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Supraphon

Smetana: Symphonic Works

Modern Dramatic Triumphant Nostalgic
$64.99

Details

Composer
Bedrich Smetana
Artist
Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
Format
CD
Label
Supraphon
Released
Feb 14, 2025
Catalog #
SU4347-2
UPC
099925434724

About

Within a mere few years, Petr Popelka has established himself as one of the world's most exciting young conductors. Serving as principal conductor of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Wiener Symphoniker, he has also appeared as a guest with prominent European and American orchestras, as well as at opera houses worldwide. Popelka does not view Bedrich Smetana's legacy as an obligatory Czech national classic, but rather as an object of love and vital artistic quest. "His ultimate masterpiece, My Country, should be approached a bit like an opera, as a great story... As a cycle of tone poems based on the theme of the homeland, it is absolutely unique in the history of music. Most significantly, there is not a work written with greater love." Popelka's recording is not just yet another addition to the immense number of recordings of My Country. Bringing to bear his great musicality and acute sense of detail, the conductor and the orchestra have modelled a truly exceptional form. Popelka's album features other germs too. String Quartet No. 1 in E minor, "From My Life", hailing from Smetana's mature period, when the composer was completely deaf, in George Szell's brilliant orchestration. In contrast, Smetana's early music is represented by the Triumphal Symphony, dedicated to the wedding of the 24-year-old Emperor Franz Joseph I to Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria, and three "Swedish" Liszt-inspired symphonic poems, based on dramas as immense as Shakespeare's Richard III and Schiller's Wallenstein. The extraordinary album marks the 200th anniversary of Smetana's birth. Lovers of spatial sound will certainly relish streaming My Country in the Dolby Atmos format. Petr Popelka conducts Smetana - with love, deep feeling and sense for detail

Tracklist 17 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Richard III, Op. 11 13:27
    Track
    1
    Title
    Richard III, Op. 11
    Duration
    13:27
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  3. 2 Valdštýnuv tábor (Wallensteins Lager, Wallenstein's Camp), Op. 14 14:29
    Track
    2
    Title
    Valdštýnuv tábor (Wallensteins Lager, Wallenstein's Camp), Op. 14
    Duration
    14:29
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  4. 3 Hakon Jarl, Op. 16 15:06
    Track
    3
    Title
    Hakon Jarl, Op. 16
    Duration
    15:06
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Performer
    Ladislav Zámečník, Lydie Hartelova
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  5. 4 I. Allegro vivo appassionato 07:35
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Allegro vivo appassionato
    Duration
    07:35
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  6. 5 II. Alla polka 05:46
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Alla polka
    Duration
    05:46
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  7. 6 III. Largo sostenuto 08:45
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Largo sostenuto
    Duration
    08:45
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Performer
    Pavel Ludvík
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  8. 7 IV. Vivace - Meno mosso 06:15
    Track
    7
    Title
    IV. Vivace - Meno mosso
    Duration
    06:15
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  9. Disc 2
  10. 1 I. Allegro vivace 10:12
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro vivace
    Duration
    10:12
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  11. 2 II. Largo maestoso 09:51
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Largo maestoso
    Duration
    09:51
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  12. 3 III. Scherzo: Allegro vivo - Trio: Allegro moderato 09:52
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Scherzo: Allegro vivo - Trio: Allegro moderato
    Duration
    09:52
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  13. 4 IV. Finale: Allegro non troppo ma energico 11:15
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Finale: Allegro non troppo ma energico
    Duration
    11:15
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  14. Disc 3
  15. 1 No. 1. Vyšehrad (The High Castle) 14:44
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 1. Vyšehrad (The High Castle)
    Duration
    14:44
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  16. 2 No. 2. Vltava (Moldau) 11:42
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 2. Vltava (Moldau)
    Duration
    11:42
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  17. 3 No. 3. Šárka 08:29
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 3. Šárka
    Duration
    08:29
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  18. 4 No. 4. Z českých luhů a hájů (From Bohemia's Woods and Fields) 12:12
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 4. Z českých luhů a hájů (From Bohemia's Woods and Fields)
    Duration
    12:12
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  19. 5 No. 5. Tábor 11:24
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 5. Tábor
    Duration
    11:24
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka
  20. 6 No. 6. Blaník 13:56
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 6. Blaník
    Duration
    13:56
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Performer
    Jana Švadlenková, Zdeněk Rys
    Ensemble
    Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Petr Popelka