Event

Prague: Czech Romantics

Arnaud Sussmann violin
Michael Brown piano
Illustrated talk by Nicholas Chong

Smetana - From My Homeland Op. 128
Suk - 4 Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op.17
Janáek - Violin Sonata
Dvoák - Romantic Pieces, Op. 75

Smetana gave voice to the Czech desire for independence, so long yoked under the Habsburg Empire. But, away from his triumphantly nationalist operas and tone poems, in his quartets we encounter the fevered imagination of an artist fighting for his sanity. His example inspired Antonin Dvorák to bring Bohemian and Moravian elements into his own warmly vivacious chamber music, creating an outpouring of dance and song. In this programme we look at the emergence of a new nationalist identity in the rising city of Prague, as it cast off its Germanic traits, and explore the light and dark sides of the great Romantic figures.

Part of the Musical Capitals series