Page 265 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2021. Opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama ▪︎ Operetta between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 5
P. 265
national stereotypes and political issues in polnische hochzeit by joseph beer
tendency to faithfully reflect Polish realities, similarly to the swear words
shouted out by Staschek many times: “Do stai djablow!” (correctly: “Do stu
diabłów!” [What the hell!]), or “Psiakrew!” [Damn it!].
The characters of Count Staschek Zagorski and Baron Mietek Ogin-
ski, representatives of an older generation of Poles, are primarily charac-
terised in accordance with depictions of the Polish aristocracy from the
pre-partition period, so they represent relatively anachronistic and stere-
otypical images of Poles-Sarmatians. Meetings of the two characters and
their conversations take place in each act of the operetta, and it can be as-
sumed that this is the result of a desire to present more in-depth and blunt-
er Polish characteristics in the work. During these conversations both men
tell various witty anecdotes and make use of proverbs, although it is hard
to identify and recognise them as truly Polish characteristics. Some of these
proverbs, for example, function both in German- and Polish-speaking cir-
cles: “Aber wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten” (He laughs best who laughs
last), “Bleibt doch alles in der Familie” (Everything runs in the family), oth-
er ones seem to be too strongly rooted in the German language structure
in terms of rhythm and rhyme to regard them as translations of Polish say-
ings, e.g. “Beim Kartenspiel und Hochzeitmachen kann man erst am Nach
hausweg lachen!” (One can enjoy a game of cards and participation in wed-
ding only on the way home), “Nur ein verdammt mißtrauisches Luder traut
nicht dem Schwager und nicht dem Bruder” (Only a pathetic and suspicious
scum does not trust their brother-in-law or brother), or “Polnische Freund
schaft ist doppelte Freundschaft” (Polish friendship is double friendship). In
fact, in general these sayings are unknown in both Poland and Germany.
Polish musical elements
What plays an important role for the formation of national values in the
structure of the operetta are musical categories associated with Polish char-
acteristics. Typically, elements of national culture, mainly national dances
– mazur (mazurka), krakowiak and polonaise, are used to characterise Pol-
ish protagonists and related events on stage. Undoubtedly, the presence of
these idiosyncratically Polish musical qualities created much of the oper-
etta’s attractiveness and its colour, but also – to some extent – it might have
contributed to authentication of the presented national issues.
The mazurka (an international term for the Polish dance mazur) is the
most frequently applied reference to the sphere of folk dances, present both
in dance sections (e.g. in Act I) and in vocal parts, e.g. in Boleslav’s aria
263
tendency to faithfully reflect Polish realities, similarly to the swear words
shouted out by Staschek many times: “Do stai djablow!” (correctly: “Do stu
diabłów!” [What the hell!]), or “Psiakrew!” [Damn it!].
The characters of Count Staschek Zagorski and Baron Mietek Ogin-
ski, representatives of an older generation of Poles, are primarily charac-
terised in accordance with depictions of the Polish aristocracy from the
pre-partition period, so they represent relatively anachronistic and stere-
otypical images of Poles-Sarmatians. Meetings of the two characters and
their conversations take place in each act of the operetta, and it can be as-
sumed that this is the result of a desire to present more in-depth and blunt-
er Polish characteristics in the work. During these conversations both men
tell various witty anecdotes and make use of proverbs, although it is hard
to identify and recognise them as truly Polish characteristics. Some of these
proverbs, for example, function both in German- and Polish-speaking cir-
cles: “Aber wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten” (He laughs best who laughs
last), “Bleibt doch alles in der Familie” (Everything runs in the family), oth-
er ones seem to be too strongly rooted in the German language structure
in terms of rhythm and rhyme to regard them as translations of Polish say-
ings, e.g. “Beim Kartenspiel und Hochzeitmachen kann man erst am Nach
hausweg lachen!” (One can enjoy a game of cards and participation in wed-
ding only on the way home), “Nur ein verdammt mißtrauisches Luder traut
nicht dem Schwager und nicht dem Bruder” (Only a pathetic and suspicious
scum does not trust their brother-in-law or brother), or “Polnische Freund
schaft ist doppelte Freundschaft” (Polish friendship is double friendship). In
fact, in general these sayings are unknown in both Poland and Germany.
Polish musical elements
What plays an important role for the formation of national values in the
structure of the operetta are musical categories associated with Polish char-
acteristics. Typically, elements of national culture, mainly national dances
– mazur (mazurka), krakowiak and polonaise, are used to characterise Pol-
ish protagonists and related events on stage. Undoubtedly, the presence of
these idiosyncratically Polish musical qualities created much of the oper-
etta’s attractiveness and its colour, but also – to some extent – it might have
contributed to authentication of the presented national issues.
The mazurka (an international term for the Polish dance mazur) is the
most frequently applied reference to the sphere of folk dances, present both
in dance sections (e.g. in Act I) and in vocal parts, e.g. in Boleslav’s aria
263
