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In first talking about Janecek's symphonic poem the "Taras Bulba", one must discuss the origin or motivation that inspired Janecek. The "Taras Bulba" is originally a novella by Nikolai V. Gogol. Gogol was born in Sorochintzi, located between the boundaries of Poltava and Mirgorod, on March 12, 1809 and died on February 21, 1852. "Taras Bulba" is a selection of tales that made up the majority of the book Mirgorad. The novella contained the character Taras Bulba, who is depicted as an old fashioned father who is so full of national pride that he never learns how to show affection towards his family and other loved ones. He is a hard nosed person who shows emotion in very unconventional ways. The country and its unity is the most important thing to him. An example of this is the very first scene of the novella when he sees his sons after they have been away at school for over a year. His feels threatened by his own sons because they are not dressed as he has taught them. He starts a quarrel that leads to a physical confrontation with his oldest son. The mechanical character of Taras is Janacek's inspiration for the entire opera. Another parallel that inspires Janacek is the time period that Gogol writes the novella. Gogol sets the work during the Ukrainian Wars of Liberation against the Poles in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. During this time period, extremely bloody battles are fought between the Poles and the Zaporog Cossacks. This period interests Janacek extremely because he is at the dawn of World War I. Also the tale is full of heroism "not because Taras Bulba killed his own son for betraying his people, not for the martyr's death of his second son, but because `there is no fire nor suffering in the whole world which could break the strength of the Ukrainian people'." Janacek sees certain characteristics of Taras in himself and these characteristics ultimately motivate Janacek to compose the opera "Taras Bulba." The work is divided into three acts: Death of Andri, The Death of Ostap, and finally The Prophecy and Death of Taras Bulba. Janacek chooses three of the most memorable scenes from Gogol's story. His use of music in these scenes is remarkable. He manages to create the feeling of national heroism and of national glory through the mood of the music itself. He makes people feel proud of the dramatic and immoral events that are occurring before their eyes. The first act, Death of Andri, is the most dreadful and tragic of all, but somehow Janacek makes one feel proud of the events that occur. In this act, Taras's son Andri falls in love with a Polish woman. (Poland is the enemy at the time.) Andri defies his people for the beautiful Pole, but he ultimately confesses and is punished in the most severe way thinkable: his father kills him. Morally, this scene is outraging but Janacek makes it seem like the correct thing to do. This scene promotes unification of the country in the most drastic sense. The music gives a great account of the different feelings Andri feels while at the same time expressing the feelings of the emotionless Taras. The second act is not as dramatic as the first, but it still gives the audience a true sense of national heroism. The scene is titled The Death of Ostap. In this event, Ostap, Taras's other son, is a prisoner of the Poles. He is to be executed and just before he walks the scaffold, he sees Taras in the audience. Taras gives his son courage and a sense of national pride before his death. This scene tells the audience that there is nothing as important as individual sacrifice for national pride and heroism. Janacek's music gives the dramatic emotions of the Ostap while at the same time capturing the lack of emotion of the executioners. The last scene is called The Prophecy and Death of Taras Bulba. The fearless Taras has been captured, but no fear appears in his eyes. He knows that he is dying in order to help his country gain victory. He dies for his people. The music is not very dramatic to show Taras's courage. When he dies, an organ accompanies the orchestra to mourn the loss of a heroic figure. Janacek was a very patriotic man who would do the very same thing if placed in Taras's situation. The opera was completed on March 29, 1918. It premiered in Brno on October 9, 1921 and was performed in Prague on November 9, 1924.
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