Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) was a Czech composer and conductor, a founding figure in Czech national music. Born in Litomyšl, he worked in Prague and abroad before becoming central to the musical life of his homeland.

His works include the cycle of symphonic poems Má vlast, with its famous Vltava, the opera The Bartered Bride, string quartets and piano music.

Smetana’s music combines Romantic technique with Czech rhythm, language and landscape. His theatre works and tone poems helped give Czech musical identity a powerful public voice.

In later life he suffered deafness, yet continued to compose with remarkable force. Smetana remains one of the essential musical nation-builders, a composer who turned rivers, dances and speech into memory.