My Country (Má vlast)

Shortly after the premiere of The Secret, an idea began to crystallize in Smetana's mind about completing his symphonic cycle. At that time, the cycle comprised only four symphonic poems: Vyšehrad, Vltava, Šárka, and From Bohemia's Meadows and Groves—the last of which he had composed three years earlier. According to a contemporary source, Smetana, having completed this symphonic “tetralogy,” shifted his focus primarily to opera, resisting popular demand for more works of the “tetralogy type” that had been so well received. Still, his tireless diligence and prolific nature eventually yielded, at least in part, to the public's desire for more of this music. The idea of extending the cycle had lingered with him for some time. On January 9, 1879, he wrote to Hostinský:

Although the chronological order of each part of this symphonic cycle is known, the genesis of this unique work remains obscure. Dalibor published an account of its origin, but it was based on conjecture, leaving the true nature of the creative process veiled. However, drawing from Zelený's allusions, insights from other friends of the composer, and Smetana's own correspondence, we can partially reconstruct its development. The first mention of Smetana's desire to compose Vyšehrad and Vltava appears in November 1872, following the completion of Libuše.