Beginers' guide to program music
Who is Smetana?
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Smetana’s Childhood and his Nationalism
Bedřich Friedrich Smetana(1824-1884) was born in a small village in Bohemia which was called Czech Republic now. When he was young, he studied in Prague where his love for music was well-developed. He was a gifted pianist and he gave his first performance in the age of six. He was considered as the founder of the Czech national music since he was the first prominent representative of the Czech national school in his life time. Like those of other nationalist composers, his career was under the background of political agitation. In 1848, Smetana was caught because of his nationalist fervor and it was against the rule in Austrian. In1856, he received a job to be a conductor in Sweden after the revolution was crushed.
The location of Bohemia and Prague
Liszt’s Influence
His ideal composer was Ferenc Lizst who helped him tremendously in his struggle for national art. He dedicated his op.1 entitled Six morceateristiques pour piano to Liszt in order to present his thankfulness. Lizst had a great influence in Smetana’s several compositions, but still Smetana’s own style was integrated inside. One of the most obvious examples of his influence was Smetana’s inclination for and use of the symphonic poem throughout his life.
A portrait of LIszt
Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Growing Fame
His first pieces composed for this genre were inspired by Shakespeare’s and Schiller’s art, together with some literary works. Later, national tone was added in the theme he wrote. When he returned to Prague later, he resumed his musical career by writing operas for the National Theater and performances there were given in his native tongue. Among his eight operas, The Bartered Bride was the most successful one to boost his fame in the world.
Smetana’s Last Composition and his Death
Today his best-known composition is Ma vlast (My country) as it is a work representing his nationalism. In this work, Smetana evokes the scenes from the past of his country and depicts the beauties of his homeland. It is a cycle for orchestra consisting of six symphonic poems. By the end of 1874 while Smetana was composing Ma vlast, his health declined while he was suffered from advanced syphilis and he grew deaf like Beethoven. He mentioned “If my illness is incurable, then I should prefer to be delivered from this miserable existence.” in his diary, it reflected his painful during his life of suffering from disease. His contribution on the Czech made a rise of his states in his own nation and he was considered as a significant composer in Czech.
