Bedřich Smetana

An outstanding Czech composer, and although among his compatriots there were already prominent names, he was the first artist who was able to perfectly convey in his works the spirit, desires, and essence of his homeland. Therefore, he is also considered the founder of the Czech national school, which had a decisive influence on the creativity of his successors: Antonín Dvořák and Leoš Janáček.
He was born in 1824 in Litomyšl, and although he did not come from a family of musicians, his father, a music enthusiast, instilled in the young Smetana a love for this art. At the age of 6, the artist performed publicly as a pianist, and 2 years later he wrote his first work. Hoping to continue his musical education, he moved to Prague, where he studied piano and music theory. The years spent by the artist in the capital were a period of political tension between the emerging Czech nationalism and the Austrian authorities. Smetana participated in revolutionary marches, and in 1848 he composed a song about freedom. In the same year, thanks to the help of Franz Liszt, he managed to establish a music school in the capital of the Czech Republic.
In 1856, although without the consent of the Austrian authorities, he went to Sweden, where he was asked to conduct the Philharmonic in Gothenburg. During his stay abroad, the composer did not forget about his homeland, collaborating in the creation of numerous institutions on its territory. He contributed, among others, to the establishment of the National Theatre in Prague. After returning to the country, he founded a new music school and worked as the conductor of the Hlahol choir. At that time, among musicians, there was a belief that 'through song, one reaches the heart, and through the heart to the homeland.'
On the stage of the National Theatre, Smetana presented his first two operas: 'The Brandenburgers in Bohemia' and 'The Bartered Bride' (the first Czech national opera). After them came 'Dalibor' and 'Libuše,' which not only secured the composer the desired position as the director of the National Theatre but which, in the long run, made him recognized as the founder of the Czech national school.
Between 1874 and 1879, Smetana confirmed that he was undoubtedly the leader of the national school by composing 6 symphonic poems included in the cycle 'My Country.' At the same time, one of the most sentimental works of this artist was created, namely the E minor String Quartet 'From My Life.'
Smetana's creativity was primarily based on elements of Czech folklore. In his works, he tried to reflect the richness of the music and life of his compatriots.
In 1883, the artist's mental state did not allow him to continue composing. He was placed in a psychiatric hospital in Prague, where he died after a year.

From the cycle 'My Country' poem no. 2 'Vltava' - Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra in Prague, conductor: Antony Witt


E minor String Quartet 'From My Life' - Moyzes Quartet