Frederick Smetana, the greatest of Bohemian composers, founded in the
year 1848 the institute which he conducted for the teaching of the piano
in Prague. In this year it was that the composition for piano named
Morceaux Caracteristiques, he dedicated to Liszt (which dedication Liszt
accepted with the greatest cordiality, writing him a most complimentary
letter), was the means of his becoming personally acquainted with Liszt,
whom he until this time only knew by report. He obtained for the young
composer an introduction to the publisher Kistner, in Leipsic, who
brought out his six piano pieces called Stammbuchblaetter.