Second Visit to Weimar

During this sorrowful return to Prague, Smetana stayed at the Blue Star Hotel, while little Žofie lived with her grandmother. Deeply shaken by Kateřina's death, Smetana sought distraction in any way he could. The following weeks were tortuous, marked by inner turmoil as he wrestled with the demon of solitude. He wandered from place to place, seeking companionship. In his isolation, he resolved to visit Liszt and attend a music festival in Leipzig in early June, where Liszt and his entourage would be present. Upon his arrival, Smetana called on Liszt, who greeted him warmly. The following events, recorded in Smetana's diary, reflect a reaffirmation of their friendship and the discovery of new connections.

The festivities were organized in conjunction with the musicians’ convention, commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of Neue Zeitschrift für Musik. Karl Franz Brendel, the journal's editor and a supporter of Liszt's ideas, was among the key figures. The festival started on June 1, and Smetana met various musicians, including Hans von Bülow, mingled with Swedish artists, and encountered renowned Prague music scholar Ambros and critic Count Laurencin, both familiar faces. Among the predominantly German musicians, there was only one other of Slavic origin— Russian composer and critic Alexander Serov. Serov, a Wagnerian and a disciple of Liszt, was the enfant terrible of Russian critics and the only Russian musician of his era who truly understood Smetana's work. It is likely that Smetana and Serov engaged in lively discussions about the role and purpose of national art in the context of emerging romantic ideas. These conversations would later shape Smetana's artistic development and deepened his awareness of these issues.