Album

Prague Philharmonia, Jakub Hrůša

Dvořák: Serenades - Suk: Meditation

Catalogue Number: SU 3932-2
Published: 18th January 2008
Genre: Orchestral
Format: 1 CD
This album has received following awards:
  • R 10 - disque indispensable - Classica repertoire (2008)
  • BBC Radio 3, Record Review Building a Library - The Best Recording (2018)
"In my opinion, as soon as Dvořák starts to be pompous, frilly, over-stylized, even rash or studiously virtuoso, the approach is wrong. My goal was to emphasize its simplicity and naturalness, because when this is lost, Dvořák isn't Dvořák anymore." These words of Jakub Hrůša shine through the young conductor's third CD, in which he again juxtaposes the works of teacher Antonín Dvořák and his student Josef Suk. Hrůša's preceding albums (Dvořák - Czech Suite, Waltzes, Polonaise in E flat major, SU 3867-2; Dvořák - Suite in A major, Suk - Serenade for Strings in E flat major, Scherzo Fantastique, SU 3882-2) aroused uncommon interest on the part of critics, proof of the extraordinary talent of the conductor and his meticulous work with theprecise, lively, colourful Prague Philharmonia (see Edward Greenfield, Gramophone). This new title, featuring two Dvořák serenades (the 1875 Serenade for Strings and the 1878 Serenade for Winds) andSuk's Meditation based on the chorale "Saint Wenceslas" is the third part of a triptych dedicated to these two closely connected composers.

Reviews

”It only took Dvořák 12 days to write his serenade but the richness of melody he created and the skill he used to craft it deserves the sort of performance where speed and dynamics work organically where you can hear lots of detail and where it enhances rather than detracts from the shape and more importantly the optimistic mood of this life affirming serenade and it’s Jakub Hrůša & the Prague Philharmonia who for me deliver all that.”
BBC Radio 3 Record Review Building a Library, January 2018

Antonín Dvořák
Serenade for String Orchestra in E major, Op. 22, B 52
1. Moderato 04:42
2. Menuetto - Allegro con moto 06:57
3. Scherzo - Vivace 05:44
4. Larghetto 05:47
5. Finale - Allegro vivace 06:19
Antonín Dvořák
Serenade for Wind Instruments, Cello and Double Bass in D minor, Op. 44, B 77
6. Moderato, quasi marcia 04:06
7. Menuetto. Tempo di minuetto 05:39
8. Andante con moto 08:01
9. Finale. Allegro molto 06:13
Josef Suk
10. Meditation on the Old Czech Chorale Saint Wenceslas for String Orchestra /1914/, Op. 35a 07:29