“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: Cello, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1248893
Walzer
for: Flute, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305595
Walzer
for: Bass recorder, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305578
Walzer
for: Alto saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305575
Walzer
for: Tenor saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305573
Walzer
for: Alto trombone, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305562
Kikapust Choral Series
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 136510
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Book
Item no.: 941143
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1383254
for: Klarinettenchor
Score, Parts
Item no.: 994635
for: Flute ensemble
Book
Item no.: 1329650
Polka
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 903498
Die Moldau
for: Flexible youth concert band [flexible ensemble] (6 parts); percussion ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1090625
for: Flexible ensemble (5 parts), piano (school orchestra)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 341791
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391691
for: Electric organ
Item no.: 108563
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1101078
Overture
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198418
aus der Oper "Die verkaufte Braut"
Folkloristische Klassik - Klassische Folklore
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 389345
G
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1044314
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 114548
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
autorisierte Archivkopie
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 114547
Walzer
for: Horn (F), guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305566
Walzer
for: Trombone, guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1305560
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1581132
aus: Mein Vaterland
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 200399
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1288739
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1383255
for: Chamber Trio
Book
Item no.: 941135
for: Piano
Ensemble score
Item no.: 645785
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Book
Item no.: 164802
From my life
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 755974
Symphonic Poem No. 2 from "My Fatherland"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 755997
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 942054
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 639038
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 104012
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 927486
for: Flute
CD-ROM
Item no.: 1204323
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 378800
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 460665
"Vltava"
EMB Study Scores
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 149583
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1090376
Am
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1554118