Discover the Emotional Depth of Dvořák’s ‘Songs My Mother Taught Me’ – A Musical Tribute for May
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May is Family Month: Children’s Day, Parents’ Day, Teacher’s Day, Coming-of-Age Day and Couples’ Day all fall in May.
Not every household is intact or harmonious, though. For some—perhaps many—May brings difficult emotions. With so many family-focused occasions, people can face both financial pressure and emotional strain.
Life can be ironic, but May often prompts gratitude for simply being alive. That gratitude brings a quiet, lingering happiness. As the old saying goes, life on earth, imperfect as it is, is worth living. With deep thanks to the parents who opened our eyes to the world’s beauty, I offer a work that is frequently performed in May.
It is the fourth song, \”Song My Mother Taught Me,\” from Czech composer Antonín Dvořák’s Gypsy Songs, Op. 55.
Dvořák: Gypsy Songs, Op. 55, No. 4 \”Song My Mother Taught Me\”
Dvořák married Anna Čermáková in November 1873. They had nine children and remained together until his death in 1904. Their family life was not always smooth. Early in their marriage, between 1875 and 1877, they endured a tragic stretch, losing three children to illness. The family spent long periods in grief, but the couple became one another’s principal support and refuge.
Dvořák likely composed Gypsy Songs in 1880, before the family had fully recovered from those losses. The cycle consists of seven songs; the fourth, \”Song My Mother Taught Me,\” is the one most often performed.
He set to music a poem of the same name by Bohemian poet Adolf Heyduk. The text reads:
The song my mother taught me, from my childhood long gone,
there were never days when her eyes were dry of tears.
Now I teach that song to my children,
and often a treasure-like tear of memory runs down my cheek.
The poem’s nostalgia blends a mother’s devoted love with the innocent simplicity of childhood, producing a softly aching memory. Love and recollection pass between generations through song, and the music seems to carry every mother’s quiet hardships.
Dvořák originally set the song in his native Czech, though it frequently appears on stage in English or German. I made a point of finding a rendition sung in Czech and linked it here. This was my first time hearing the song in Czech as well; it is sung by Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená.
Dvořák: Gypsy Songs, Op. 55, No. 4 \”Song My Mother Taught Me\”
The piece also appears frequently in instrumental arrangements for violin and cello, thanks in large part to the American violinist-composer Fritz Kreisler; his transcriptions remain widely performed. You may enjoy comparing the versions.
I personally favor the sound of untexted strings, so I linked a performance by violinist Itzhak Perlman. Which version do you prefer?
Wishing you a peaceful Family Month—one without quarrels and without loneliness—I will close this reflection on \”Song My Mother Taught Me.\”
By Yu Shin-ae — classical music writer
Author: Romance in Classical Music; Classical Music Without Beethoven
She studied piano, worked as a classical music reporter, and served as music coordinator for KBS classical programs. She currently focuses on lectures and book talks.
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