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 Religious societies called "Sbory literatske" that numbered amongst them the wealthiest burghers of every town, were warm supporters of musical art, spending large sums in providing hymn-books, existing copies of which works now command a very high price.

In the seventeenth century the use of instrumental music in churches became more general, and Bohemians were to be found in every country where good instrumentalists were in demand. The style of Bohemian music in the eighteenth century has a strongly marked national character both in the melodies and their harmonic treatment, as shown in the compositions of the masters of counterpoint.

To the end of the eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth, the leadership in all that pertained to art was acknowledged by the musical world to be in the masterly hands of Beethoven and Mozart. Numbered in the ranks of their enthusiastic followers in Bohemia were the leading national composers, such as the refined and poetic pianist Jan Lad. Dusek and Mozart's great admirer, Vaclav Jan Tomasek.

During the reign of the romantic school in Germany the first original Bohemian opera was composed by that excellent musician Frant Skroup.

The earnest study of the beauties of national songs was the source of inspiration which led to the production of some characteristic works. The compositions of Bedrich Smetana exhibit to a marked degree the special beauties of the genuine Bohemian style. Although to a certain extent 43