Suk: Asrael Symphony; Pohádka Czech Philharmonic & Jiri Belohlavek

• Josef Suk (1874 - 1935): Asrael Symphony in C Minor, Op. 27
• 1 Asrael Symphony in C Minor, Op. 27: 1. Andante sostenuto 15:11
• 2 Asrael Symphony in C Minor, Op. 27: 2. Andante 07:03
• 3 Asrael Symphony in C Minor, Op. 27: 3. Vivace 12:10
• 4 Asrael Symphony in C Minor, Op. 27: 4. Adagio 10:32
• 5 Asrael Symphony in C Minor, Op. 27: 5. Adagio e maestoso 13:49
• Pohádka, Op. 16:
• 6 Pohádka, Op. 16: 1. About the Constant Love of Raduz and Mahulena and their Trials 10:24
• 7 Pohádka, Op. 16: 2. Playing at Swans and Peacocks 03:47
• 8 Pohádka, Op. 16: 3. Funeral Music 06:29
• 9 Pohádka, Op. 16: 4. Runa’s Curse and how it was broken by True Love 08:31
• Total Runtime 01:27:56

Info for Suk: Asrael Symphony; Pohádka

Both the 'AsraelSymphony' and 'Fairy Tale', considered by many the summit of Suk's achievements, are new additions to the Decca and Universal catalogues.

145 years after Suk's birth, JiříBělohlávekand the Czech Philharmonic present informed performances of two of the composer's most notable works. The 'AsraelSymphony' was composed in memory of Antonín Dvořákand his daughter, Otilie, to whom Suk was married.

This release continues the series of JiříBělohlávek'slast recordings of Czech masterworks for Decca Classics before he sadly passed away in 2017.

"Splendid recordings do justice to a Czech Philharmonic in fine form, producing a fitting memorial to the remarkable life of Bělohlávek." (Praise for JANÁČEK: GLAGOLITIC MASS / Limelight Magazine)

JiříVodička, viloin
Czech Philharmonic
Jiri Belohlavek, conductor

Jirí Belohlávek
was born in Prague in 1946. His love of music became apparent at an early age, and following studies in cello and conducting, he was invited to become assistant conductor to Sergiu Celibidache in 1968. Belohlávek won the Czech Young Conductors’ Competition in 1970 and reached the final of the Herbert von Karajan Conducting Competition in 1971.

In 1977, Jirí Belohlávek began to serve as Chief Conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 1990, when he was appointed Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic. In 1994, he founded the Prague Philharmonia, an orchestra he then led as Chief Conductor and Music Director until 2005, when he was appointed its Conductor Laureate.

After serving as its Principal Guest Conductor between 1995 and 2000, Jirí Belohlávek was appointed Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 2006. He conducted the orchestra at the Last Night of the Proms in 2007, becoming the first artist whose principal language is not English to undertake this important role. He performed at the Last Night of the Proms again in 2010 and 2012.

Jirí Belohlávek has also regularly conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, New York Philharmonic, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, among others. He was recently appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

Jirí Belohlávek has worked in the world of opera throughout his career, with regular appearances at the world’s main opera houses including Berlin, Covent Garden, Glyndebourne, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Opéra Bastille and Teatro Real. Recent and forthcoming highlights include new productions of Dvorák’s Rusalka at the Vienna Staatsoper (2014), Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades at the Zürich Opera House (2014), and Janácek’s Jenufa at the San Francisco Opera (2016).

Jirí Belohlávek has an extensive discography, including a complete Dvorák Symphonies cycle recently released by Decca, and is the first conductor since Herbert von Karajan to receive the Gramophone Award for Orchestral Recording two years running. In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Jirí Belohlávek an honorary CBE for services to music.

Booklet for Suk: Asrael Symphony; Pohádka