The Lieder of Kamilo Mašek

Abstract

Lieder represent the most important creative field of Kamilo Mašek. They reflect the composer's development from classicism to romanticism. Published in the collection Wreath of Slovene Songs of Doctor Francè Prešern in vol. V and VI of »Slovenska gerilca« (The Slovene Turtle-Dove), 1859, they are as regards their texture mostly classicist with rare elements of romanticism. Being strophie, they are mostly written in a simple tripartite forme; the melodic and harmonic structure is uncomplicated and moves within diatonics; the role of the piano is modest, restricted mostly to accompanying the vocal sequence which is already incorporated in the piano part. Some lieder from this collection, though fundamentally classicist, appear to be already expressively romantic. Reflecting the composer's tendency to deepen the textual expressiveness they approach the »durch komponiert«-form. In four cases (Where, Toscanische Barcarole, Winter, and Is that Sincere), Mašek made already use of the latter form. It is in these lieder that the composer revealed an explicit romantic orientation. Regarding their expressiveness and artistic quality, they appear to surpass their Slovene contemporaries, being thus a worthy contribution to the beginning of the romantic era in Slovene music.