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Bedrich Smetana

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Composer

The Resume

    (March 2, 1824-May 12, 1884)
    Born in Litomysl, Czech Republic
    Best known works were the opera 'The Bartered Bride,' the symphonic cycle 'Ma Vlast' ('My Fatherland') and the string quartet 'From My Life'
    Considered the father of Czech naational music

Why he might be annoying:

    He joined a revolt against the Austro-Hungarian monarchy (1848), then two years later accepted a position as Emperor Ferdinand's Court Pianist.
    While teaching music in Sweden, he had an extramarital affair with one of his students.
    He went mad from syphilis and was confined to an asylum a month before his death.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Three of his six daughters died in infancy.
    He claimed that after hearing a conductor in Vienna say that Czechs were incapable of making music of their own, 'I swore there and then that no other than I should beget a native Czech music.'
    Despite going deaf (1874), he was able to write two operas, a string quartet and several other works before going insane nine years later.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 14 Votes: 64.29% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 38 Votes: 78.95% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 76 Votes: 60.53% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 21 Votes: 61.90% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 30 Votes: 56.67% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 368 Votes: 78.26% Annoying