Critical Reception
“He has been called the father of Bohemian national music” -Milton Cross
Even in his own homeland the general public was slow to recognize Smetana. As a young composer and pianist he was well regarded in Prague musical circles, and had the approval of Liszt, Proksch and others, but the public's lack of acknowledgement was one of the biggest factors behind his self-imposed exile in Sweden. When he did return he was not taken particularly seriously, and found it difficult to get audiences for his new works, hence his "prophet without honor" remark after the nearly empty hall and indifferent reception of Richard III and Wallenstein's Camp at Žofín Island in January 1862.
In response to the Piano Sonata in G minor by Robert and Clara Schumann was not very encouraging in their diaries that they were disapproving of it being too Berlioz-like.
Though he had his critics, he was warmly welcomed by the Czech people due to the nationalistic music he brought back to the land.
In his final decade, the most fruitful of his compositional career despite his deafness and increasing downturn in his health, Smetana belatedly received national recognition. Of his later operas, The Two Widows and The Secret were warmly received, while The Kiss was greeted by an "overwhelming ovation". The ceremonial opera Libuše was received with thunderous applause for the composer; by this time (1881) the disputes around his music had declined, and the public was ready to honor him as the founder of Czech music.
For most of his career he received warm receptions to his works and pieces. It wasn’t really until his last opera in 1882 The Devil’s Wall that brought the most disappointment. The attendance was so poor to the third performance (which was intended to be a benefit for Smetana himself) led to humiliation and he declared that he wouldn’t write anything more, because no one wanted to hear from him. This disappointment was swiftly mitigated by the acclaim which followed the first performance of the complete Má vlast cycle in November: "Everyone rose to his feet and the same storm of unending applause was repeated after each of the six parts ... At the end of Blaník (the last movement) the audience was beside itself and the people could not bring themselves to take leave of the composer."
In response to the Piano Sonata in G minor by Robert and Clara Schumann was not very encouraging in their diaries that they were disapproving of it being too Berlioz-like.
Though he had his critics, he was warmly welcomed by the Czech people due to the nationalistic music he brought back to the land.
In his final decade, the most fruitful of his compositional career despite his deafness and increasing downturn in his health, Smetana belatedly received national recognition. Of his later operas, The Two Widows and The Secret were warmly received, while The Kiss was greeted by an "overwhelming ovation". The ceremonial opera Libuše was received with thunderous applause for the composer; by this time (1881) the disputes around his music had declined, and the public was ready to honor him as the founder of Czech music.
For most of his career he received warm receptions to his works and pieces. It wasn’t really until his last opera in 1882 The Devil’s Wall that brought the most disappointment. The attendance was so poor to the third performance (which was intended to be a benefit for Smetana himself) led to humiliation and he declared that he wouldn’t write anything more, because no one wanted to hear from him. This disappointment was swiftly mitigated by the acclaim which followed the first performance of the complete Má vlast cycle in November: "Everyone rose to his feet and the same storm of unending applause was repeated after each of the six parts ... At the end of Blaník (the last movement) the audience was beside itself and the people could not bring themselves to take leave of the composer."