Czech Philharmonic Orchestra – Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Plays Studio Ghibli Symphonic Collection (2005)
DFF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | Time – 00:59:08 minutes | 2,4 GB | Genre: Classical
Source: SACD | Artwork: Front cover | © Tokuma TKGA-502
The greatest songs from Studio Ghibli films performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. This is a super-audio CD hybrid disc.
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Bruno Belcik, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, George Szell – Lucerne Festival Historic Performances Vol. III – George Szell conducts Dvorák & Brahms (2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 01:21:04 minutes | 898 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Audite Musikproduktion
Rhythmic precision, formal awareness, absolute faithfulness to the work and razor-sharp orchestral control: George Szell (1897-1970) is seen as one of the great orchestral disciplinarians of the 20th-century, as a superior musical director and an uncompromising perfectionist: a reputation which he gained, first and foremost, during his 24 years as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, which he formed into one of the world’s finest ensembles. The musical roots of the Hungarian-born conductor, however, are in the ‘Old World’, and after the Second World War he was one of the first musicians in American exile to return to Europe for concerts.
During the ’50s and ’60, George Szell regularly appeared at Lucerne Festival. The concert recordings presented here, both of which are first releases, encompass two works central to his repertoire. In 1962, the ‘anti-romantic and master of precision’ (Harold C. Schonberg), alongside the Swiss Festival Orchestra, achieved a powerful and intensely determined interpretation of Brahms’ First Symphony: the transparently played, chamber-like middle movements are framed by outer movements full of suspense. In the summer of 1969, one year after the violent defeat of the ‘Prague Spring’, Szell was reunited with the Czech Philharmonic in Lucerne. He had worked with the orchestra as early as the 1930s during his tenure at the New German Theatre in Prague. His thrillingly energetic reading of the Eighth Symphony by Antonín Dvorák enthused the audience and critics in equal measure. According to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung: “Szell’s art of expressive tempo modification, preparing, building towards and resolving formal and dynamic tensions was demonstrated to such an extent that the entire symphony, from the beginning, seemed to have been lifted onto a higher level”.
Both recordings demonstrate that Szell’s concert recordings are particularly appealing, thanks to his willingness to take risks, lively musical flow and heightened emotional content: in contrast to his perfectly balanced studio recordings.
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Ida Haendel, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra – Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole & Ravel: Tzigane (1964) [Japan 2018]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 43:30 minutes | Front/Rear covers | 1,77 GB
or FLAC Stereo (converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/96 kHz | Front/Rear covers | 946 MB
This is the world’s first SACD reissue of Lalo’s famous performance, which combines the beautiful and rich sound of violin of Ida Handel with Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Karel Ančerl. This reissue uses a new DSD sound sourced from the original analog master tape. The jacket photo uses the original LP design, renews the sound quality and reprints.
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Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Franz Konwitschny – Schubert: Symphony No. 9 in C Major, D. 944 “The Great” (Remastered 2023) (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 52:48 minutes | 1,05 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Archipel
The name “Czech Philharmonic Orchestra” appeared for the first time in 1894, as the title of the orchestra of the Prague National Theatre. It played its first concert under its current name on January 4, 1896 when Antonín Dvořák conducted his own compositions, but it did not become fully independent from the opera until 1901. The first representative concert took place on October 15, 1901 conducted by Ludvík Čelanský, the first artistic director of the orchestra. In 1908, Gustav Mahler led the orchestra in the world premiere of his Symphony No. 7. The orchestra first became internationally known during the principal conductorship of Václav Talich, who held the post from 1919 to 1931, and again from 1933 to 1941. In 1941, Talich and the orchestra made a controversial journey to Germany, where they performed Bedřich Smetana’s My Country in a concert enforced by the German offices.
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Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Jiří Bělohlávek – Dvořák: Slavonic Dances Opp. 46 & 72 (2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:15:33 minutes | 1,40 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Decca Music Group Ltd.
Maestro Belohlavek and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra return to Decca with the unforgettable Slavonic Dances from one of the most melodious, harmonious and evocative late 19th Century composers – Dvorak. Decca’s acclaimed 2014 Complete Dvorak Concertos and Symphonies release was named as one of the Top Recordings of 2014 by the New York Times: “…the set as a whole stands as eloquent testimony to this eminent orchestra’s triumphant return to international prominence…” James R. Oestreich, New York Times. Performed and recorded by musicians who have an innate understanding and deep-rooted love for this music of their homeland, this is a first-rate recording, bringing great passion and lyricism to Dvorak’s spellbinding Slavonic Dances. There is no more authentic team today to play these works: the leading Czech orchestra with the leading Czech conductor, recording in the fine acoustic of the famous Rudolfinum in Prague. In two sets, the Op.46 Slavonic Dances were such a success on release (in the late 1800’s) that Dvorak’s publisher immediately commissioned a further set (to become the Op.72) – which inspired an equally enthusiastic reception. Lively and colourful, both sets feature a variety of traditional forms of dance; Dvorak expertly working with the leaping gallop, polka odzemek and skocna, contrasted alongside luscious mazurkas and sousedsky.
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Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Lawrence Foster – R. Schumann: Complete Symphonies (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 02:16:21 minutes | 2,37 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © PentaTone
Robert Schumann started his career as a composer of piano music and Lieder, and is still best known for his work in these genres. Intimidated by Beethoven’s legacy, as well as by his friend Felix Mendelssohn’s prolific output, Schumann long avoided the symphony. Spurred by his wife Clara, who was convinced that his imagination could not find sufficient scope on the piano, he eventually ventured four highly original symphonies. While the First (“Spring”) and Third (“Rhenish”) display a typically German-Romantic predilection for the picturesque, the Second bears the fruit of Schumann’s study of Bach counterpoint, while the solemn and sombre Fourth seems to provide a hint of the composer’s troubled state in the final years of his life. The works are presented here in an excellent performance by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Lawrence Foster.
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Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Jakub Hrusa, Jiri Belohlavek – Dvořák: Requiem, Biblical Songs, Te Deum (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 02:22:06 minutes | 2,43 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Decca Music Group Ltd.
This release concludes the series of Jiří Bělohlávek’s last recordings of Czech masterworks for Decca Classics before he sadly passed away in 2017
“The Czech Philharmonic give their collective all; with the best sound Decca has yet achieved at the Rudolfinum, this can be placed next to Charles Mackerras as the finest modern Asrael.” BBC Music Magazine, Orchestral Choice ★★★★★
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Czech Philharmonic Orchestra & Semyon Bychkov – Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:11:42 minutes | 1,16 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © PentaTone
After their critically-acclaimed recording of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, the Czech Philharmonic and Semyon Bychkov continue their Pentatone Mahler cycle with a rendition of the composer’s Fifth. The Fifth Symphony marks an important turning point in Mahler’s symphonic output, away from the prominence of vocal movements in his previous symphonies. And whereas the Fifth seems to follow a teleology from darkness to light like its predecessors, the trajectory is much less straightforward, and full of enigmatic turns. Bychkov’s exceptional eye for detail and pacing make him an ideal guide through this work, while the Czech Philharmonic is capable of letting all the colours of Mahler’s score shine.
Read more![Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Semyon Bychkov, Chen Reiss - Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G Major (2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz] Download](https://i0.wp.com/imghd.xyz/images/2022/05/06/h3c8yti7bbs4a_600.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Semyon Bychkov, Chen Reiss – Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G Major (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 56:47 minutes | 950 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © PentaTone
The Czech Philharmonic and its Chief Conductor and Music Director Semyon Bychkov present a new recording of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, laying the foundation of a complete Mahler symphonies cycle to appear on PENTATONE. It will be the label’s first ever full Mahler cycle, and the Czech Philharmonic’s first survey of this extraordinary symphonic opus since their recording under Václav Neumann between 1976 and 1982. Although chiefly active in Vienna during the heyday of his career, Mahler was born in what is now the Czech Republic, and through this recording project, he returns to his native soil. For conductor Semyon Bychkov, Mahler’s symphonies are all about expressing the polyphony of life, and recording these works is the fulfilment of a life-long fascination. This cycle deliberately starts with the most popular and frequently-played Fourth, famous for its macabre scherzo, soothing slow movement and heavenly finale, sung by soprano Chen Reiss.
The Czech Philharmonic is one of the world’s most acclaimed orchestras, with a rich tradition of performing Czech masters and music from Central Europe. Semyon Bychkov has led the greatest orchestras of the world, and is Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic as of the 2018/2019 season. Soprano Chen Reiss frequently appears on the biggest opera and concert stages throughout the world. Chen Reiss, Semyon Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic all make their PENTATONE debut.
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![Zdenek Kosler, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Oistrakh Trio, Smetana Quartet - Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9, Piano Trio No. 2 & String Quartet No. 3 (2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz] Download](https://i0.wp.com/imghd.xyz/images/2022/02/14/m9h9q0wa0z61a_600.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Zdenek Kosler, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Oistrakh Trio, Smetana Quartet – Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9, Piano Trio No. 2 & String Quartet No. 3 (2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:17:35 minutes | 1,36 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Praga Digitals
In the spring of 1945, the intelligentsia in Russia and the rest of the world expected Shostakovich’s Symphony No.9 to glorify Stalin’s victory with a hymn worthy of Beethoven’s. What emerged was a symphonic scherzo, more Rossini-like than majestic, except for the solemn brass call of the largo. Performed here by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra led by Zdenek Koler, the symphony is paired with the Piano Trio in memory of his the composer’s friend Ivan Sollertinsky, who had lost favor with the Kremlin, and the String Quartet No.3, his last diatribe against vice and violence.
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