Romance (Suk, Dvořák & Beethoven) - Josef Suk

A. Dvořák, L. van Beethoven, J. S. Svendsen, Z. Fibich, H. Wieniawski, H. Berlioz - Romances for Violin and Orchestra, P. I. Tchaikovsky - Sérénade mélancolique in B minor

Josef Suk - violin (Stradivarius 1687)
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Václav Neumann, Prague Symphony Orchestra / Václav Smetáček

When the violin maestro Josef Suk, celebrating his 80th birthday this year, recorded for Supraphon a CD of Antonín Dvořák's and Josef Suk's chamber works (SU 3976-2) last year, the reviewers marvelled at the album's intimate mood, tone and interpretational directness. These attributes are also characteristic of his latest release, "Romance". On these 30-year-old recordings, Suk is backed by the two finest Czech orchestras. The album is abounding in the very qualities synonymous with Suk's illustrious name: the beautiful, mellow and cultivated tone of his Stradivarius, sparkling technique and depth of feeling.

These pieces by Czech and foreign composers are as though tailored to Suk's virtuosity.

Antonín Dvořák
1. Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F minor, Op.11 (B.39) 13:05
Ludwig van Beethoven
2. Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G major, Op. 40 07:41
Johan Severin Svendsen
3. Romance for Violin and Orchestra in G major, Op. 26 07:37
Zdeněk Fibich
4. Romance for Violin and Orchestra in B flat major, Op. 10 05:48
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
5. Melancholic Serenade, Op. 26 09:11
Ludwig van Beethoven
6. Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in F major, Op. 50 09:13
Henryk Wieniawski
Romance, Op. 22
7. Romance. Andante non troppo 05:05
Hector Berlioz
8. Reverie et caprice. Romance for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 8 08:48