Betty's polka

Dílo Bedřicha Smetany

Genesis

Work characteristic

Link to the catalogue of works

Basic information

Title:
Betty's polka
Inscribed on the autograph: Bettina polka seiner geliebten Braut eigens componirt von Fritz Smetana in Gothenburg Decb. 1859. [Bettina polka for his beloved bride specially composed by Fritz Smetana in Gothenburg Decb. 1859.]
Title by autograph:
Bettina polka
Classification according to the catalogue of J. Berkovec:
1.74
Title according to the catalogue of J. Berkovec:
Bettina polka
Parts/Subjects:
Allegro moderato
Dedicant:
Note:
Srb-Debrnov: He composed the polka "Bettina" for his bride in 1859; I found it at Mrs. B. Smetana in August 1896 in Velký Lukov in Moravia.
Teige states the title: Koncertní polka [Concert Polka] (p. 54, no. 81)
____________________
Bettina Ferdinandi married Bedřich Smetana in 1860 and took the name Bettina Smetanová.

Cast

Instrumental cast:
Pfte

Other information

Bettina polka: original version

Place of origin:
Gothenburg
Date of beginning of composition:
29. 11. 1859
Date of composition completion:
09. 12. 1859
Note on date and place of origin:
Smetana wrote the original version on decorative letter paper and sent it to Bettina from Gothenburg on 10 December 1859. This first version was not available to him later, so he wrote a second version in 1883, based on the 1859 sketch.
Note on premiere:
The date and location of the premiere is unknown.

1st edition of the score

Publisher:
Place of publication:
Prague
Title of the work:
VII. (Bettina)
Part of a whole:
IV. Polky (sešit druhý [second book]), pp. 14-16
Name of edition:
Z pozůstalých skladeb Bedřicha Smetany [From the Musical Estate of Bedřich Smetana]
Year:
1904
Note:
1st version - based on a handwritten copy
Edited for print by Jindřich Kaan von Albest

Critical edition

Publisher:
Place of publication:
Prague
Title of the work:
BETTINA POLKA
Part of a whole:
Klavírní dílo Bedřicha Smetany [Collected Pianoforte Works of Bedřich Smetana], 5 volumes
Name of edition:
KDBS II (Polky [Polkas])
Year:
1944
Note:
Filed under the category: ZLOMKY, NÁČRTKY A PRVNÍ ZNĚNÍ POLEK [FRAGMENTS, SKETCHES AND FIRST VERSIONS OF POLKAS], pp. 172-174, 175-177

Bettina polka: second version

Place of origin:
Jabkenice
Date of beginning of composition:
14. 04. 1883
Date of composition completion:
20. 04. 1883
Note on premiere:
Date and place of premiere unknown

1st edition

Publisher:
Place of publication:
Prague
Year:
1944
Note:
2nd version

Critical edition

Publisher:
Place of publication:
Prague
Title of the work:
BETTINA POLKA
Part of a whole:
Klavírní dílo Bedřicha Smetany [Collected Pianoforte Works of Bedřich Smetana], 5 volumes
Name of edition:
KDBS II (Polky [Polkas])
Year:
1944
Note:
2nd version, pp. 125-127