SOUR CREAM Bedrich (Smetana Bedich)

(1824-1884)
Born March 2, 1824 in Litomyе?l. Already at a very early age Smetana showed great talent and dedication. In his diary he wrote: 'I want to be a Mozart in composition and in the virtuosity of Liszt'. In 1848 Smetana founded a music school in Prague. From 1856 to 1861, he earned his living conductor's work in Gothenburg (Sweden) and returned to Prague only in connection with his wife's illness. After her death, Smetana went back to Sweden, and in 1863 finally settled in the Czech Republic. Here he spent several years developed a stormy career as a choral and opera conductor, music critic and composer. In 1874 Smetana completely lost his hearing, in 1882 he showed signs of mental illness. He died in Prague on May 12, 1884.
A passionate admirer of Liszt, Smetana became the first Czech composer, who managed to combine musical elements from the national-European style, he excelled especially in the genres of national opera and symphonic poem. In Bartered Bride (Prodan nevsta, 1866), Smetana's masterpiece, folk motifs appear in impeccable professional frame. This music is pierced by the fast rhythm and earthly joy, can be called an ode to the spirit of the Czech peasant. Particularly attractive brilliant folk dances - furiant and polka. Success Bartered Bride was not surpassed by the later operas of the composer, such as Dalibor (Dalibor, 1868), two widows (Dv vdovy, 1874) and Kiss (Hubika, 1876). The main achievements of Smetana in other genres associated with the cycle of six symphonic poems My Country (M vlast). All of them are devoted to Czech themes: Vysehrad (Vyegrad, . castle of Czech kings), . Vltava (Vltava, . main river, Czech Republic), . Sarka (arka, . Czech warrior), . In the Czech meadows and forests (Z cskch luh a haj, . with pastoral scenes of rural holiday), . Tabor (Tbor, . fortress Hussite), . Blanik (Blank, . Mount, . which, . the legend, . sleeps Hussite army),
. Poem Vltava, containing a merry hunting scenes, peasant and polka dancing elves - one of the most frequently performed works. In chamber heritage allocated Smetana String Quartet in E minor From my life (Z mho ivota, 1876): the type of this track also resembles symphonic poem.