B. Smetana - Czech Dances, Book 1 (Firkušný)

0:04​ - 1. Polka in F-sharp minor
2:40​ - 2. Polka in A minor
5:18​ - 3. Polka in F major
8:16​ - 4. Polka in B-flat major
Smetana wrote his four polkas in 1877 at a writing desk at Josef Jiránek's home. According to Jiránek the compositional process was as seamless as it gets: they were written straightaway by pen, then Smetana played the compositions fluently on the piano and afterwards just went to bed. This is especially impressive as by then Smetana had already lost his hearing.
In comparison with his earlier polkas which were more often than not rather refined or conversational, these are much thicker and more virtuosic.
Composer - Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)
Piano - Rudolf Firkušný
The sheet music is not yet public domain, but was used with the kind consent of Bärenreiter (Smetana Bedřich, Czech Dances, ©Bärenreiter Praha 2007, BA 9507).
Czech piano music playlist - www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0l5X...

[@traugottklassik8252]

Bedrich Smetana one of the best composers

[@dejanstevanic5408]

Thank you.

[@theenglishalpinist5031]

My God, beautiful - I've lived until 53 without discovering this music.

[@bobcinquino9937]

Don't feel bad, I'm 73. It's never too late!

[@paulthompson9668]

@@bobcinquino9937 I hope you enjoy this music for many years to come. Smetana was ahead of his time. The first polka would pass as jazz today if they gave it a swing/bebop feel.