Libor Pešek
Libor Pešek was a Czech conductor known for his interpretations of orchestral works by Czech composers. In his long career, he was also a prolific recording artist and can be found on hundreds of albums.
Pešek was born in 1933 in Prague into a non-musical family. His mother encouraged his musical interests from a young age and arranged for him to have piano lessons. As a teenager he formed a jazz band with his friends from school, and he continued studying classical music in his piano lessons. Later, he attended the Academy of Musical Arts in Prague, where he studied with Karel Ančerl and Václav Smetáček. However, Pešek admitted that he was largely self-taught because his professors rarely showed up to the lessons. He also learned both the cello and trombone because he thought it was important for a conductor to experience the orchestra from different perspectives. While still a student, he worked as a rehearsal director at the Plzeň ballet company and then the Prague National Theater. After he graduated, he founded and conducted the Prague Chamber Harmony wind ensemble, and he also conducted the Sebastian Orchestra in Prague. With these ensembles, Pešek's reputation as a conductor quickly grew, which led to appointments with more prominent orchestras. He conducted the Czech Chamber Orchestra from 1970 to 1977, and he also worked with the Frysk Orkester in the Netherlands. Beginning in 1980, he conducted the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra for two seasons, and then he served as the conductor-in-residence for the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in 1982. From then until 1990, he kept conducting the Czech PO, and performed several tours in Japan, North America, and Europe.
In 1987 Pešek began a ten-year appointment as principal conductor for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and he remained associated with the Czech PO as its principal guest conductor. He brought the RLPO international acclaim after their tour to the United States in 1992, and the corresponding series of recordings. His time in Liverpool was also a period of transformation as he quit smoking, became a vegetarian, and started practicing Buddhism. Feeling the need to reduce his professional obligations, he stepped down from his position with the RLPO in 1997 and became a lifetime conductor laureate. Pešek continued performing in a reduced capacity, and he became the chief conductor of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in 2007. He made his final appearance with the RLPO in 2013 in a concert celebrating his 80th birthday. Pešek retired in 2019 and spent his final years enjoying nature and his beloved pet dogs. He passed away in a hospital in Prague on October 23, 2022, at 89 years old.
© RJ Lambert /TiVo
-
BRAHMS : Symphony No. 2
Philharmonia Hungarica, Libor Pešek
Classical - Released by Naxos on Jan 1, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wagner: Tannhäuser: Overture (Digitally Remastered)
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Opera - Released by EMG Classical on Oct 23, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" & American Suite
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jan 1, 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphony No. 2, My Home & Scherzo capriccioso
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jan 6, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Spohr: Violin Concertos Nos. 7 and 12
Takako Nishizaki, Bratislava Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Classical - Released by Naxos on Dec 31, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concertos pour piano n°1 & 3
Cécile Ousset, Mikhail Pletnev, Libor Pešek, Günther Herbig
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jul 7, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart Serenade No. 13
Classical - Released by Best Buy Classical on Apr 4, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
Classical - Released by Best Buy Classical on Mar 17, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Klavierkonzert Nr. 1
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek, Ida Cernecka, Dubravka Tomsic
Symphonic Music - Released by Bella Musica Edition on Jan 1, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jan 1, 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Danube / Moravian Dances / Suite Op. 3
Zdenek Husek, Jana Valaskova, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Naxos on Dec 31, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorak: Symphony No 9 / American Suite
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Jan 1, 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Smetana & Dvorák - Orchestral Works
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on Mar 1, 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
DVORAK: Rhapsody Op. 14 / Overtures
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Stephen Gunzenhauser, Libor Pešek
Classical - Released by Marco-Polo on Dec 31, 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 'Organ'
Libor Pešek, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Denon on Jan 1, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Masterpieces - Grieg: Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Op. 46
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Classical - Released by Menuetto Classics on May 11, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Masterpieces - Mozart: Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K. 525 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik"
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Classical - Released by Menuetto Classics on May 11, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wagner: Lohengrin: Act I: Prelude (Digitally Remastered)
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Opera - Released by EMG Classical on Oct 16, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11: II. Larghetto (Digitally Remastered)
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek, Ida Cernecka
Classical - Released by EMG Classical on Nov 13, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Divertimento, Andante K. 315
Arife Gülsen-Tatu, Libor Pešek, Joseph Schneider, Slovak Philharmony, Fl. Salzburg Mozart Soloists
Classical - Released by SendClassic on Aug 24, 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Janacek: Danube / Moravian Dances / Suite Op. 3
Jana Valaskova, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Marco-Polo on Dec 31, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo