“Czech Dances for Piano” are the last cycle, and at the same time, the high point in Bedrich Smetana’s works for piano. The impetus for the composition of this work for Smetana was probably the first series of “Slavonic Dances” by Antonin Dvorak.
The volume contains the four polkas composed in 1877, with which Smetana completed his stylisation of the polka in masterly fashion, together with ten folk dances from 1879, with titles such as “ Furiant ”, “ Slepicka ” (Little Chicken), “ Oves ” (Oats), “ Medved ” (Bear), “ Cibulicka ” (Little Onion), “ Dupak ”, “ Hulan ” (Ulan), “ Obkrocak ” (Callipers), “ Sousedska ”, “ Skocna ” (Spring Dance).
Behind these names are diverse, richly varied types of exuberant youths’ and lyrical girls’ dances. The cycle culminates in two group dances. The new edition of the work includes an editorial commentary by the pianist Jan Novotny.