Smetana
Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884) was a Czech composer regarded as the father of Czech national music, best known for his orchestral cycle Má vlast.
In Depth
Smetana was the founding figure of Czech classical music. His opera The Bartered Bride remains the most popular Czech opera, and his cycle of six symphonic poems Má vlast (My Homeland) — especially its second movement, Vltava (The Moldau) — is a beloved depiction of the Czech landscape and national spirit.
His eight operas established Czech-language opera as a serious art form. Tragically, he went completely deaf in 1874 from syphilis-related complications but continued composing. His String Quartet No. 1 "From My Life" includes a piercing high E that represents the tinnitus that heralded his deafness. His final years were marked by mental deterioration, and he died in an asylum.
The famous Vltava (Moldau) theme is actually based on a melody Smetana borrowed from a Swedish folk song — ironically, it has become the definitive musical symbol of Czech national identity.