Czech Philharmonic: Sir Simon Rattle conducts Dvořák Slavonic Dances Op. 72
The Slavonic Dances Op. 72 have been recorded in January 2025 and Op. 46 in April 2025. Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances were born from words of encouragement: because of his commercial success of the Morovian Duets, the Berlin publisher Fritz Simorck asked him for “something in the manner of Brahms’s Hungarian Dances“. Dvořák reacted in a message to Brahms: “Most honoured master! I have been entrusted with writing some Slavic dances for Mr Simrock. Not knowing how to begin, I tried to lay my hands on your famous Hungarian Dances, and I am taking the liberty of using them as a model for preparing the Slavonic Dances in question“. It was a big success and another set of Slavonic Dances was commissioned quite soon. In this recording, we hear a masterful stylisation of the original compositions that are “pure“ Dvořák and celebrate the Bohemian spirit.
Antonín Dvořák: Slavonic Dances, Op. 72: No. 1 – Molto vivace, B flat Major, No. 2 – Allegretto grazioso, E minor, No. 3 – Allegro, F Major, No. 4 – Allegretto grazioso, D flat Major, No. 5 – Poco adagio, B flat minor, No. 6 – Moderato, quasi minuetto, B flat Major, No. 7 – Allegro vivace, C Major, No. 8 – Grazioso e lento ma non troppo, quasi tempo di valse, A flat Major