The overture from The Bartered Bride is a thrilling romp which sets the mood for the comedy (and, arguably, the entire tradition of Czech classical music) to follow.
Read MoreFew societies are prouder of their music than the Czechs. This small population – there are only 10 million native speakers in the world – has had an outsized influence on the history of classical music.
Read MoreThis is a lyrical piece in which moments of agitation or anxiety on the part of the soloist or orchestra are always coaxed back into joy by the other musicians.
Read MoreThe Sinfonietta La Jolla was written for the Musical Arts Society of La Jolla, which requested that he write something tuneful and accessible. Martinů, who once commented that “music must be beautiful, or it wouldn’t be worth the effort,” gladly acquiesced to this request.
Read MoreIn Bohemia, the trumpets never call to battle. They always call to the dance.
— Rafael Kubelik
Read MoreThe Serenade is a charming and joyful work infused with the profound happiness and optimism pervading Dvořák‘s life at the time.
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