Friday, May 22, A.D. 2009

Slavonic Dances

You may know that Antonín Dvořák is a god in my musical pantheon. When I visited the motherland, I knew that I had to pay my respects to his tomb in Vyšehrad. Memory eternal!

I love both sets of Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances, opera 46 and 72. Online videos do not do justice to them, of course, but below you may get a foretaste of their enchantment.

Here is perhaps my favorite one, Opus 46-7, performed by the Nino Rota Orchestra in Bari.

My second favorite is probably Opus 46-1, performed here by the Vienna Philharmonic.

For an optimistic jolt, try Opus 46-5, which is so cheerful.

I find Opus 46-6 very absorbing—almost erotically Dionysian.

Opus 46-4 reminds me of Mussorgsky for some reason.

Opus 46-8 reminds me of Holst’s Planets for some other reason.

Fantastic, eh? Well, Opus 72 will have to wait until another post in the future.

Posted by Joseph on Friday, May 22, A.D. 2009
Music | Folk Music • High Culture Music • Permalink