Album Leaves

A further volume of Smetana’s piano works reveals the composer as creator of short, lyrical pieces – moments of repose, varied in character and style. The pieces were mostly written in the 1840s-50s with the intention of composing works using all 24 keys, something which Smetana ultimately did not fully realise. The composer prepared some of them for publication himself – the first six works were published in 1851 as “Album Leaves” op. 2, and others were issued later under the title “Sketches”, with the dedication “to Frau Clara Schumann in deepest admiration” (opp. 4–5, 1858). This edition contains a complete collection of pieces, also including occasional compositions and posthumously-published pieces. The music in the volume is based on the “Complete Edition of Bedrich Smetana’s Piano Works” and has been provided with fingering and pedalling suggestions by the pianist and Smetana interpreter Jan Novotny.