B. Smetana – Macbeth and the Witches, JB 1:75 (Maxián)

Bedřich Smetana wrote the sketch to Macbeth at the age of thirty-five, in Sweden, where he worked as a conductor, music teacher as well as occasionally appearing as a concert pianist. To a listener familiar with his Má vlast and polkas it might be a little confusing at first listening to Macbeth. The many tremolos, arpeggios, whole tone scales, fantastic narrative and inspiration by a renaissance writer are more reminiscent of Liszt's Dantesque pieces rather than the folkloristic dances Smetana is known for. Smetana in his youth aspired to be a virtuoso in the Lisztian manner, later got to know Liszt personally and even received his admiration. All this suggests that his influence couldn't be a mere coincidence.

Composer – Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)
Pianist – František Maxián

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