“The Czechs live through music” – Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)
Bedřich Smetana is a central authority in Czech music. His life story, in the predominantly German culture of Bohemia, aptly reflects this difficult era. Smetana contributed significantly to the emancipation of Czech musical life, and to the development of Czech musical identity. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all his magnificent music today!
Bedřich Smetana came from a German-speaking family from Litomyšl, where his father worked as a brewer. The boy was not a good student, but he devoted himself intensively to the study of music and gave concerts with the local string quartet as early as 1830. After 1842 Smetana began to compose more intensively, initially smaller piano pieces such as Polkas, later also first orchestral works.
From 1843 Smetana lived in Prague, where he first studied composition and piano, and later, from 1848 he taught at his own music institute. Over the years, Smetana gained a good reputation in Prague circles as a solo pianist and teacher, but for a long time he was dissatisfied with his position. After the tragic death of three of his four daughters, he decided to accept an offer from Sweden, where he was appointed director of the Gothenburg Philharmonic Society from 1856 to 1861. There he gained valuable experience as a conductor and pianist. On the concert stage, he performed a wide range of classical and romantic compositions.
Smetana’s greatest influence, however, was the encounter with Franz Liszt and his Faust symphony. Smetana was fascinated by the programmatic form, the symphonic poem. He first composed a trio of Swedish symphonic poems, and later a cycle of symphonic poems, “Mein Vaterland”, “Má Vlast”, in six movements, the most famous of which is Vltava, The Moldau.
After his return from Sweden, Smetana took a position as Kapellmeister at the Provisional (later National) Theater in Prague. This is where he began composing operas, there are a total of eight Operas by Smetana, the best known is the comic opera “The Bartered Bride”. Smetana has long been criticized in Czech circles for his ’Wagnerian’ approach to opera, however it is indisputable that he was instrumental in the development of Czech opera, introducing many new musical and theatrical elements. Smetana’s greatest role models were Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt, and Frédéric Chopin.
Towards the end of his life, like Ludwig van Beethoven, he suffered a severe blow, when he completely lost his hearing in 1874. Gradually he had to withdraw from public life, and gave up his work as a conductor and teacher. Paradoxically, however, this was one of the most fruitful periods in Smetana’s composing life. The autobiographical programmatic string quartet From My Life from 1876 is one of Smetana’s greatest works of reflection.
“I still want to give to the nation, that what I still owe, and what I have in my heart, in a work of great scope, for that, I have to keep all my strength in my sad state!”
After 1881, Smetana’s mental health began to deteriorate. In 1883 Smetana witnessed the opening of the National Theater in Prague, which was celebrated with the premiere of his festive opera “Libuše”. A year later he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where he died a few months later. His funeral became an unmistakable manifesto for a Czech nation, who, young and old alike, accompanied their Czech-Maestro on his last journey.
for: Tenor recorder, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248922
for: Tenor saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248915
for: Tuba (E-flat), piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248887
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 744589
2 Duets
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 743298
for: Clarinet, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248932
for: Soprano saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248919
for: Alto saxophone, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248916
for: Tenor saxophone, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248914
for: Cello, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248893
Die verkaufte Braut
for: Voice (tenor), piano
Music score
Item no.: 741087
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 730210
My Fatherland No. 1 Symphonic Poem
for: Orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 749181
G
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1044314
Symphonic Poem No. 2 from "My Fatherland"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 755997
for: Piccolo, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248939
for: Bassoon, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248928
for: Horn (F), organ [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248909
for: Horn (F), guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248908
for: Bass trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248901
From my life
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 755974
Schott Piano Collection
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 727180
Am
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1554118
for: Oboe, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248934
for: Baritone saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248913
for: Horn (E-flat), piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248907
for: Tuba, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248899
for: Double bass, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248890
for: Euphonium, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248888
from: My Fatherland
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 750996
Bohemian Dance No. 1
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 754026
„Quelle“
for: gemischtes Instrumental-Ensemble
Music score
Item no.: 746444
D
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1478862
for: Bass recorder, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248921
for: Trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248903
for: Violin, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248897
for: Tuba (B-flat), piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248885
My Fatherland No. 5 Symphonic Poem
for: Orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 749183
from: “My Fatherland”
for: Violin-Ensemble (3-4 Violinen)
Music score
Item no.: 761160
for: Soprano saxophone, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248918
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Study score
Item no.: 736486
for: Bassoon, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248929
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248926
for: Tenor recorder, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248923
Thema aus der Sinfonischen Dichtung Nr. 2 "Mein Vaterland"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1566009