Frantisek Kmoch

Falkenflug

The term "Sokol" stands for a gymnastics movement that originated in Prague in 1862. The word comes from the Czech language and means "falcon". In Slavic mythology, the qualities of courage and pride are attributed to the falcon. Therefore, the "Sokol movement", which is primarily aimed at physical training, is also strongly patriotic. The shared national experience of the institution, which is widespread in many Slavic countries, was particularly shaped by the cultivation of native folklore.

The composer and conductor František Kmoch (1848-1912) founded a wind band in Kolín in 1871 that belonged to the Sokol movement. The orchestra had a very extensive repertoire, but Kmoch's own compositions were the most successful. Especially his folk song marches achieved great popularity. Kmoch usually borrowed the TRIO of these marches unchanged from an existing folk song, but in several songs, he changed the rhythm. In others, the TRIO was newly composed in the manner of a folk song. The latter include works such as "Bei der Mühle" (Czech: "Pode mlejnem") from 1908, the march "Musik, Musik" (Czech: "Muziky, muziky") or the composition "Falkenflug" (Czech: "Sokolský pochod").