Playlist: 10 Czech Composers You Should Know (Who Aren’t Dvořák)

Dusk in Prague

Medieval castles. Prehistoric pottery. The original Pilsner beer. Clearly, the Czech Republic is home to a vibrant history and culture. But when it comes to Czech composers, most are familiar only with Antonín Dvořák.

Of course, Dvořák’s contributions to music are not to be overlooked; his orchestral works are celebrated worldwide, and his use of folk songs in his compositions was extremely influential. But there is an abundance of other Czech composers who have made a lasting impact in classical music, from the Renaissance to the 21st century.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of Czech independence, here are ten Czech composers (not including Dvořák) that we think you should know!

1. Jan Dismas Zelenska

Bach's letters reveal that he held Zelenka, his Czech contemporary, in high regard for his sacred and secular compositions. In addition to his compositional work, Zelenka is remembered for creating a definitive register of works called the Inventarium. This register is one of the most important documentations of music in Dresden, where Zelenka worked as a director of sacred music.

Listen to his Missa Votiva in E minor, one of the masterpieces which inspired his peers, like Bach and Telemann.

2. Florian Leopold Gassmann

Gassmann is known for his early contributions to dramma giocoso, an operatic tradition that incorporates comedy and farce, which preceded Mozart's work within the genre. He also founded the Tonkünstler-Societät, which was the first private organization to give concerts to the general public in Vienna. The organization also benefited widows and orphans.

Watch the Nederlandse Reisopera perform the Act 3 finale from his L’Opera Seria, which blends lush vocal music with comedic moments.

3. Josef Mysliveček

Historians have discovered that Mysliveček was intimate friends with both Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his father, Leopold. Mysliveček is even said to have provided compositional models for Mozart’s symphonies and violin concertos.

See if you can discern a resemblance to Mozart in Mysliveček’s Violin Concerto in D major.

4. Johann Baptist Waṅhal

Waṅhal, who lived in Vienna for much of his life, was highly respected by Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. His symphonies were influential in the Sturm und Drang movement. This movement's dramatic expression contrasted with the rational music of the Enlightenment era. Waṅhal's work influenced Mozart’s foray into this compositional style.

5. Bedřich Smetana

Smetana is known as the “father of Czech music” due to his compositions' patriotic sounds and themes. Consequently, his music was used in the fight for Czech independence. The country’s second-oldest music festival, Smetana’s Litomyšl International Opera Festival, celebrates his artistic and patriotic legacy.

In his most celebrated work, Má vlast, or "My Country," each movement references the nation’s history, the Czech countryside, or Bohemian legends.

6. Agnes Tyrrell

Tyrrell studied composition at the Vienna Conservatory when she was just sixteen years old and was one of the first women to compose symphonic works before the 20th century. The overture to her oratorio, Die Könige in Israel, is an example of Tyrrell’s knack for creating dramatic music with thick, sparkling textures.

7. Leoš Janáček

Like Dvořák, Janáček was fascinated by folk songs and often incorporated them into his compositions, making him one of the leading composers of Czech music. A memorial depicting his opera The Cunning Little Vixen, stands in a park in his hometown of Hukvaldy, which is also home to an annual festival honoring his music.

Listen to his lyrical orchestral suite from The Cunning Little Vixen.