From Britannica Biography-Bedrich Smetana: “Bedřich Smetana, (born March 2, 1824, Leitomischl, Bohemia, Austrian Empire [now Litomyšl, Czech Republic]—died May 12, 1884, Prague), Bohemian composer of operas and symphonic poems, founder of the Czech national school of music. He was the first truly important Bohemian nationalist composer.”
“… his second opera, Prodaná nevěsta (The Bartered Bride), … established Smetana’s reputation as a distinctively Czech composer.”
“He became totally deaf in late 1874, but between that year and 1879 he wrote the cycle of six symphonic poems bearing the collective title Má vlast (My Country), which includes [the beautiful-melodic-iconic] Vlatava, The Moldau.” [While Bedrich Smetana may not have many pieces that I personally know, I can tell you his Moldau is one of my favorite pieces of all.]
“Smetana had been, from early in life, a virtuoso performer on the piano, and for many years most of his works were composed for it. Those compositions, augmented by the more mature piano pieces of his difficult last years, constitute an important body of piano literature.”
To read the entire article on the bio of Smetana, please click here.
To celebrate this great Czech composer’s birthday, please turn up the volume and enjoy some of Bedrich Smetana’s beautiful works.
B. Smetana: “The Moldau”:
B. Smetana: “Overture from the Bartered Bride”:
B. Smetana: Piano Trio in G minor:
B. Smetana: Piano Sonata in G minor:
Happy #199 Bedrich Smetana!
Classical Music With Big Mike 