Czech Dances

The two cycles of piano dances composed by Smetana in 1877 and 1879, widely regarded as the pinnacle of his piano writing. Czech Dances I consists of four large concert polkas. Czech Dances II contains ten stylised folk dances in specific Czech idioms: Furiant, Slepička (The Little Hen), Oves (Oats), Medvěd (The Bear), Cibulička (The Little Onion), Dupák (Stamping Dance), Hulán (Hussar), Obkročák (Circular Dance), Rejdovák, and Rejdovačka. Both cycles were composed after Smetana's total deafness and are technically demanding concert works.

Czech Dances II are character pieces as much as dances — each has a specific animal, activity, or figure behind it. The Little Hen, The Bear, and The Hussar should have differentiated characters, not be played as generic teaching pieces. Study the folk traditions behind each title; the music makes more sense when you know what it depicts.