Má vlast (my homeland) is a set of six symphonic poems composed by Smetana, later presented as a single work in 1882 in Prague. The author combined the ideals of nationalistic music with the Symphonic Poem form coined by Listz, resulting in a very idiosincratic music. Each poem of Má vlast depicts an aspect of the culture of Bohemia. This particular piece, Vltava (or Die Moldau as it is known in German) was composed in 1874 and premiered by Adolf Čech the following year. In its twelve minutes of duration, Smetana resorts to tone painting to evoke the sounds of one of Bohemia's rivers. The piece also happens to contain his most famous tune, an adaptation of La Mantovana, a song attributed to tenor Giuseppe Cenci - and also the basis for the Israeli national anthem.
