Mahler: Symphony No. 4

Presentación del Álbum

Russian conductor Semyon Bychkov was 21 years old when he was offered one of the most prestigious positions in the world: replacing Evgeny Mravinsky as the conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra (now the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra). But this contract soon fell apart due to the young conductor’s political convictions, which forced him to leave his homeland permanently in 1974. He still upholds these convictions, being one of the first Russian musicians in 2022 to publicly speak out against the invasion of Ukraine.

His career has followed a winding path. It led him first to the United States, then he became the conductor for the Paris Orchestra in 1989, before later accepting the same position in Cologne. After a fiery start to his career, he then chose to keep a lower profile making recordings. Ironically, the Russian conductor became an American citizen in 2018 and was appointed as the conductor of renowned Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in the same year.

This recording of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, recorded in 2020 at the Rudolfinum in Prague, seals the new partnership between Bychkov and the Czech musicians under the label Pentatone (which was announced as the beginning of a long-term collaboration). With this collaboration, Semyon Bychkov wants to shed new light on Mahler’s work. Due to its history and geographical location, The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra has often interpreted the work of the Bohemian composer, as evidenced by their rendition of his complete works recorded between 1976 and 1982 under the conductor Václav Neumann. This recording has remained a reference for every classical music lover.

There’s high hopes for this new recording, with its powerful, full-bodied sound and warm, melancholic tones, it’s no wonder this orchestra is so revered across the globe. © François Hudry/Qobuz