Bedrich Smetana
Born: 2nd March 1824, Litonysl, Czechia
Died: 12th May 1884, Prague, Czechia
Nationality: Czech
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival". He has been regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music. Internationally he is best known for his 1866 opera The Bartered Bride and for the symphonic cycle Má vlast ("My Fatherland"), which portrays the history, legends and landscape of the composer's native Bohemia. It contains the famous symphonic poem "Vltava", also popularly known by its German name "Die Moldau" (in English, "The Moldau").
Smetana was naturally gifted as a composer, and gave his first public performance at the age of six.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedřich_Smetana
Browse: Smetana
Further Reading: Smetana
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Jakub Hrůša on Smetana's Libuše
28th Oct 2026
To mark a new recording of his compatriot's patriotic opera, released last month on Supraphon and starring Kateřina Kněžíková in the title-role, the Czech conductor discusses how the piece fits into Smetana’s overall operatic output, why it isn’t performed more abroad, and how its nationalistic spirit fed into the composer’s best-known orchestral work, Má vlast.
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Trio Bohémo on their debut recording of Smetana and Schubert
16th Dec 2024
The trio's members discuss the two composers featured on their critically acclaimed debut recording.
Popular Genres: Smetana
Popular Works: Smetana
- 3 Polkas de Salon, B94 Op. 7 (7)
- 3 Polkas poétiques, B95 Op. 8 (6)
- České tance (Czech Dances) for piano, Book 1 (7)
- České tance (Czech Dances) for piano, Book 2 (6)
- Dalibor (6)
- Dreams (9)
- Festive Symphony in E major, Op. 6 (10)
- From the Homeland - two duos for violin and piano (22)
- From the Homeland: No. 2 Andantino (7)
- Hakon Jarl (11)
- How do I feel? (from Dalibor) (5)
- Libuse (7)
- Libuse Overture (5)
- Louisen-polka (4)
- Má Vlast (100)
- Má Vlast: Vltava (139)
- Má Vlast: Vysehrad (6)
- Má Vlast: Z ceských luhu a háju (11)
- Nasim devám, polka for orchestra in D major (9)
- On the Sea Shore (4)
- Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15 (69)
- Polka in A minor (No. 2 from Czech Dances for piano, Book 1) (4)
- Richard III (9)
- Rondo for 2 pianos, 8 hands in C major (5)
- Sketches, Op. 4 (6)
- Solemn March for Shakespeare Celebrations (6)
- Sonata movement for 2 pianos, 8 hands in E minor (6)
- Souvenirs (4) de Bohème en forme de polka Opp. 12 & 13 (B115-16) (7)
- String Quartet No. 1 in E minor 'From My Life' (65)
- String Quartet No. 2 in D minor (32)
- The Bartered Bride (22)
- The Bartered Bride Overture (85)
- The Bartered Bride: Furiant (7)
- The Bartered Bride: Polka (10)
- The Bartered Bride: Skocná - Dance of the Comedians (27)
- The Bartered Bride: Three Dances (Polka, Furiant, Skocná - Dance of the Comedians) (24)
- The Kiss Overture (5)
- The Peasant Woman (Venkovanka) (7)
- The Prague Carnival - Introduction & Polonaise (7)
- Wallenstein's Camp (9)
Recent Best Sellers: Smetana
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New. Smetana: Libuše
Kateřina Kněžíková (Libuše), Adam Plachetka (Přemysl), Alžběta Poláčková (Krasava), Martin Bárta (Chrudoš), Jan Šťáva (Lutobor), Richard Samek (Šťáhlav), Jiří Brückler (Radovan), Václava Krejčí Housková (Radmila), Czech Philharmonic, Jakub Hrůša
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Presto Team Choices, September 2026
3 CDs: Original price $39.00 Reduced $35.10Download from $6.25 -
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Special offer. Dvořák: Symphonies Nos 6-9
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Simon Rattle
4 SACDs: Original price $27.25 Reduced $17.71Download from $18.00 -
New. Bruno Walter: The Complete Warner Remastered Edition
Bruno Walter
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Diapason, September 2026, Réédition
20 CDs: Original price $92.75 Reduced $83.47 -
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Smetana: Má Vlast | In memoriam Jiří Bělohlávek
Czech Philharmonic, Jiří Bělohlávek
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BBC Music Magazine, April 2018, Orchestral Choice
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Record Review, 6th January 2018, Recording of the Week
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2018
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Building A Library, May 2021, Also Recommended
CD: $14.75Download from $10.00 -
New Releases: Smetana
View all new releases-
New. Smetana: Libuše
Kateřina Kněžíková (Libuše), Adam Plachetka (Přemysl), Alžběta Poláčková (Krasava), Martin Bárta (Chrudoš), Jan Šťáva (Lutobor), Richard Samek (Šťáhlav), Jiří Brückler (Radovan), Václava Krejčí Housková (Radmila), Czech Philharmonic, Jakub Hrůša
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Presto Team Choices, September 2026
3 CDs: Original price $39.00 Reduced $35.10Download from $6.25 -
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New. Bruno Walter: The Complete Warner Remastered Edition
Bruno Walter
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Diapason, September 2026, Réédition
20 CDs: Original price $92.75 Reduced $83.47 -
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New. Bedřich Smetana: Piano Works | Piano Sonata in G minor - Czech Dances, Books 1 and 2
Bogang Hwang (piano)
CD: $14.50Download from $10.00 -
New. Metamorphoses: Folk Songs and Virtuoso Transcriptions for Harp
Sofia Marzetti (soloist), Liliana Parisi (soloist)
Download from $10.00
