catalogue

catalogue

Live recordings

Antonín Dvořák: Sonatina in G major for Violin and Piano, Op.100

Leoš Janáček: Sonata for Violin and Piano

Johannes Brahms: Sonata No. 3 in D minor

L. van Beethoven: Sonata No. 10 in G major

Rudolf Firkušný – piano
Josef Suk – violin

live on 18th May 1992, Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum

A. Dvořák: Sonatina in G major for Violin and Piano,<br />L. Janáček: Sonata for Violin and Piano,<br />J. Brahms: Sonata No. 3 in D minor,<br />L. van Beethoven: Sonata No. 10 in G major

Every year the International Music Festival Prague Spring hosts not only excellent orchestras but world known soloists as well. On 18th May 1992 in Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum a recital of Josef Suk (1929), violin, and Rudolf Firkušný (1912-1994), piano, was held. Josef Suk is the great-grandson of the composer Antonín Dvořák and grandson of the composer Josef Suk. His steep career began in 1954, he has given performances all over Europe, since 1959 he has played many times in Japan, since 1964 in the USA. As early as in 1961 he was appointed soloist of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been awarded a number of prizes, he has performed in various chamber groups, as a soloist he has been accompanied by internationally acclaimed artists, such as J. Katchen. At the concert in 1992 his partner was the Czech piano player Rudolf Firkušný. Besides studying piano in Brno and Prague, Firkušný also learnt composition with Leoš Janáček. He gave his first public performance aged eight in 1920. After that he achieved success abroad (Vienna 1923, Berlin 1927, Paris 1928, London 1933, New York 1938). In 1938 his study in Paris was supported by President of the Czechoslovak Republic T.G.Masaryk himself. During the Second World War he gave successful concerts in the USA and Canada, later he toured all European countries. During communist regime in Czechoslovakia he refused to perform there. When the communists were overthrown in 1989 he returned to his country to be awarded the Honorary Doctorate from Charles University. In 1991 President Havel decorated him with the Decoration of T.G.Masaryk.

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) wrote Sonatina, Op. 100 for his children in 1893 when he worked as a director of the Music Conservatory in New York. Suk´s interpretation of this joyful piece is utterly authentic. Janáček´s Sonata for Violin and Piano dating from 1914 is an outstanding work, riveting, spontaneous with completely new sound. Firkušný´s connection with Janáček (1854-1928) ensures its perfect rendering. Sonata No. 3 by Brahms (1833-1897) was written between 1886 and 1888. It is a mature work offering drama as well as poetry, polyphony as well as suggestive harmony. Beethoven (1770-1827) composed Sonata in G major in 1812 for the violinist Pierre Rode. It is a gentle, innermost, gracious and virtuoso piece.


director: Jan Bonaventura
time: 76 min.