| +++ Happy Birthday Bedřich Smetana +++ |
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Dear musicians
This March marks the 200th anniversary of Bedrich Smetana's birth. In celebration of this occasion, we would like to present some of our editions of his works.
Bedřich Smetana (2 March 1824 Litomyšl – 12 May 1884 Prague) already achieved recognition during his lifetime as a unique representative of Czech music and national culture per se. He was an artist of European ntature, with a broad horizon and at the same time a true patriot. With his high artistic standards, he created the foundations of modern Czech music and professional musical life in his homeland.
Rooted in classical forms, his work was inspired by the latest currents in Romantic music. Smetana’s compositions are based on concentrated motivic work and a well thought-out formal structure, which he developed and renewed in an original way.
Perhaps this anniversary will inspire you to rediscover Smetana’s diverse works.
Further information on these editions and music samples can be found on our website. All editions can be ordered directly from our webstore.
We look forward to receiving your orders.
Your international sales and marketing team
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 | Urtext from the Complete Edition of the “Piano Works by Bedrich Smetana”
Tried and tested fingerings by the editor
Detailed foreword ( Cz /Eng/Ger) by Jarmila Gabrielova |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | On the Seashore / Concert Etude in C major / Fantasia on Czech Folksongs for Piano | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editor: Novotný, Jan | | BA 9519 | EUR 21.50 | 9790260102941 | This edition contains virtuosic compositions which reveal Smetana’s compositional mastery and his demanding technique in the style of Franz Liszt and other leading Romantics.
The edition contains the “Allegro capriccioso” dedicated to Alexander Dreyschock , the Concert Etude in C major, the Etude “On the Seashore” (one of Smetana’s most frequently played pieces), the “Fantasia on Czech Folksongs” and finally the early Etude in A minor.
The musical text of the volume is based on the Complete Edition of the “Piano Works by Bedrich Smetana” and contains fingerings by the pianist and Smetana interpreter Jan Novotny. |
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 | Tried and tested fingering by the editor
New foreword by Jarmila Gabrielova
(Czech, English, German ) |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Czech Dances for Piano | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editor: Novotný, Jan | | BA 9507 | EUR 24.95 | 9790260103825 | “Czech Dances for Piano” are the last cycle, and at the same time, the high point in Bedrich Smetana’s works for piano. The impetus for the composition of this work for Smetana was probably the first series of “Slavonic Dances” by Antonin Dvorak.
The volume contains the four polkas composed in 1877, with which Smetana completed his stylisation of the polka in masterly fashion, together with ten folk dances from 1879, with titles such as “Furiant”, “Slepicka” (Little Chicken), “Oves” (Oats), “Medved” (Bear), “Cibulicka” (Little Onion), “Dupak”, “Hulan” (Ulan), “Obkrocak” (Callipers), “Sousedska”, “Skocna” (Spring Dance).
Behind these names are diverse, richly varied types of exuberant youths’ and lyrical girls’ dances. The cycle culminates in two group dances.
The new edition of the work includes an editorial commentary by the pianist Jan Novotný. |
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 | Tried and tested fingering by the editor
New foreword by Jarmila Gabrielova (Czech, English, German) |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Polkas for Piano | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editior: Novotný, Jan | | BA 9506 | EUR 14.95 | 9790260103818 | The polka is to Bedrich Smetana a compositional form similar to the polonaise and mazurka to Chopin, or the waltz to the Strauss family. The artistic stylisation of the polka engaged the composer from his earliest attempts at composition, and he returned to it in his mature works.
The works in this new Urtext edition – Three Salon Polkas op. 7, Three Poetic Polkas op. 8, Reminiscences of Bohemia in the Form of Polkas op. 12 and 13 and polkas from the 1850s – together with the series of Czech dances, form a high point of Smetana’s compositions in this genre.
The edition is based on a Critical Edition of the piano works of Bedrich Smetana which has been revised by the pianist and Smetana interpreter Jan Novotny. Novotny’s editorial commentary forms part of the edition.
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 | First critical edition
Includes foreword and critical commentary (Czech/Eng/Ger)
With the historical fingering by Smetana’s contemporary, Jindrich Kàan z Albestu |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | Dreams
Six Characteristic Pieces for Piano | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Performance score, Urtext edition | | BA 9529 | EUR 16.95 | 9790260104785 | For his six characteristic pieces “Rêves” (Dreams), composed in 1875, Smetana returned to his favourite instrument, the piano. It was the first time he had written for the instrument in almost ten years. His compositions reflect two forms: the character piece and the virtuoso piece, the latter being a form that occupied Smetana particularly during his time in Sweden. Importantly, Smetana was also working on the first tone poem of “Má vlast” while composing these six pieces.
The six pieces of “Rêves” were written for and dedicated to Smetana’s former pupils. The dedication was a means of thanking them for the benefit concert they had organised in the spring of 1875 for their teacher, who had recently lost his hearing.
This significant work by Bedrich Smetana, who was the founder of Czech Nationalism in music, has not been included in the Complete Edition of Works for Piano. This new edition by Jarmila Gabrielová is based on the first printed edition of 1879 by Emilián Starýs. It is the first critical edition ever produced of this masterpiece. |
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 | Virtuoso concert piece in the “Liszt style”
New Urtext edition
Foreword (Cz/Eng/Ger) and Critical Commentary (Eng) by the editor |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Macbeth for Piano | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editor: Gabrielová, Jarmila | | BA 11537 | EUR 13.95 | 9790260108370 | Smetana’s piano sketch "Macbeth", also known as "Macbeth and the Witches", after William Shakespeare’s tragedy, originated in 1859 while the composer was living in Sweden. Some scholars believe that it was meant to be scored for full orchestra.
The work’s dark and gloomy mood is connected with the death of Smetana’s wife Katharina on 19 April 1859. Macbeth only appeared in print posthumously in 1912. It soon entered the piano repertoire, and in the course of the 20th century it was scored for orchestra by Otakar Jeremiáš and for piano and orchestra by Jarmil Burghauser. Our Urtext edition proceeds from the only surviving source, Smetana’s pencil sketch. The editor has added as little as possible to the musical text in order to faithfully recreate the challenge of performing a sketch. Missing rests and rhythmic ‘anomalies’ have been left as in the autograph. |
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 | Urtext based on the Complete Edition of Bedrich Smetana’s Piano Works
Tried and tested fingerings by the editor
New foreword by Jarmila Gabrielova (Cz/Eng/Ger) |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Album Leaves for Piano | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editor: Novotný, Jan | | BA 9525 | EUR 25.50 | 9790260104303 | | A further volume of Smetana’s piano works reveals the composer as creator of short, lyrical pieces – moments of repose, varied in character and style. The pieces were mostly written in the 1840s-50s with the intention of composing works using all 24 keys, something which Smetana ultimately did not fully realise. The composer prepared some of them for publication himself – the first six works were published in 1851 as “Album Leaves” op. 2, and others were issued later under the title “Sketches”, with the dedication “to Frau Clara Schumann in deepest admiration” (opp. 4–5, 1858). This edition contains a complete collection of pieces, also including occasional compositions and posthumously-published pieces. The music in the volume is based on the “Complete Edition of Bedrich Smetana’s Piano Works” and has been provided with fingering and pedalling suggestions by the pianist and Smetana interpreter Jan Novotný. |
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 | Urtext based on the Complete Edition of Bedrich Smetana’s Piano Works
Tried and tested fingerings by the editor
New foreword by Jarmila Gabrielová ( Cz /Ger/Eng) |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Early Piano Works | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editor: Novotný, Jan | | BA 9527 | EUR 27.50 | 9790260104396 | This volume of Smetana’s piano works contains 3 early cycles from the years 1844 to 1849. At this time, the composer was studying music theory and composition with Josef Proksch , a teacher in Prague, and himself gave private piano lessons to the family of Prince Leopold Thun.
The ‘Bagatelles et impromptus’ are the result of the twenty-year- old’s first foray into composing a cycle of pieces. The ‘ Six Morceaux caractéristiques ’ op. 1, freer in form and technically more demanding, mark the beginning of Smetana’s artistic relationship with Franz Liszt, who recommended this work for publication (1851). ‘ Wedding scenes’ were composed as a present for the wedding of one of Smetana’s pupils, Maria Thun-Aehrenthal . The programmatic cycles are complemented by five early polkas, which have remained popular up to this day.
The musical text of the volume is based on the Complete Edition of Bedrich Smetana’s Piano Works and contains fingering and pedalling suggestions by the pianist and Smetana interpreter Jan Novotný. |
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 | Urtext edition with Primo and Secondo parts printed on facing pages
Clear and uncluttered engraving
Informative foreword (Eng/Cz/Ger) including a contribution by Smetana scholar Olga Mojžíšová |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Vltava (The Moldau) for Piano Duet | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editor: Macdonald, Hugh | | BA 9549 | EUR 17.95 | 9790260105904 | “Vltava” (The Moldau) is Smetana’s most famous and frequently performed tone poem. It was written between 20 November and 8 December 1874, but only in 1879-1880 with the completion of the entire cycle “Má vlast”, did the full score and the composer's own version for piano duet appear in print.
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 | Urtext from the ‘Study Edition of the Works of Bedrich Smetana’
Charming violin literature of medium technical difficulty
Fingering and bowing by Ivan Straus, foreword by Marta Ottlová ( Cz /Eng/Ger) |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | From the Homeland for Violin and Piano | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editor: Bartoš, František | | BA 9526 | EUR 16.50 | Score with part | 9790260104310 | These two duets were written during Smetana’s last phase of composition (1880), and were published with the poetic title ‘ From the Homeland’ . At this time, the composer, who was deaf, was living a secluded life with his daughter Zofie’s family in a hunting lodge at Jabkenice near Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic).
The duets were written at the instigation of Prince Alexander of Thurn und Taxis, a son of the estate owner, who was himself a good violinist. They were published for the first time in 1881 by Frantisek Augustin Urbánek in Prague . The composer himself wrote that the duets are “in lighter style, more for domestic use than concert performance but without ruling it out completely, in true nationalist style, however with my own melodies.” |
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 | Urtext from the “Study Edition of the Works of Bedrich Smetana”
Detailed foreword (Cz/Eng/Ger) by Marta Ottlova |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Trio in G minor for Piano, Violin and Violoncello | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editors: Bartoš, František / Plavec, Josef / Šolc, Karel | | BA 9518 | EUR 28.50 | Score with parts | 9790260102910 | | In the context of his complete output, Bedrich Smetana’s chamber music has generally been felt to be of lesser importance. However, the modest number of works is deceptive; Smetana took a keen interest in the interpretation and study of chamber music throughout his life. His own compositions were without exception unusual works, which was already evident in the “Piano Trio in G minor” of 1855. He wrote this in memory of his daughter Bedriska who died before her 5th birthday. Smetana ended the composition only three months after her death. |
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 | Urtext from the “Study Edition of the Works of Bedrich Smetana”
Detailed foreword ( Cz /Eng/Ger) by Marta Ottlova |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | String Quartet No.1 in E minor "From My Life" | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editors: Bartoš, František / Plavec, Josef / Šolc, Karel | | BA 9516 | EUR 19.50 | Set of parts | 9790260102842 | | The composition of the first string quartet “From My Life” was preceded by a period of fateful changes in Smetana’s life. In 1874 he lost his hearing. Two years later he moved with his family to Jabkenice in the countryside, which seemed to him like an expulsion; he suffered from his deafness and missed contact with like-minded company. He presented the string quartet as a conversation within a close circle of four friends who discuss what is tormenting them. It is a kind of passionate and resigned dialogue between a spirited person and his destiny. Smetana’s first string quartet soon became one of the most frequently performed works in the quartet repertoire. |
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 | Urtext from the Study Edition of the Works of Bedrich Smetana
Detailed foreword (Cz /Eng/Ger) by Marta Ottlova |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | String Quartet No.2 in D minor | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editors: Bartoš, František / Plavec, Josef / Šolc, Karel | | BA 9517 | EUR 21.50 | Set of parts | 9790260102880 | The second string quartet of 1883 is Smetana’s last chamber music work. Unlike the first string quartet, no programmatic explanation by the composer about this work exists.
However, this quartet can also be regarded as a personal confession, as emerges from numerous letters by Smetana. He wrote of the first movement: “I have my doubts with regard to the form of this movement. It has a very unusual form and is difficult to understand. A kind of breakdown prevails throughout the movement and will cause, so it seems to me, the players extreme difficulty. This is a result of my unhappy life.”
The quartet elicited mixed responses – the unusual character of the whole composition, its brevity, discontinuity and density were also seen by Smetana’s admirers for a long time as a sign of an incomplete creative process. However, the opposite is true. This work was far ahead of its time. In its uncompromising quality, it points the way to works of the 20th century. |
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 | Two flute parts of equal importance
Excellent for recitals
Ideal for advanced students |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Moldau for two Flutes | | Arranger: Seubel, Jennifer | | BA 10929 | EUR 15.50 | 9790006566136 | | Following the “Carnival of the Animals” (BA10926) edition, Jennifer Seubel has now set her sights on the “Moldau”. The major stopping points in the course of the music have been insightfully and faithfully translated for two flutes. Here advanced students will find beautiful music to play which also contains some small challenges. The arrangement follows the original work with the movements “The First and the Second Source of the Vltava”, “Forest – Hunting”, “Village Wedding”, "Moonlight – Nymph's Dance”, “The Vltava's Broad Stream – Vyšehrad-Motiv”. |
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 | New Urtext edition with clear and uncluttered engraving
Informative foreword (Eng/Cz/Ger) including a contribution by Smetana scholar Olga Mojžíšová
Includes a detailed Critical Commentary (Eng) |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | | Vltava (The Moldau) | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
Editor: Macdonald, Hugh | | BA 9558 | EUR 39.95 | Score | 9790260105942 | “Vltava” (The Moldau) is Smetana’s most famous and frequently performed tone poem. It was written between 20 November and 8 December 1874, but only in 1879-1880, with the completion of the entire cycle “Má vlast” did it appear in print, when Urbánek issued it in full score and a version for piano duet.
Owing to the large number of misprints in the Urbánek first edition, Hugh Macdonald has based his new edition on the autograph score, with cross-references to the first edition and the composer’s own version for piano duet. Conflicting readings in the sources are listed in the Critical Commentary along with a discussion of all editorial decisions. | | |
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 | Urtext based on the critical edition of Smetana’s own vocal score
A key work of modern Czech opera
New foreword by Marta Ottlová (Cz/Eng/Ger)
Includes singing translation by Kurt Honolka (Ger) |
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| Smetana, Bedrich | The Bartered Bride
Comic opera in three acts | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
| | BA 9534-90 | EUR 52.00 | Vocal Score (Cz/Ger) | 9790260104938 | Bedrich Smetana (1824–1884) only began to devote himself intensively to the project of an original opera in Czech at the age of 38. The libretto of “The Bartered Bride”, the second of Smetana’s nine operas, was written for Smetana by the poet and journalist Karel Sabina. The subject chosen for the comic opera was the story of a pair of lovers in the countryside whose relationship is disapproved of by their parents. It is set during the festival at a village church anniversary.
The final form of the work, which soon came to be regarded as a national opera, was preceded by a relatively difficult genesis.
The opera was written between 1863 and 1865 and was premiered on 30 May 1866 at the Provisional Theatre in Prague, where the composer’s last version of the work was also performed in 1870.
This vocal score contains the musical text of the critical edition of Smetana’s own vocal score.
The newly-set and revised performance material for the entire opera, based on the critical edition by Frantisek Bartos, is available on hire. |
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