The Bartered Bride Overture

The Bartered BrideaThe Sold Fiancee is a comic opera in three acts by the Czech composer BedrichaSmetana. The opera is considered to have been a major contribution towards the development ofaCzech music. Smetanas musical treatment made considerable use of traditional Bohemian dance forms such asathe polka and furiant, although he generally avoided the direct quotation of folksong. He neverthelessacreated music which sounded folk-like, and is considered to be a true representation of the Czechaspirit. The overture is often played as a concert piece independently from the opera. Interestingly, itawas composed before almost any of the other music for the opera had been written.