Bedřich Smetana: String Quartets, Piano Trio Prazak Quartet & Nathalia Milstein

• Bedřich Smetana (1824 - 1884): String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor "From my life":
• 1 Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor "From my life": I. Allegro vivo appassionato 07:50
• 2 Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor "From my life": II. Allegro moderato alla Polka 05:37
• 3 Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor "From my life": III. Largo sostenuto 08:43
• 4 Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor "From my life": IV. Vivace 06:18
• String Quartet No. 2 in D Minor:
• 5 Smetana: String Quartet No. 2 in D Minor: I. Allegro 05:16
• 6 Smetana: String Quartet No. 2 in D Minor: II. Allegro moderato 05:49
• 7 Smetana: String Quartet No. 2 in D Minor: III. Allegro non piu moderato, ma agitato e con fuoco 04:46
• 8 Smetana: String Quartet No. 2 in D Minor: IV. Presto - Allegro 02:53
• Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15:
• 9 Smetana: Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15: I. Moderato assai 11:22
• 10 Smetana: Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15: II. Allegro ma non agitato - Alternativo 1: Andante - Tempo I - Alternativo 2: Maestoso - Tempo I 08:24
• 11 Smetana: Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15: III. Finale. Presto 08:42
• Total Runtime 01:15:40

Info for Bedřich Smetana: String Quartets, Piano Trio

In 2015, Jana Vonásková (previously a member of the Smetana Trio) became the new first violinist of the Prazák Quartet - joining its three founding members, violinist Vlastimil Holek, violist Josef Kluson and cellist Michal Kanka. On their first recording together, the quartet pays tribute to Czech composer Bedrich Smetana in a program that commemorates the centenary of the Czechoslovak Republic. They are joined by Russian pianist Natalia Milstein for the Piano Trio Op.15.

"A fervent reading of Smetana’s 1855 Piano Trio fills out the Praga album. In it, pianist Nathalia Milstein imbues the almost-non-stop keyboard part with color and rhythmic weight, especially during her short, first-movement cadenza. The ensemble’s boldest gestures are always strongly etched, but the delicate ones – like the several frolicking episodes of the second movement – are pristine. And, rhythmically, their playing is tight, especially during the finale’s several battles between duplets and triplets." (Jonathan Blumhofer, artsfuse.org)

Nathalia Milstein, piano Pražák Quartet

The Pražák Quartet
one of today’s leading international chamber music ensembles - was established in 1972 while its members were students at the Prague Conservatory, and won major chamber music prizes early on, including first prize at the prestigious Evian String Quartet Competition, along with a special recording prize from Radio France. Since then, the quartet has gained attention for its place in the unique Czech quartet tradition, and for its musical virtuosity.

For more than 30 years, the Prazak Quartet has been at home on music stages worldwide. They are regular guests in the major European musical capitals such as Prague, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan, Madrid, London, Berlin, and Munich, and have been invited to participate at numerous international festivals, where they have collaborated with such artists as Menahem Pressler, Jon Nakamatsu, Cynthia Phelps, Roberto Diaz, Josef Suk, and Sharon Kam.

The quartet has toured widely in North America, having performed in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Washington, Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal and many others. The quartet returns to the US and Canada every other year.

The Prazak Quartet has recorded extensively for Praga/Harmonia Mundi which, to date, has released 50 award-winning CDs. In addition to numerous radio recordings in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, the Prazak Quartet has also made recordings for Supraphon, Panton, Orfeo, Ottavo, Bonton, and Nuova Era.

As of 2020, violinist Marie Fuxová and cellist Jonáš Krejčí joined the quartet. The new members bring their extensive string quartet and chamber music experience, having played with the Pavel Haas, Škampa, Petersen and Schulhoff quartets as well as in many chamber orchestras and ensembles. They bring their experience and energy into the group while remaining faithful to the Czech quartet tradition, character and quality which are the longtime hallmarks of the Pražák Quartet. A new CD with the last string quartets of Josef Haydn will be released on the Aparté/Praga label in August 2021.

Booklet for Bedřich Smetana: String Quartets, Piano Trio