Bedřich Smetana

Bedřich Smetana , born the March 2nd 1824 with Litomyšl and dead the May 12th 1884 with Prague, was a Czech type-setter . He is famous for his symphonic poem Vltava (the Moldau in German), the second of a cycle of six heading Má vlast (" My Patrie"), like for its opera Been engaged sold the .

Biography

Bedřich Smetana was born in Bohemia from a father brewer. He learned the Piano and the Violon in his childhood. Bedrich Smetana will be the only one to arrive at the adulthood among 11 children. At eight years it composes already, but his/her father sees his musical career of an evil eye, it wants to make of Bedrich an economist. However, after its studies with the college of Lager, Bedrich studied the Musique with Prague, where he became Master of music in the count Leopold Thun. Franz Liszt supports it financially to publish its first works and to found a music school in 1848. It engaged in the Czech nationalist movement.

Smetana Marie in August 1849. After a few years, it will lose three of his four daughters and his wife will be reached tuberculosis. In 1856, Smetana settled with Gothenburg, where it undertook an activity of teacher, of Leader and musician of Chamber music. Of return to Prague in 1863, it founded another music school, with an aim of promoting the Czech music. It was named leader of the opera of Prague in 1866, where some Antonín Dvořák play of the viola and also compose. The two men will bind friendship quickly.

In 1874, because of its deafness due to the Syphilis, it had to cease its administrative duties of orchestra and was devoted then exclusively to the composition. In 1875, sick, Bedřich Smetana takes refuge, in Jabkenice, a village in central Bohemia, in his/her Zofie daughter. Smetana was interned in psychiatric hospital in 1883 with Prague, and there died the May 12th 1884. It is buried with the Cimetière of Vyšehrad in Prague.

Music

Smetana was the first type-setter to use specifically Czech elements in its music. Its opera S is founded on Czech topics, and it used many rate/rhythm S and melodies of the Czech folklore in its compositions. the Brandenburgers in Bohemia is the first entirely operated written in Czech. He deeply influenced the musical life of the countries of Bohemia, not only by his art of the composition but by his implication in the artistic life pragoise. The influence of its work was not limited to its compatriots (Antonín Dvořák, Zdeněk Fibich…) since a type-setter as Arnold Schönberg will be able to recognize his debt towards Smetana. The Spring of Prague, celebrates festival of classical music, opens each year on May 12th, goes back birthday from dead to Smetana, by a representation of the Vltava . Smetana is also inspired in its works of what surrounds it as in the Vltava - a river of Czechoslovakia.

Works

Operas

  • Braniboři v Čechách (Brandenburgers in Bohemia) (1863)
  • Dalibor (1865)
  • Prodaná nevěsta (Been engaged sold) (1866)
  • Libuše (1869)
  • Dvě vdovy (two widows) (1873)
  • Hubička (the Kiss) (1875)
  • Tajemství (the Secrecy) (1877)
  • Čertova stěna (the Wall of the Devil) (1879)

Symphonic works

Chamber music

  • Trio for piano, violin and violoncello, op.15
  • Quartets
    • String quartet n° 1 (Of my life) (1876)
    • String quartet n° 2 (1883)

Piano music

  • Sonate (1846)
  • Polka in F sharp minor
  • Polka in has minor
  • Polka in F major
  • Polka in B flat major
  • Furiant
  • Slepicka
  • Oves
  • Medved
  • Cibulicka
  • Dupak
  • Hulan
  • Obkorcak
  • Sousedska
  • Skocna
  • Souvenirs of Bohemia in the shape of Hammer: Op.12 n°2
  • Memories of Bohemia in the shape of Hammer: Op.13 n°1
  • Memories of Bohemia in the shape of Hammer: Poetic Op.13 n°2
  • Hammer Op.7 n°2
  • Hammer of living room Op.7 n°1
  • Dreams
  • Am Seegestade, concert study Op.17
  • Freundliche Landschaft (skizzen Op.5 n°3)
  • Macbeth und die Hexen
  • Sehnsucht (charactkterstrücke Op.1 n°4)
  • Hirtenweise (charakterstrücke Op.1 n°3)

External bonds

  • Analysis of Moldau

Simple: Bedřich Smetana

Random links:Disney Cruise Line | Linsey MacDonald | Charles Eldridge | Chaos of Montpellier-the-Old man | Vault of Nifflon | Melville,_New_York