Bedřich Smetana (1824 – 1884)

Donald Macleod explores how Smetana created a musical Czech
identity The title of Smetana’s most popular work, ‘Ma Vlast’,
gives us a clue to what drove him through much of his career. It
translates as ‘My Homeland’ and the music is Smetana’s ardent
tribute to the Czech sprit of his beloved Bohemia. The composer
was deeply involved with his people’s struggle for cultural and
political independence from the Hapsburg empire. He pledged his
art to those aims and he even took to the streets to fight on the
barricades, on one occasion. Smetana’s life was also beset by
great misfortunes. When times were hardest, he always turned to
music, even after illness made composing an almost impossible
exertion. He created some of his most extraordinary works under
the most painful circumstances. This week Donald Macleod follows
Smetana as he grows from naïve revolutionary into one of the
foundational figures in Czech music. Music Featured: The Bartered
Bride: Overture Triumphal symphony, II. Largo maestoso Polka:
Memory of Plzeň Wedding Scenes (orch. F. Hertl) Piano Trio in G
minor Vision at the Ball Memories of Bohemia, Op 13 Håkon Jarl
Song of the Czechs Overture to Doktor Faust The Brandenburgers in
Bohemia The Bartered Bride: Act III finale The Two Widows: Act 2:
Scene 3 Má Vlast: 2. Vltava & 4. Z českých luhů a hájů. On
the Sea Shore Libuše: Overture String Quartet No.1 in Em ‘From My
Life’ Czech Dances, Book 2: No.7 ‘The Lancer’ String Quartet No.2
in D


Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Taylor, for BBC
Audio Cardiff For full track listings, including artist and
recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full
(for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Max
Richter (b. 1966) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ghdw And
you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on
Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z