DVOŘÁK A., TCHAIKOVSKY P.I. VIOLIN CONCERTOS / P.Šporcl / CPO / V.Ashkenazy, J.Bělohlávek

Antonín Dvořák - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor, Op.53 33:18

1. I. Allegro, ma non troppo /att./ 11:38

2. II. Adagio, ma non troppo 10:58

3. III. Finale. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo 10:40

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op.35 36:42

4. I. Allegro moderato 19:11

5. II. Canzonetta. Andante /att./ 6:31

6. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo 10:53

Pavel Šporcl violin

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Vladimir Ashkenazy conductor (1-3), Jiří Bělohlávek conductor (4-6)

In very much the same way as cellists rever the Dvořák B minor Concerto and pianists reap well deserved triumphs with their renditions of the Tchaikovsky B flat minor Concerto, violinists for their part rely for a good deal of success on the concerto output of these two most distinctly inventive representatives of Slavic neo-Romantic music, both of them famed for the sheer extent of their melodic potential, the profound emotional charge of their talents, and sharply refined approach to the tackling of instrumental challenges. Though this new live digital recording is being launched into an arena bristling with tough competition, there can be no doubt as to the art of Pavel Šporcl, sensitively backed by the Czech Philharmonic under its principal conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy, putting up a worthy fight indeed.

(Supraphon 2003)