Poster Bedrich Smetana and friends
Bedrich Smetana and friends
Painting by Frantisek Dvořak (1862-1927)
Performance Today®

Czech composer Bedrich Smetana

Czech composer Bedrich Smetana and his wife had four beautiful daughters. They were a happy family until, over the course of two years, three daughters and Smetana's wife all died from illness. On today's episode, hear dramatic music inspired by personal heartbreak: Bedrich Smetana's Piano Trio, Op. 15.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Arno Babajanian: Melody and Humoresque: Melody & Vagharshapat Dance
Raffi Besalyan, piano
The Return
Dorian 92187

Brad Richter: Lost Miner
Brad Richter, guitar
American Landscapes for Guitar
Blue Griffin 227

Michael Nyman: Silver-Fingered Fling
Brad Richter, guitar; Carlos Bonell, guitar
Eastern Arizona College, Safford, AZ

Arno Babajanian: Trio for violin, cello and piano in F-sharp minor
Andrew Wan, violin; Johannes Moser, cello; Andrew Armstrong, piano
Seattle Chamber Music Society, Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi: Violin Concerto in B-Flat Major
Livia Sohn, violin; Geoff Nuttall, Mark Fewer, Daniel Phillips, Gabriela Diaz, violins; Masumi Rostad, viola; David Ying, cello; Anthony Manzo, double bass; Pedja Muzijevic, harpsichord
Bank of America Chamber Music Series, Spoleto Music Festival, Dock Street Theater, Charleston, SC

Hour 2

Bedrich Smetana: Memories of Bohemia in the form of a Polka
Peter Schmalfuss, piano
Bedrich Smetana - Works for Piano
Thorofon 2005

Ludwig van Beethoven: Egmont Overture, Op. 84
IRIS Orchestra; Michael Stern, conductor
Germantown Performing Arts Center, Germantown, TN

Jacques Ibert: Three Short Pieces
Mimi Stillman, flute; Samuel Nemec, oboe; JJ Koh, clarinet; Catherine Chen, bassoon; Phillip Browne, horn
Lake George Music Festival, St James Episcopal Church, Lake George, NY

Bedrich Smetana: Piano Trio, Op. 15
Eroica Trio: Erika Nickrenz, piano; Sara Parkins, violin; Sara Sant'Ambrogio, cello
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA

Love the music?

Donate by phone
1-800-562-8440

Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.

Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.

YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.

More Ways to Give

Your Donation

$5/month
$10/month
$15/month
$20/month
$

Latest Performance Today® Episodes

VIEW ALL EPISODES

Latest Performance Today® Episodes

VIEW ALL EPISODES

About Performance Today®

To find a station near you on our Stations Listings page, click here.

American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.

Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

How do I leave a comment?

Send us a comment here.

About Performance Today®
<!--DO NOT REMOVE-CONTENTS PLACED HERE-->