Exploring Czech Masterworks
James Conlon, one of today’s most versatile and respected conductors, leads the Music Restored Ensemble in a love letter to Bohemian melodies. The program begins with a piece from the godfather of Czech music himself. Dvořák’s serene Nocturne in B Major is a short lyrical work with hypnotic orchestration. The concert then turns to two 20th-century Czech composers whose personal and professional relationship often inspired each other’s work. In her tragically short career, Vítězslava Kaprálová wrote nearly 50 compositions brimming with humor, energy, and warmth—one of her most inspired works being the spirited piano concerto on this program. The concert concludes with an orchestral tour de force by Bohuslav Martinů, Kaprálová’s mentor, friend, and lover.
Program Information
DVORAK Nocturne in B Major
KAPRALOVA Partita for Piano and Strings
MARTINU Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and Timpani