The 19th century stands for industrialization, change and revolution throughout Europe, but also for the struggle for national identity and self-determination. Against the background of forced Germanization, and the suppression of an independent Czech culture in the German, Austrian, Hungarian region, composers such as Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák embodied Czech Romanticism in the music world. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all the wonderful music by Czech romantic composers today.
The struggle for a true Czech national identity became the decisive engine driving change in Czech society and culture. Music proved to be an excellent instrument for expressing this new national movement, and was perfected by the most important representatives of Czech romanticism:
One of the greatest Czech nationalist composers Bedřich Smetana was actually born into a German family, and baptized “Friedrich”. As a young man he spoke only a little Czech. It was this ’German Czech’ who became the founder of Czech national music, and also the conductor of the Czech National Theater in Prague. The programmatic cycle of the symphonic poems “My Fatherland” with the movement Vltava is known to every schoolchild in the Czech Republic today.
Just as Smetana contributed to the formation of a national identity within the Czech region, Antonín Dvořák was also instrumental in the popularization of Czech music around Europe and further afield. Dvořák is arguably the most famous Czech composer of all time, and one of the few who became famous in Europe, Russia and the USA during his lifetime. Dvořák’s music is characterized by a combination of precise compositional craftsmanship and unique Slavic melodies. Dvořák’s Symphonies and symphonic poems are part of the core repertoire of all orchestras around the world today.
More influential yet lesser-known Czech romantic composers include Zdeněk Fibich and Josef Suk. Take a look at Piano Works by Zdeněk Fibich and Chamber Music by Josef Suk, which are real hidden gems.
for: 1–2 cellos
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 3841
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 693950
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1351079
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683200
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Chorpartitur, Urtextausgabe, Digitalartikel (AODP)
Item no.: 1639779
for: Soloists, SATB and Organ
Score
Item no.: 244666
for: Accordion orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 219583
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 945480
for: 3 Singstimmen, 4 Blockflöten (SSAA), Streicher, Klavier
Stimmen-Set
Item no.: 142309
for: Soprano, Alto or Bass Solo, SSAA, Keyboard [Organ or Piano]
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 908444
for: Accordion orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 126403
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 429926
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 317606
for violin and piano
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 214422
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 764102
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 685001
"From the New World"
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1697156
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 796421
for: Piano
Spielpartitur
Item no.: 1204030
for: FAG STR TRIO
Item no.: 192122
for: 2 violins, 2 violas, cello
Score, Parts
Item no.: 633036
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 284498
(Urtext)
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 329397
for: Violin, cello, harp
Score, Parts
Item no.: 549642
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 674318
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 674580
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 664640
from "Gipsy Melodies"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 327834
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1539079
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 155158
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 357275
for: Sopran, Bass, gemischter Chor (SATB) und Orchester
Piano reduction
Item no.: 357603
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 357506
for: 2 Clarinets and Piano
Book
Item no.: 166344
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Book
Item no.: 165205
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 162064
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Book
Item no.: 165204
for: Piano
Ensemble score
Item no.: 373511
for: 2 voices, piano
Score
Item no.: 245181
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 103959
"American Suite"
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 300101
for: FL KLAR VL KLAV
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 414213
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 176237
for: 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons, double bass
Score
Item no.: 605923
for: Orchestra
Taschenpartitur
Item no.: 1611011
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 492917
for: Salon orchestra
Piano part for conductor, Parts
Item no.: 283628
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 314587