“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: 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
Walzer
for: Alto saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305575
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 691986
Polka
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 903498
Klassik
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1183188
Overture
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198418
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198179
From my life
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 755974
set of string parts
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1211732
My Fatherland No. 1 Symphonic Poem
for: Orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 749181
Leuckart-Chor-Ausgabe
for: Male choir
Choir score
Item no.: 1106033
The Orchestra Musician's CD-ROM Library - Flute
for: Flute
CD-ROM
Item no.: 1204323
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1581132
for: Piccolo, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248939
for: Horn (F), organ [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248909
for: Horn (F), guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248908
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1288739
Walzer
for: Horn (F), guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305566
Walzer
for: Trombone, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305560
G
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1044314
for: Bassoon, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248928
for: Bass trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248901
Symphonic Poem No. 2 from "My Fatherland"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 755997
quatuor de guitares
for: 4 guitars (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1071466
Studienpartitur
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1344650
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1090376
My Fatherland No. 6 Symphonic Poem
for: Orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 749184
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 949524
Ergänzungsstimmen
for: Symphonic school orchestra
Additional parts
Item no.: 1351316
Walzer
for: Oboe, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305593
Walzer
for: Treble recorder, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305582
Walzer
for: Baritone saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305571
Eb Horn
for: Horn (E-flat), guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305564
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1581135
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1288737
Schott Piano Collection
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 727180
for: Oboe, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248935
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
Konzertwerk
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 944622
Flute
for: 4 flutes (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 760346
Bohemian Dance No. 1
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 754026