PENTATONE releases Dvořák: Legends & Rhapsodies featuring Czech Philharmonic & Tomáš Netopil, in November 2024.
An Idiomatic Interpretation Of Orchestral Dvořák Gems
Dvořák’s Legends and Slavonic Rhapsodies, recorded by regular guest conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Tomáš Netopil, marks the orchestra’s fourth recording featuring Czech composers in 2024’s Year of Czech Music. Dvořák wrote his Slavonic Rhapsodies just before the Slavonic Dances that catapulted him to world fame, and they share their colourful orchestration and appealing folk dance melodies – even if the Rhapsodies have more expansive, ambitious forms. The Legends are at least as ingenious, with a smaller orchestra giving the pieces a more intimate, introspective quality. These lesser-known gems are now presented in a glorious idiomatic interpretation by the Czech Philharmonic, arguably the world’s best orchestra for this repertoire.
The Czech Philharmonic – recently awarded Gramophone’s Orchestra of the Year Award – is one of the world’s orchestral gems, recognised for its rich tradition with the Czech masters as well as European repertoire. Together with their chief conductor and artistic director Semyon Bychkov, they have so far recorded for PENTATONE Mahler’s First, Second, Fourth and Fifth Symphonies (2022-2023), part of the complete Mahler cycle to be released by the label, as well as Smetana’s Má vlast and Dvořák’s Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Symphonies (2024). The Orchestra is also featured on the albums Folk Songs (2023) and Czech Songs (2024) recorded by Magdalena Kožená and Sir Simon Rattle. Guest conductor Tomáš Netopil makes his PENTATONE debut.
“Every opportunity to present Dvořák’s Legends or Rhapsodies to an audience is a celebration for me. These musical treasures stand rather apart from the mainstream of Dvořák, but they nevertheless profoundly demonstrate the composer’s melodic and inventive genius. I believe that listeners will enjoy the musical sincerity and joy that emanates from this music, which fully reflects Dvořák’s happy period of his life.”
Tomáš Netopil
Digital Release Date: 8 NOVEMBER 2024
Physical Release: NOVEMBER 2024
Released as a Standard CD and in digital formats for streaming and high-resolution downloads.
