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!
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Bedřich Smetana: Picking Up Famous and Representative Works (11–20)
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.
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.
Šárka, the third movement from My HomelandBedřich Smetana
This work depicts the tale of Šárka, the legendary Czech warrior woman.
The music vividly conveys her fierce emotions fueled by revenge, the ruse of intoxicating the enemy and lulling them to sleep, and the final assault scene.
From the intense opening theme, you can feel Šárka’s anger and thirst for vengeance.
In the banquet scene, dance-like rhythms evoke the elation of drunkenness, and the finale escalates to portray the completion of her revenge.
It’s a perfect piece for those who want to enjoy melodies rich in Czech national character and a dramatically unfolding musical narrative.
From ‘Má vlast’ — No. 6 ‘Blaník’Bedřich Smetana
From Má Vlast (My Homeland), No.
6: Blaník.
Blaník is a mountain in the Central Bohemian Region.
Smetana wished it to be performed together with No.
5, Tábor.
The performance is by the Second Queensland Youth Orchestra, conducted by Sergei Vkorschmin.
Memories of Bohemia in Polka Form, Op. 12 No. 1Bedřich Smetana
A solo piano piece that adopts the form of the polka, a Czech national dance.
While light and rhythmic, it also conveys lyricism and depth.
Its distinctive, wistful melodies evoke the beautiful landscapes of Bohemia and the lives of its people.
Composed between 1859 and 1860 and published in Prague in 1863, the work fuses elements of Czech folk music with characteristics of Romantic music.
Cherished within 19th-century salon culture, it helped popularize the charm of the polka.
Infused with love for the homeland and respect for folk music, it is a piece that reflects the rich tradition of Czech music.
String Quartet No. 2 in D minorBedřich Smetana
This is a masterpiece Smetana left in his later years.
Despite suffering from hearing impairment, he expresses intense emotions within a free form in this work.
Consisting of four movements, it is particularly the first movement that depicts mental turmoil and presents a challenge to performers.
Completed in March 1883, the piece later influenced Expressionist music and is said to have inspired Schoenberg.
With its free expression that transcends traditional musical structures and its profound emotion, the work vividly reflects the composer’s inner conflicts and suggests new possibilities for classical music.
Fantasia on a Czech Folk SongBedřich Smetana
Fantasia on Czech Folk Songs (Koncertní fantasie na české národní písně).
From a leisurely melody, a rhythmic and bright theme is woven in and layered over it.
Piano performance by Jan Vojtěch, from a concert in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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.
From the opera “The Bartered Bride,” Act II: “Duet of Kecal and Jeník”Bedřich Smetana
From the opera The Bartered Bride (Prodaná nevěsta), Act 2: the duet between Kecal and Jeník.
The scene depicts Kecal trying to make Jeník give up his lover.
Kecal (bass): Franz Havlata; Jeník (tenor): Jorma Silvasti.