Among the great Czech composers, it is Bedřich Smetana who is revered as the musical embodiment of his country's national spirit and the founder of its modern musical character. Má vlast (My Fatherland), composed after Smetana's incurable deafness, is an unprecedented cycle of six interrelated symphonic poems that evoke ancient Czech legends and celebrate the majestic beauty of the country's landscapes. Acclaimed with "unending storms of applause" at its premiere in 1882, Má vlast reflects the unique qualities that make up the living heart and soul of the Czech nation.