František Xaver Sandmann (1805–1856)

Composer: Bedřich Smetana Artists: Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, Theodore Kuchar (conductor) Bedřich Smetana was a forerunner of the Nationalist music movement in 19th-century Czechoslovakia, and played a large part in developing the country’s musical identity. This disc comprises Smetana’s most renowned work, the inimitable Má vlast (My Homeland), a series of six tone poems – composed over five years – that depict different elements of the landscape of the composer’s native country. Vyšehrad, or The High Castle, is the first movement, based on the castle in Prague – the residence of early Czech kings. It opens with arpeggios played by a duo of harps, and later a military element is portrayed with the help of a march theme. The second movement Vltava (The Moldau), depicts the route of the river from the mountains to its end. Šárka, the third movement, explores the Czech folklore centred on the Bohemian Amazon maiden of the same name. This is followed by Z českých luhů a hájů (From Bohemia’s Meadows and Fields); a depiction of a beautiful landscape on a sunny day. These first four movements were intended to complete the work, but after a gap of four years Smetana composed another two: Tábor, portraying the Hussite warriors who founded and defended the city of Tábor in 1420, and Blaník, named after the mountain in central Bohemia. This, the final movement, begins with the same driving rhythms as Tábor and later relents into a joyful hymn. It is easy to see how this work paved the way for Smetana to be heralded as one of Czechoslovakia’s greatest composers and patriots. The works are performed by the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Theodore Kuchar. Tracklist 00:00:00 Bedrich Smetana: Má Vlast, JB 1:112: I. Vyšehrad 00:14:57 Bedrich Smetana: Má Vlast, JB 1:112: II. Vltava (The Moldau) 00:26:36 Bedrich Smetana: Má Vlast, JB 1:112: III. Šárka 00:36:16 Bedrich Smetana: Má Vlast, JB 1:112: IV. From Bohemia’s Meadows and Forests 00:48:43 Bedrich Smetana: Má Vlast, JB 1:112: V. Tábor 01:00:16 Bedrich Smetana: Má Vlast, JB 1:112: VI. Blaník Thanks for watching! Feel free to subscribe and visit our channel for the best classical music from the greatest composers like: Bach, Satie, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Chopin, Haydn, Ravel, Debussy, Verdi, Vivaldi, Handel, Brahms, Liszt, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, Wagner, Strauss, Handel, Dvorak, Schubert and many more! We upload complete albums, music for relaxing, working, studying, meditating, concentrating, instrumental music, opera, violin, classical piano music, sonatas and more!

小步舞曲（minuet），是一种源于法国的三拍子舞曲，男女对舞。1650年—1750年间主宰了欧洲贵族舞曲。据传源自法国民间的普瓦图勃朗里舞。17世纪时由民间传入宫廷，受到法国国王路易十四的喜好和提倡，因此很快便传遍欧洲，盛行于18世纪。以其中庸的速度和优雅的风格为特色，舞蹈者按社会地位高低为序，讲究礼仪，极为壮观，常表演多种经过精心设计的花样或图案，并于起舞前向舞伴和观众行屈膝礼或鞠躬。早期小步舞曲大都是从第一拍开始，但到了古典时期则变成了从第三拍开始。用于舞蹈场所的小步舞曲，其速度一般都是比较慢的，重音多落在第二拍上；而作为单独演奏的乐曲，其速度通常都会较快。

海顿开始将小步舞曲用于写作奏鸣曲的第三乐章，以后许多音乐家也写作了小步舞曲作品，比较著名的有贝多芬的《小步舞曲六首》和莫札特的《D大调第十七嬉游曲》的第三乐章。已经脱离了舞蹈，成为纯粹的音乐作品，只是仍然采用小步舞的节奏。

Das Menuett (von französisch menuet; italienisch minuetto, menuetto, englisch minuet), aus dem Französischen von „menu pas“ (kleiner, zierlicher Schritt), ist ein alter höfischer Gesellschaftstanz französischen Ursprungs und ein wichtiger Tanz der Barockzeit und Klassik. Es steht im 3⁄4-Takt (selten in 3⁄8 oder 6⁄4), beginnt meistens abtaktig, und besteht meist aus einer Abfolge von 4-, 8- oder 16-taktigen Teilen.