The program note continues: "The last idea is a motif of three chords first appearing very softly under the piccolo solo at the beginning of the piece, in flutes, clarinets, and horns. Later it appears at extremely strong dynamic levels, for example in the middle of the Aria movement. Much symbolism also appears: in addition to the (Fanfares), the unbroken hope of the Hussite song, sound of bells, or the tragedy (Aria), there is also a bird call at the beginning (piccolo solo), symbol of the liberty which the city of Prague has seen only for moments during its thousand years of existence." This complex and haunting proclamation of national, religious, and individual liberty stands in contrast to the large, blaring sounds of Samuel Barber's "Commando March" of triumph, with its bright, celebratory sound.
Other compositions in the concert used repeating themes to great effect such as noted band composer Frank Ticheli's...
2." But Husa's use of voices, bells, and radical re-envisioning of each theme was far more striking than Ticheli's more straightforward "Symphony" which lacked the sense of emotional 'narrative' of Husa. Even the more radical works like the Michael Markowski's "Shadow Rituals" with its sharp cascades of notes, rapid changes and varieties of tempos of rhythms did not use repetition as forcefully as the Czech piece. Although Husa's work was not as crowd-pleasing as Markowski's or Ticheli's, much less the velvety tones of Vittorio Giannini: "Symphony No. 3" it was the piece that resonated in the memory, long after the concert ended.
Karel Husa's remarks, which are always included when "Music for Prague 1968" is performed in a program note by his request, are available online, introduced by Steven Stucky for the L.A. Philharmonic, May 2007, http://www.laphil.com/music/piece_detail.cfm?id=2379&bc=1
