agraf Nt - Spalicek je oslik usaty, sedivy a hykavy. Ms Nt (BM) - Nech tam tu fugu, chces? Je moc dlouha, ale zato hezka, nech ji tam. Jeste ji muzes protahnout, jen ji nepretrhni. / At zijou husiti. Tu fugu tam nech anebo ji vyhod. / Nezapomen opakovat zacatek. Hloupej jak daleko vidi!!! / | Agraf Nt: Spalicek (Martinu's intimate nickname given to him by Kapralova) is a little donkey, long-eared, grayish and braying. Ms Nt (BM): Leave the fugue there, if you wish. It is too long but pretty (so) leave it there. You can stretch it, just don't rip it. / Long live the Hussites. Either leave the fugue there or throw it out. / Don't forget to repeat the beginning. Silly how far it can see!!! | Translation © Karla Hartl, 2003.

Vanocni preludium Vitezslavy Kapralove predstavuje dve a pul minuty sveziho divciho usmevu v podobe komorni hudby. Kraticky celek pusobi uzasne jemnym a prchavym dojmem jako mirne rozostrena fotografie vanocni zasnezene krajiny. Pruzracny pastyrsky motiv v barve horny s hobojem je zabaleny do zamlzene krajky drobnych smyccovych sestnactin oscilujicich v obou modech dur i moll soucasne. Barva harfy s klavirem, ktera pres smycce obcas prosvita, nutne vyvola asociaci s instrumentaci skladatelcina vzoru - s Bohuslavem Martinu, stejne jako radostne vysvitnuti cisteho duroveho souzvuku z jemne disonantniho prediva. | The Czech Radio Publishing House website, January 15, 2002

Christmas Carol (1939) | Agraf Nt (to parents): Stastne a pekne vanoce a vsechno to nejlepsi do noveho roku preje Vitulka. Doufam, ze jste uz muj dopis dostali, posilam okamzite po tomto druhy. Martinu Vam preje take hezke svatecky. Toto na misto darku. Liba Vas oba a nebudte smutni. | "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Vitulka. I hope that by now you have received my letter. I am sending another one immediately after this one. Martinu too sends his Christmas wishes. This (carol) is instead of a present. Kisses to both and don't be sad." | Translation © Karla Hartl, 2003.

Tales of a Small Flute (1940) | Agraf Nt.: I. Jaro bylo a nebylo. Na opravdove jaro to vonelo prilis smutkem, a kdesi v kvetu kastanu se prece jen neco klubalo. II. Jednoho dne to vypadalo, jako by se nic nestalo, a kastany se otevrely docela. III. A za teple noci sestoupila z kvetu vila Laska a udelala pekneho chlapce princem. I.There was and yet was not spring. Air scented too much with sadness for a true spring but somewhere inside the chestnut flower something was about to break out. II. One day it looked like nothing would happen but suddenly the chestnut buds opened wide. III. And during that warm night a fairy named Love came down from the chestnut flower and transformed a handsome boy into a prince. | Translation © Karla Hartl, 2003.

Letter (1940) | Agraf Nt.: - Un jeune homme repond a son amour: Vous m'avez ecrit "non", soit! Le destin nous a separé, je l'ai regretté, mais je voie que vous êtes heureuse et c'est pourquoi je suis heureux. Je ne veux pas dire qui est coupable et qui perd plus. Autres fois il y avaient deux chemins, aujourd'hui il n'y en a qu'un seul. Enfin, peut-etre tu reviendras, parce que Dieu est un grand artiste et personne ne connaît ses projets. | A young man responds to his love: You said "no". So be it! It was fate that separated us. I regret that but see that you are happy and that is why I am happy. I do not want judge who is to blame, whose loss is bigger. Just the other day, there were two paths, today there is only one. Perhaps, you will return one day because the Lord God is a great artist and no one knows His plans... | Translation © Karla Hartl, 2003.

Authors of the lyrics of Kapralova's songs (in the songs' chronological order):
Neruda, Jan. "Maticce." In: Kniha versu. Praha, 1867.
Bojko, R. "Jitro." In: Proste kvety. Praha: Kvasnicka & Hampl, 1924.
Bojko, R. "Osirely." In: Proste kvety. Praha: Kvasnicka & Hampl, 1924.
Jelinek, Bohdan. "V upominkach." In: Snehova ruze. 3rd edition. Praha: Prace, 1948 (previous editons: 1880, 1926).
Jelinek, Bohdan. "Snehova ruze." In: Snehova ruze. 3rd edition. Praha: Prace, 1948 (1880, 1926).
Nezval, Vitezslav. "Leden." In: Zpatecni listek. Praha, 1932.
Seifert, Jaroslav. "Pisen na vrbovou pistalku." Jablko s klina. Praha: F.J. Müller, 1933.
Seifert, Jaroslav. "Matka a dite." Jablko s klina. Praha: F.J. Müller, 1933.
Seifert, Jaroslav. "Bezvetri." Jablko s klina. Praha: F.J. Müller, 1933.
Seifert, Jaroslav. "Jarni pout." Jablko s klina. Praha: F.J. Müller, 1933.
Carek, Jan. "Navzdy." In: Hvezdy na nebi. Praha: Druzstevni prace, 1934.
Carek, Jan. "Cim je muj zal." In: Hvezdy na nebi. Praha: Druzstevni prace, 1934.
Seifert, Jaroslav. "Ruce." Jablko s klina. Praha: F.J. Müller, 1933.
Nezval, Vitezslav. "Sbohem a satecek." In: Sbohem a satecek. Praha, 1934.
Podjavorinska, L'udmila. "Lesna panna." In: Balady. Praha: L.Mazac, 1931.
"Nevdas se!" In: Prikryl, Ondrej. Hanacke pesnicke. Prostejov, 1936.
Seifert, Jaroslav. "Pisen." Postovni holub. Praha: Plejada, 1929.
Hora, Josef. Kdyz straze sve cas vymenuje. Praha: Melantrich, 1937.
Sramek, Frana. "Velikonoce." In: Nove basne. 2nd edition. Praha: Fr. Borovy, 1940 (1st edition in 1928).
Velkoborsky, Frana. "Pisen nedozniva." 1928?
Carek, Jan. "Rodny kraj." In: Hvezdy na nebi. Praha: Druzstevni prace, 1934.
"Koleda milostna. In: Susil, Frantisek. Moravske narodni pisne. 4th(?) edition. Praha: Vysehrad, 1951 (previous editions: 1935, 1840, 1860)
Nezval, Vitezslav. Karlu Capkovi. Praha, 1939.
Carek, Jan. "V zemi ceske." In: V zemi ceske. 2nd edition. Praha: Novina, 1942.
Kripner, Viktor. "Pisen tve nepritomnosti." In: Zpivano do dalky. Praha: Fr. Borovy, 1938.
Kripner, Viktor. "Polohlasem." In: Zpivano do dalky. Praha: Fr. Borovy, 1938.
Kripner, Viktor. "Ticho." In: Zpivano do dalky. Praha: Fr. Borovy, 1938.
Kricka, Petr. "Vy 'ne' jste rekla." In: Hoch s lukem. 1924.

Dedicatees of Kapralova's music (in alphabetical order)
Edvard Benes - Czechoslovakia's second president
Gracian Cernusak - musicologist and professor of music history at the Brno Conservatory
Jirinka Cernusakova - daughter of Gracian Cernusak and Kapralova's friend
Rudolf Firkusny - renowned Czech pianist
Marie ("Masa") Fleischerova nee Fischerova (5.8. 1887 Uherske Hradiste - 4.4. 1950 Brno)- professor of voice at the Brno Conservatory and the first interpreter of Kapralova's op. 10
Vladimir Helfert - musicologist, professor of the Masaryk university in Brno and a family friend
R. (Rudolf) Kopec - Kapralova's friend whom she met in Paris in spring 1938
Otakar (Otto) Kraus - opera singer and Kapralova's friend in Paris
Milada Kunderova - wife of Ludvik Kundera, professor of the Brno Conservatory and a family friend
Magda Kühnova - medical doctor and a family friend
T.G. (Tomas Garrigue) Masaryk ("TGM") - Czechoslovakia's first president
Jiri Mucha ("Jirkovi") - Czech writer, son of the art nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha and Kapralova's husband
Sasenka Pucova - daughter of Cestmir Puc, Czech-French entrepreneur and generous supporter of Czech artists in Paris
"Renuska" (Renata) Helfertova-Trtilkova - daughter of Vladimir Helfert
Otakar Sourek - music writer and critic based in Prague. He was instrumental in assisting Kapralova to renew her French scholarship
Ota ("Otacek") Vach (birth name Otto Wach) - Kapralova's classmate from the Brno Conservatory and her first love

© Karla Hartl, 1998-2010.