Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Czech Republic

Birth

:

March 2, 1824 in Leitomischl, Czech Republic

Death

:

May 12, 1884 in Prague, Czech Republic

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Opera

 

 

Orchestral

 

Bedrich Smetana was a Czech composer who is widely regarded as the father of Czech music. He was born on March 2, 1824, in Litomysl, a small town in the eastern part of Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. His father, Frantisek Smetana, was a brewer and a keen amateur musician, who played the violin and the piano. His mother, Barbora Lynkova, was a talented singer, who sang in the local church choir. Smetana showed an early interest in music, and his father gave him his first piano lessons. He also learned to play the violin and the guitar, and he began composing his own music at a young age. In 1835, he was sent to Prague to study music, where he studied with the composer and pianist Josef Proksch. He also attended the Prague Conservatory, where he studied composition with Antonin Reicha. In 1843, Smetana moved to Sweden, where he worked as a piano teacher and a conductor. He also composed several works during this time, including his first opera, The Brandenburgers in Bohemia, which was premiered in Prague in 1866. In 1856, he returned to Prague, where he became the conductor of the Provisional Theatre. He also founded his own music school, where he taught piano and composition. Smetana's most famous works are his cycle of six symphonic poems, which he composed between 1874 and 1879. The cycle, which is known as Má vlast (My Country), is a celebration of Czech nationalism and the beauty of the Czech landscape. The six poems are: 1. Vysehrad - This poem is named after the ancient castle in Prague, which was the seat of the Czech kings. The music is grand and majestic, and it evokes the history and glory of the Czech people. 2. Vltava - This poem is named after the river that flows through Prague. The music is flowing and lyrical, and it depicts the beauty and majesty of the Czech landscape. 3. Sarka - This poem is based on a Czech legend about a warrior woman who leads a rebellion against the men who have wronged her. The music is dramatic and intense, and it captures the spirit of the rebellion. 4. From Bohemia's Woods and Fields - This poem is a pastoral idyll, which celebrates the beauty of the Czech countryside. The music is gentle and peaceful, and it evokes the tranquility of the countryside. 5. Tabor - This poem is named after the Czech town of Tabor, which was a stronghold of the Hussite rebellion in the 15th century. The music is martial and triumphant, and it celebrates the bravery and heroism of the Czech people. 6. Blanik - This poem is named after the mountain where, according to legend, the Czech knights are sleeping, waiting to be awakened to defend their country. The music is grand and majestic, and it evokes the glory and power of the Czech knights. Smetana's other works include several operas, including The Bartered Bride, which is one of the most popular Czech operas of all time. The opera is a comic love story, set in a Czech village, and it features some of Smetana's most famous melodies, including the polka "Comrades, let us drink!" and the dance "Furiant." Smetana's music is characterized by its lyricism, its use of folk melodies, and its celebration of Czech nationalism. His music was a major influence on the development of Czech music, and it helped to establish the Czech national identity.

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