Dvořák: Overtures

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While Antonín Dvorák's symphonies and concertos are increasingly represented on multichannel recordings, his concert overtures are rarities, except perhaps as filler pieces with larger works. Because of this, Jakub Hrusa's 2016 hybrid SACD release with the PKF-Prague Philharmonia on PentaTone is a keeper for its vivid performances of the orchestral triptych Nature, Life, and Love (consisting of In Nature's Realm, the Carnival Overture, and the Othello Overture), along with My Home and the Hussite Overture, two overtures intended to be played before stage plays. The audiophile sound of this disc is extraordinary for its details and depth, and the Prague orchestra plays with impeccable precision and ample warmth. More than anything else, though, Hrusa infuses the overtures with an emotional richness and sincerity that clearly demonstrate his love for this music. The brilliant orchestration and Bohemian-flavored melodies inspire the orchestra to play with clarity and delightful expressiveness, and Hrusa's lively pacing, balanced phrasing, and sensitive use of rubato combine to bring the music to life with a natural ease. Highly recommended as an essential disc to have in any classical library.
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