Bedřich Smetana Vinyl Records

Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) was a Czech composer and conductor who was born in Bohemia and is known as the "Father of Czech Music". He is best remembered for his symphonic poems and operas such as The Bartered Bride and The Kiss, which depict Czech culture and history. His works are also notable for their nationalistic themes and for their use of folk melodies.

Smetana's most famous work is the symphonic poem cycle Má Vlast (My Country), which is considered one of the most important symphonic works of the 19th century. This work is made up of six movements, each of which represents a different region of the Czech lands. Other notable works include the Overture to The Bartered Bride and the opera Libuše.

Notable albums of Smetana's works include Má Vlast, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras, and Smetana: Overtures and Symphonic Poems, performed by the Bamberg Symphony and conducted by Werner Andreas Albert.

An interesting fact about Bedřich Smetana is that he was deaf by the time he wrote Má Vlast. He suffered from a condition called tinnitus, which is characterized by a persistent ringing in the ears. Despite this, he was able to compose the entire cycle without hearing any of the music.