Courtly contexts for Moravian Hanák music in the 17th and 18th centuries

Musical evocations or references to ‘Hanák’ music—referring to the inhabitants of the low-lying plains of central Moravia—appear from the 17th century and become especially popular in the 18th century. In modern musicology the cultural and musical traits of compositions from the Haná region have been largely overlooked, even though they are singled out for praise by Telemann and others. This article raises several key points. First, to urge caution in ascribing the ‘folk music’ label to evocations of rustic music in courtly repertory. Second is an examination of how Hanák music is used or evoked in courtly contexts. Finally, the first two points are applied to the anonymous Sonata Jucunda (1677–80), which survives at Kroměříž in the heart of the Haná region, arguing that this work functions along typical lines of evocations of rustic music at court and, in this case, Hanák music in particular. This study not only aims to draw attention to this overlooked and frequently misunderstood region and its music, but also to suggest that evocations of rustic music in courtly contexts generally need more careful consideration if we are to advance our understanding of both courtly and rustic cultures in the 17th and 18th centuries.