Smetana

(sme'-ta-n&), Bedrich, compr. b. Leitomischl, Bohemia, Mar. 2, 1824; d. Prague, May 12, 1884. Pf pupil of Proksch ana Liszt; opened mus. school Prague 1848: condr. Philharmonic Soc. at Go then burg, Sweden, 1856; after concert tour in SMITH Sweden and Germany, condr. Nat’l Bohemian Th., Prague, 1866-74, when he became deaf, continued composition under increasing difficulty until he became insane, 1882; in asylum April, 1884, beside many works for pf songs, etc composed for orch. (Wal lens tein's Lager series of 6 symphonic poems, Md vlasl, u My Country”), and 8 operas (Die verkaufte Braid, Libusa Der Kites etc quartet Aus meinem Leben ), (mus. autobiography); greatest of Bohemian composers, real creator of artistic Bohem mus and of later school (DvoMk and Fibich). [Lives by WaLLek, Ritter, and Host in sky]