Bedřich Smetana: A selection of famous and representative works!
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer, conductor, and pianist.
He is called the “father of Czech music” as the first composer to write music that expressed Czech identity, and he produced many works.
Among them, many of you may know “The Moldau” from his cycle “Má vlast” (My Homeland).
In this article, we introduce Smetana’s masterpieces and signature works.
From opera to chamber music to piano pieces, there are many works across genres through which you can feel Czech music—be sure to check them out!
- [Smetana’s Piano Works] A curated selection of gems by the composer of the masterpiece “The Moldau.”
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- A masterpiece by Alexander Borodin. Popular classical music.
- Robert Schumann | Introduction to his famous and representative works
- Masterpieces by Gustav Mahler. Popular classical music.
- Highlighting the masterpieces and popular works of Mikhail Glinka, the pioneering composer of Russian music
- Pick up Beethoven’s famous and representative works!
- [Tchaikovsky] Pick up famous and representative pieces!
Bedřich Smetana: Selected Famous and Representative Works (1–10)
Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15Bedřich Smetana
A work composed by Smetana imbued with the sorrow of losing his beloved eldest daughter.
The timbres woven by piano, violin, and cello express profound grief, passion, and hope.
In the first movement, the violin in its lower register plays a plaintive melody; the second movement, in scherzo form, interweaves lightness with melancholy.
The third movement alternates a fierce tarantella-like main theme with a consoling secondary theme, concluding on a bright note.
Premiered in Prague on November 3, 1855, it has been highly regarded as a forerunner of Czech national Romantic music.
As a deeply moving masterpiece, it continues to be cherished by many to this day.
Symphony of Victory in E major, Op. 6Bedřich Smetana
Smetana, hailed as the “father of Czech music,” composed his only symphony between 1853 and 1854.
The first movement opens with a brilliant fanfare quoting the Austrian national anthem, the second features pastoral, beautiful melodies, the third dances along with a light, buoyant rhythm, and the fourth is powerful and majestic—together unfolding a rich and varied musical world.
There is an anecdote that Smetana initially intended to dedicate the work to celebrate the marriage of Franz Joseph I, but the dedication was rejected on the grounds that he was Czech.
Although nationalist elements are understated, this is an ambitious work that showcases the talent of the young Smetana.
String Quartet No. 1 in E minor, “From My Life”Bedřich Smetana
An autobiographical work that expresses the Czech soul through music—that is the String Quartet No.
1 in E minor, “From My Life.” Composed in 1876, this piece portrays Smetana’s life across four movements.
From the passion of his youth and the joys of his early days, to memories of first love and the tragedy of losing his hearing, his life story is told in the language of sound.
Particularly striking is the ringing in the ears depicted in the fourth movement: a sustained high pitch that conveys Smetana’s anguish and resonates deeply with the listener.
Elements of Czech folk music appear throughout, communicating his love for his homeland.
This work lets you truly feel Smetana’s life—be sure to give it a listen.
Bedřich Smetana: Picking Up Famous and Representative Works (11–20)
Dance of the Comedians, Act 3 from the opera The Bartered BrideBedřich Smetana
One of Smetana’s signature works, the opera The Bartered Bride.
The piece that appears in Act 3 is a lively, spirited instrumental number.
It was composed to accompany the scene in which a troupe of traveling performers arrives in the village and puts on a show.
While incorporating elements of Czech folk dance, it avoids direct quotation of folk songs, instead using Smetana’s own compositional techniques to convey the atmosphere of the Bohemian countryside.
Since its premiere in May 1866, it has become one of the most popular numbers in the entire opera and is often performed on its own in concerts.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in Czech music and culture.
Symphonic Poem “Wallenstein’s Camp,” Op. 14Bedřich Smetana
Here is a symphonic poem etched into the history of Czech music.
It opens with a rugged introduction by percussion and brass, followed by strings carrying the melody.
Folk-like themes in the woodwinds and a solo violin appear, offering a captivating array of timbres and dramatic developments.
Composed between 1858 and 1859, the work portrays the figure of a mercenary captain active during the Thirty Years’ War and reflects the political climate of the time.
Smetana wrote it while staying in Sweden, and at about 15 minutes in duration, it is a significant piece that reveals the growth of his compositional technique and expressive power.
Be sure to give it a listen.
First piece from Three Album LeavesBedřich Smetana
From Three Album Leaves (Tři lístky do památníku): No.
1: To Robert Schumann (Robertu Schumannovi).
No.
2: The Traveler’s Song (Píseň pocestného).
No.
3: Hissing, Roaring, Rustling, and Ringing (Je slyšet sykot, hukot, a svist…).
Piano: Filip Martinka.
Three Salon-Style Polkas, Op. 7Bedřich Smetana
This collection of three short pieces is a captivating work that presents the Czech national dance, the polka, in a refined form.
Smetana composed them between 1848 and 1854, and they were published in Prague in 1855.
Each piece has its own character: the first features a bright and brilliant melody, the second a poignant, melancholic theme, and the third a light, lively rhythm.
A masterpiece that blends Czech national character with the elegance of salon music.
Highly recommended not only for piano enthusiasts but also for anyone interested in Czech music.