ABSTRACT
Contrary to most of her female contemporaries, Josefina Brdlíková (1843–1910) is acknowledged in international musicology through an entry in Oxford Music Online. Several aspects surface in the article: Brdlíková’s contemporary reputation as a singer, her compositional activities, her strong affinity for music and literature, her modern approach to creative women, and her network including well-regarded poets of the time. Besides this, Brdlíková was acknowledged during her own time as a patroness of music and musical life, especially during her residency in Počátky, c. 140 kilometres south of Prague. She moved from Prague to Počátky after her marriage to Jan Brdlík in 1865, and she lived there until her husband’s death in 1899, upon which she returned to Prague. In Počátky, she directed the Women’s Singing Association (Dámský zpěvácký spolek) and materially supported musical life. Despite (or because of) Brdlíková’s diverse cultural involvement as a musical administrator and educator, this essay is devoted to her creative and intellectual musical outputs, more specifically her songs. After a brief contextualisation, I will offer close readings of the Vrchlický setting “V duši mé jest plno písní” (vol. I, no. 3) and the three Krásnohorská settings “Příchod jara” (vol. VI, no. 1), “Připlulo jaro” (vol. VI, no. 3), and “Dobrou noc!” (vol. VI, no. 4). I will demonstrate that, although Brdlíková’s engagement with composition was amateurish in nature, her works warrant closer study on account of their diverse aesthetics with a view to both piano accompaniment and the relationship between music and text; their contemporary reception, especially in relation to issues centring on gender and cultural identity; and the rich artistic and socio-cultural networks reflected in these songs.
