Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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486 SMETANA SMITH
^1874), before he was compelled, by increasing
deafness, to resign his post. Subsequently to
his retirement the following were produced
'Der Kuss' (1876), 'Das Geheimniss' (1878),
'Libussa' (1881), and 'Die Teufelswand
(1882). During his tenure of the conductorship
his keen interest in the career of a member
of his orchestra, Antonin Dvorak, had a great
influence on the younger man's work. Smetana's
other works are of great importance though
they are not very numerous. The symphonic
poem Mein Vaterland ' ' is east in six sections,
'
Vysehrad ' (Visegrad),
'
Vltava ' (Moldau),
Sarka,' 'AusBdhmensHainundFlur," 'Tabor,'
'
and 'Blauik.' It is a work of remarkable
power, and very picturesque in treatment.
There are besides three other symphonic poems,
'Wallenstein's Lager, ' 'Kichard III. , ' and ' Hakon
Jarl '
; a I'riumphsymphonie ' ' dated 1853, and
'
Prager Karneval ' for orchestra. Two string
quartets exist, in E minor and major ; the first,
entitled 'Aus meinem Leben,' is a remarkable
piece of chamber music, in which the classical
form, somewhat modified, is used to describe the
main event of the composer's career, and in
which a persistent high note in the finale is
understood to be a deliberate statement concerning
a note, similarly persistent to his own ear,
which was the eflfeot of his deafness. There are
also a trio for piano and strings, part-songs, a
festival march for the Shakespeare tercentenary,
and much piano music. He became insane at
the end of his life, and died in an asylum at
Prague, May 12, 1884.
Snaetana is the first (and, as some think, the
greatest) Bohemian composer who deliberately
took his stand as an exponent of the art of his
native country. But he is a great deal more
than this, for,, though his music has been long
in making its way outside Bohemia, yet it has
now obtained so strong a hold that it is most
unlikely to be forgotten. If he may not have
succeeded in obtaining for his national polkameasure
the entry into classical structure that
Dvo?ak won for the furiant 'and dumka, yet
his attempt to do so marks a point in the history
of the development of form. Though his symphonic
poems are not realistic, yet there can
be no doubt that they carried on the tradition
of that form from the hands of Liszt, and increased
its power of pictorial expression. The
famous opera 'Die Verkaufte Braut' ('Prodana
Nev&ta'— 'The Bartered Bride'—is the ori-,
ginal Bohemian) is one of the most beautiful of
modern comic operas, and on a stnall stage, presented
by performers who understand the true
comic traditions, it must always impress itself
on the audience. Hitherto, though twice bi;ought
out in London, it has not achieved a great success
with the general public, for Covent Garden
and a company accustomed to interpreting the
later works of Wagner are not the ideal conditions
of its presentment. It was first given by
the Ducal company of Saxe-Ooburg and Gotha
at Drury Lane on June 26, 1895, and at Covent
Garden on Jan. 24, 1907. There is plenty of
vis comica in it, and lovely music from beginning
to end, quite original and characteristic ; but so
far nothing has made quite such a success as its
overture, which, under the name of ' Lustspiel
or Comedy ' ' overture, was widely known and
dearly loved long before the opera was produced
in England. Monographs on the composer were
written by B. Wallek in 1895 and Hostinskh
in 1901, the latter being in Czech (Riemann's
lasBikon, etc.). M.
SMETHEEGELL, William, a pianist in
London, was author of A Treatise on Thorough
Bass, 1794, and Rules for Thoraagk Bass, with
three sonatas for harpsichord and violin (1795) ;
[he composed also six concertos for harpsichord
and violoncello
or pianoforte with two violins
(1785), six duets for two violins, op. 17 (1800),
six easy solos for violin (1790), six lessons for
harpsichord, six overtures in eight parts, and a
second set, op. 8. He also adapted compositions
from Jommelli and other composers, and wrote
songs. Brit. Mus. Biog."]. He was organist of
St. Margaret on the Hill, Southwark, and
Allhallows Barking. w. H. H.
SMITH, Alice Mart (Mrs. Meadows
White), a distinguished English composer, was
bom May 19, 1839. She was a pupil of Sir
W. Stemdale Bennett and Sir G. A. Macfarren ;
married Frederick Meadows White, Esq., Q.C.
(afterwards a Judge for the County of Middlesex),
Jan. 2, 1867, was elected Female Professional
Associate of the Philharmonic Society in
November 1867, Hon. Member of the Eoyal
Academy of Music in 1884, and died Dec. 4,
1884. She was a prolific composer of works of
all dimensions. The list embraces two Symphonies,
in C minor (1863), and G ; Overtui-es
to 'Endymion' (1864, rewritten 1871), 'Lalla
Rookh ' (1865), Masque ' of Pandora,' with two
Intermezzi (1878), and 'Jason' (1879); a
Concerto for clarinet and orchestra (1872) ; an •
Introduction and Allegro for PF. and orchestra
(1865); fom- PF. quartets, in Bb (1861), D
(1864), E, and G minor; a PF. trio in 6
(1862) ; three String quartets, in D (1862), A
(1870), and G ; also five Cantatas for soli,
chorus, and orchestral accompaniment— 'Rlidesheim
or Gisela' (Cambridge, 1865), Kingsley's
'
Ode to the North-East Wind ' (Hackney Choral
Association, 1 8 8 0), Collins's ' Ode to the Passions
(Hereford Festival, 1882), Kingsley's 'Song of
the Little Baltung' (1883), Kingsley's 'Red
King' (1884); PartSong, 'The Dream' (1863);
Duet (S.T.) ' Maying' ; many solo-songs, dueta,
etc.
'
Her music,' says the Athenceum of
Dec. 13, 1884, 'is marked by elegance and
grace rather than by anygreat individuality . . .
that she was not deficient in power and energy is
proved by portions of the "OdetotheNorth-East
I
Wind," and "The Passions." Her forms were