Bedřich Smetana (1824 - 1884) was a Czech composer of the Romantic period. He is one of the most famous Czech composers. From his early youth he was devoted to music, especially piano playing and composition. During his lifetime he worked as a concert pianist, music teacher, conductor and music critic. Smetana wrote mainly operatic and symphonic works. His piano works, concentrated in the early stages of his compositional activity, also occupy a considerable volume in his oeuvre. His chamber music is represented by rare, though substantial, works, and his choruses and songs occupy a rather marginal position. At the age of fifty he became completely deaf, but even after his hearing loss he was able to compose a number of masterpieces. Throughout his work he strove to create a distinctive Czech musical style.