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
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Dvořák: Overtures & Orchestral Suites
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 03.04.2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34, Four Sea Interludes, Op. 33a & Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 09.10.2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Suk : Symphonie Asrael
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 05.04.2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Suk Ripening, Praga, Epilogue, Fairy Tale
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.04.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
DVORAK: Slavonic Rhapsodies Op. 45, Nos. 1 - 3
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek, Zdenek Kosler
Klassik - Erschienen bei Naxos am 15.01.1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Adagietto
Klassik - Erschienen bei Conifer - Classic FM am 09.09.1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphony No. 1 "The Bells of Zlonice", The Wild Dove & Carnival Overture
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 06.01.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorák: New World Symphony / Smetana: Ma Vlast
Klassik - Erschienen bei Sony Music Entertainment am 29.01.2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Caldara: Requiem
Musica Fiorita, Libor Pešek, Daniela Dolci
Chorwerk (für den Chor) - Erschienen bei Pan Classics am 04.02.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Novák: Lady Godiva, Toman and the Wood Nymph & De Profundis
Libor Pešek, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonien - Erschienen bei Chandos am 01.05.2000
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" (The Masterpieces)
Slovak National Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Klassik - Erschienen bei Menuetto Classics am 11.05.2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Masterworks of Mozart, Vol. 27
Klassik - Erschienen bei Black Sheep Music am 15.06.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphony No. 5 & Czech Suite
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphony No. 6, In Nature's Realm & Othello
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 26.06.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphonies and Tone Poems
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 26.08.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Gold Collection: Debussy, Suk, Ravel, Elgar, Scriabin, Bruckner
Symphonieorchester - Erschienen bei Supraphon a.s. am 17.05.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Smetana: The Bartered Bride: Act III: "Skocna" - "Dance of the Comedians" (Digitally Remastered)
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Oper - Erschienen bei EMG Classical am 29.06.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1 "Titan" & 9
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Edvard Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op.55
Libor Pešek, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei NEW WORLD CLASSIC (LC 95656) am 21.07.2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ouverture "Lady Godiva" op. 41 - Poèmes symphoniques op. 40 & 67
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
Symphonische Dichtung - Erschienen bei Chandos am 01.05.2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 05.06.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo