A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Obertas

by Louisa M. Middleton

OBERTAS.^[1] This is described in the 'Encyklopedyja Powszechna' (Warsaw 1884) as the most popular of Polish national dances. The couples follow their leader, turning from right to left, and describing a circle or oval ring. The woman sometimes dances round her partner, and sometimes vice versâ; a song is often sung at the same time. The obertas is evidently regarded by the Poles as their national waltz, though, as will have been seen, it differs from the German waltz in several characteristics of the dance as well as in the style of the music associated with it by modern composers. Wieniawski's 'Mazurka caractéristique' for violin No. 1, bears the subtitle 'Obertas'; it is deficient in the rough, wild character, without which the dance is scarcely to be distinguished from a mazurka. Boito inintroduces the obertas into the first scene of act i. of 'Mefistofele':

Whether Boito was guilty of an anachronism in representing his 16th century Frankfort populace indulging in a national dance of Poland (to say nothing of Polish exclamations) is open to question. The Mazurka found its way into North-Germany only after August III. of Saxony ascended the throne in 1733 (Brockhaus). Had the obertas been adopted at any time by the German people, such writers as Angerstein, Czerwinski, Voss, etc, could not have ignored it in their works on the art and history of the Dance; though their neglect to include the name of a dance known only in Poland, in their enumeration of dances of all nations, is at least excusable. However, the charm of these stirring strains, no doubt suggested to Boito by his Polish mother, renders very welcome the composer's possible deviation from historic truth.

Wieniawski and Boito suggest by a drone bass in fifths the rude accompaniment of the bagpipes or other primitive combination of instruments.

Tutto vanno alia rinfusa
Sulla musica confusa
Così far la cornamusa—

writes Boito for his chorus. The wild and romping nature of this dance and music must have proved without attraction for Chopin, who has at any rate not included by name an Obertas among his Mazurkas. Nevertheless, we may recognize that in C major, op. 56, no. 2 (Vivace), as being in harmony and rhythm the nearest approach to the Obertas attempted by this fastidious and undramatic composer.

[ L. M. M. ]

1. From 'Obracać,' signifying to turn round. 'Obertas' has a second meaning, confusion or perplexity. The accent lies on the second syllable.