Taras Bulba is a rhapsody for orchestra by the Czech composer Leoà ¡ JanáÃÂek. It was composed between 1915 and 1918 and is one of the most famous of JanáÃÂek's works. It is based on the novel by Nikolai Gogol.
The first version of the work was finished on 2 July 1915, but JanáÃÂek later revised it and made substantial changes. The second, almost complete, version was finished on 29 March 1918. Taras Bulba was premiered at the National Theatre in Brno on 9 October 1921, conducted by Frantià ¡ek Neumann. The composition was dedicated to "our army, the armed protector of our nation". It was published by Hudebnàmatice in 1924 in piano duet arrangement made by Bà Âetislav Bakala. In 1927 the full score was published with further changes. JanáÃÂek described the piece as a "rhapsody" and chose three episodes from Gogol's story to portray in this programmatic work.
The music is scored for piccolo (doubling 3rd flute), 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets (1st doubling E-flat clarinet), 2 bassoons, contrabassoon (doubling 3rd bassoon), 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, suspended cymbal (played with snare drum sticks), triangle, bells, harp, organ and strings.
The music is in three movements: