Abstract
This publication focuses on the use of melodrama in the educational process. It introduces to the reader the current state of scientific research on Czech melodrama from historical development to the newest findings.
The emphasis is placed on the Czech concert melodrama, which has a rich cultural tradition in the European context. The publication illustrates the stylistic diversity of the concert melodrama through several analyses of selected compositions by contemporary authors.
These melodramas represent the contemporary melodramatic production in terms of different styles, themes and pedagogical utilization. Performed analyses follow the musical expressions with an accent on semantic level of melodrama.
Analytical probes draw attention primarily to those expressive means that are essential in both components of melodrama (word and music), and provide the possibility of further pedagogical application in the music-educational process. Examples of melodramatic works by Zdeněk Zahradník, Emil Viklický, Jan Vičar, Josef Marek and Jan Dušek are complemented by semi-structured interviews with the authors of analyzed works as well as other creators of melodrama.
Their testimonies provide a broad insight into the contemporary melodrama in Czech culture. The monograph addresses the melodrama as a form with a wide pedagogical use.
It brings several forms of didactic application of melodrama into the educational process. Presented didactic situations are based on the real instruction on various types of schools and thus provide an interdisciplinary overlap not only in music education but also in other related areas.
The integration of melodrama into education indicates that this form is pedagogically supporting, useful and effective. Therefore, it enables a non-violent application of creative activities and their extensive integration.