Smetana: Dances and Dreams for Piano

Description

Radoslav Kvapil plays piano works by Smetana as part of his survey of essential Czech piano music

Hailed as the father of Czech music, Bedrich Smetana is most famously known for his operatic and orchestral works. Radoslav Kvapil delivers a sensitive and powerful performance of these remarkable piano pieces that will delight both new-comers and those already knowledgeable of Smetana’s oeuvre.

Bedrich Smetana

Tri salonni polky (Three salon polkas)

• I. Polka in F# – vivo 4:30
• II. Polka in E – allegretto ma non troppo 1:49
• Tri poeticke polky (Three Poetic Polkas) – Polka in Ab – allegro 2:27

Sny (Dreams)

• I. Zaniklé stestí (Bygone Happiness) – vivo – quasi andante – più vivo 4:20
• II. Útecha (Consolation) – moderato – moderato assai – lento – poco meno allegro 4:45
• III. V Cechhách – vsenický príbeh (In Bohemia – Country Tale) moderato e rubato – più allegro – più vivo 5:08
• IV. V salone (In the Salon) – allegro comodo 3:51
• V. Pred hradem (Before the Castle) – moderato ma energico 5:00
• VI. Slavnost ceských venkovanu (Festival of Bohemian Country Folk) molto vivace – vivo ed energico – più lento – Tempo I – presto 4:47

Ceske tance (Czech Dances) II

• I. Furiant 5:47
• II. Slepicka (Little hen) 3:17
• III. Oves (Oats) 5:08
• IV. Medved (The Bear) 3:25
• V. Cibulicka (Little Onion) 4:53
• VI. Dupák (Stomp Dance) 3:51
• VII. Hulán (The Lancer) 4:55
• VII. Obkrocák (Stepping Round) 3:21
• IX. Sousedská (Neighbour’s Dance ) 4:38
• X. Skocná (Hopping Dance) 3:38