Leoš Janáček (1854-1928), one of the most important Czech composers of the 20th century, was greatly inspired by folk music to create a unique musical voice. His piano cycle V mlhách (In the Mists) – composed in 1912 – shows off his incredibly coloristic, moody, and mature compositional style. In the Mists paints a mesmerizingly foggy atmosphere that, upon closer look, is hiding all kinds of imagery and imagination.
Musical Analysis of In the Mists
At the time Janáček composed In the Mists, he was not receiving the musical recognition he deserved as a composer. He wrote some of his melancholy and frustration into this piano cycle, and each of the four pieces in the work portrays a sense of mystery and introspection. The obscure, “misty” key signatures combine with frequent meter changes and delicate phrases to show detached emotions. But don’t let those detached emotions fool you; this is a masterful composition full of heartbreaking storytelling and art.
I. Andante (0:10)
In the Mists begins with an Andante in ABA’ form, where the A section opens with a simple yet haunting theme. An ever-fluid accompaniment supports the rise and fall of the melody, adding a sense of ambiguity and impatience. The harmonies subtly shift in and out of tonality, creating a sense of restless peace.
The B section (1:18) overlays a gorgeous folk-like chorale theme with waves of agitated scales. Tension builds through dissonance and sudden, dramatic changes in dynamics. Yet a harmonic shift at 1:53 brings a drop of sunshine to the otherwise foggy piece, and the B section ends with a low rumble of blurred notes.
The A’ section returns at 2:19, combining elements from the opening A theme with the stormy B chorale (2:52) before ending on a Db Major chord.
II. Molto adagio (3:26)
The second piece in the work, Molto adagio, is a conversation between two contrasting ideas. The piece opens with a stately theme reminiscent of music from an earlier Classical era. The rocking bassline lends itself to a graceful dance supported by deceptively dark harmonies.
The second theme (4:01) is almost frenzied in comparison, as its rhythmic ambiguity and intensity create a sense of unease.
And it only gets crazier from there. The two themes suddenly explode, ebbing and flowing in a sense of manic depression. The first theme fights to remain calm, while the second theme bursts with dissonant energy (4:34), becoming almost contrapuntal in nature. Abrupt changes and stops add to the unease (the most dramatic happening from 6:18-6:27), and an interestingly syncopated transitional melody (maybe some sort of combination of the two main themes?) occurs at 5:24 before reappearing at the very end of the work (6:57).
III. Andantino (7:38)
The Andantino opens with a beautiful, lyrical melody that becomes the central focus of this piece. This arching theme is played in a number of different keys, working its way through a larger harmonic arch. Listen for the repeated notes and rhythms as the harmonies slowly morph.
Even though the harmonies are moody and unclear, sometimes sunshine peaks through in an unexpected cadence (listen to 8:33-8:40 for an example).
The theme returns in its original key at 8:53 before exploding at 9:11. Dramatic chords take place of the floating accompaniment, and harsh accents replace the soft and subtle atmosphere with one of tension and angst. But this fiery section does not last long; the piece finishes with one more rendition of the opening theme back in its soft, lyrical beauty (9:47).
IV. Presto (10:10)
In the Mists concludes with a piece marked Presto, and it just so happens to be the movement created most in the style of Eastern European folk music. The accompaniment acts as a strummed guitar chord while the song-like melody incorporates drama through melodic flourishes and abrupt rhythmic changes. Sections of contrasting dynamics and tempos work together to tell a story from European folklore.
A new section begins at 11:43. Alternating bass notes support a dramatic dance-like melody, occasionally interrupted by flourishes of color in the right hand. Thick, full chords deepen the texture and add to the mysterious dance atmosphere.
Then at 12:44, the music transitions back to the opening song-like theme before shifting again at 13:06. A harsh bass line drowns out the right-hand flourishes before bursting into a cascade of light (13:30). The second, dance-like theme reappears at 13:41, and 14:09 brings back the original melody for the last time. The piece finishes with a D-flat minor chord.
In the Mists is an incredible gem for solo piano. Each of the four pieces tells a story through emotions and colors that Janáček pulled from his own life. While the piano cycle might seem hazy and distant at first listen, each note has an important purpose: to create color, depth, and life among the mists and dark times.
