Bohemian Impressions: Music Inspired by the Czech Landscape (DVORAK/SMETANA/JANACEK/MARTINU) - Pesek, Czech Philharmonic, Prague Philharmonia

B. Smetana - From Bohemian Fields and Groves; A. Dvořák - In Nature's Realm, Czech Suite (Pastorale and Romance); J. Suk - A Summer's Tale (Intermezzo); V. Novák - Moravian-Slovak Suite (The Lovers, The Ball); B. Martinů - Bouquet of Flowers (Idyll); L. Janáček - The Cunning Little Vixen (Overture), The Saws (from The Lachian Dances); Z. Fibich - Poem (At Twilight)

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conductors: Václav Neumann, Libor Pešek; Prague Philharmonia, conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek

The names of Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů are rightly synonymous with the global fame of Czech music. And it was frequently the compositions inspired by the beauty of the beloved homeland (and its folk music) that brought its creators to the attention of listeners worldwide. A case in point is Smetana's My Country, yet other composers too reflected the land of their heart, its natural and folk motifs in their works (Janáček's Lachian Dances, Novák's Moravian-Slovak Suite, Dvořák's Czech Suite, Martinů's Bouquet of Flowers, etc.). Bohemian Impressions is a selection of the most beautiful melodies that grew out of this inspiration - a gallery of images and reminiscences from the places where one feels most alive and keeps returning to. Amid the wide harmonies - how wide are the horizons seen from the Vysočina hills? - flash the sparks of lively colours with which a composer let himself be carried away by the rhythms of folk dances at a village ball. This is a musical landscape singing of love, colours, scents and tranquillity; a landscape in which you will feel alive.

The most beautiful music from Bohemian fields and groves - a landscape of the heart to which we keep returning.

Bedřich Smetana
My Country. A Cycle of Symphonic Poems
1. From Bohemian Fields and Groves (Molto moderato - Allegro poco vivo, ma non troppo - Presto) 13:05

Antonín Dvořák
Czech suite in D major, Op. 39
2. Preludium (Pastorale) 04:05

Antonín Dvořák
Czech suite in D major, Op. 39
3. Romance 04:48

Antonín Dvořák
In Nature's Realm. Overture from a Cycle Nature, Life and Love, Op. 91 (B 168)
4. In Nature's Realm, Op. 91, B 168 14:39

Josef Suk
A Summer's Tale. Symphonic Poem for Large Orchestra, Op. 29
5. Intermezzo - Blind Musicians 05:05

Vítězslav Novák
Moravian Slovak Suite for Small Orchestra, Op. 32
6. The Amorous Couple /The Lovers/. Andante quasi allegretto 04:22
7. The Country Musicians. Allegro strepitoso 04:32

Bohuslav Martinů
Bouquet of Flowers. A cycle of Compositions, H. 260
8. Idyll 06:30

Leoš Janáček
The Cunning Little Vixen. Opera in 3 Acts
9. Act 1 - Orchestral Introduction. A Dark, Dry Gorge 03:39

Leoš Janáček
The Lachian Dances
10. The Saws 03:03

Zdeněk Fibich
Poem. At Twilight. Idyll for Orchestra, Op. 39
11. Poeme 04:12