Smetana: Rêves (Dreams)

Description

For his six characteristic pieces Rêves, composed in 1875, Smetana returned to his favorite instrument, the piano. It was the first time he had written for the instrument in almost ten years. His compositions reflect two forms: the character piece and the virtuoso piece, the latter being a form that occupied Smetana particularly during his time in Sweden. Importantly, Smetana was also working on the first tone poem of M á vlast while composing these six pieces.

The six pieces of Rêves were written for and dedicated to Smetana's former pupils. The dedication was a means of thanking them for the benefit concert they had organised in the spring of 1875 for their teacher, who had recently lost his hearing.