catalogue

The Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 was written in 1894-5 during Dvořák´s stay in America. It is said that Dvořák valued the cello only as a chamber instrument, he is even supposed to have said that it “snuffles at the top and grumps at the bottom”. But in the end he decided to compose a concerto for it and the result was excellent. Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 “From the New World” is an amalgam of American and Czech inspirations. The première took place on 16th December 1893, performed by the Orchestra of the Philharmonic Society of New York conducted by Anton Seidl.

Jiří Bělohlávek, a leading conductor in international circles today is highly soughtafter by the most prestigious orchestras in the world. During the period 1995-2000 he was Chief Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London. He has made successful guest appearances with the New York, Munich, Berlin, Japan and Stockholm Philharmonics, the NHK Symphony Tokyo, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the Staatskapelle Dresden, and he has conducted the Boston, Vienna, London and Birmingham Symphony Orchestras.

Jiří Bárta started his career at the turn of the ´90s and he soon ranked among top international cellists. In 1991 he won the Europäische Förderpreis für Musik in Dresden, as well as the Rostropovich-Hammer Award in Los Angeles. He has been regularly invited to perform with leading orchestras, at prestigious festivals and concert halls. He was also invited to teach a master class at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Jiří Bárta plays a Gagliano cello dating from 1785.