Antonín Dvorák: Piano Quintets Nos. 1 & 2 (Remastered) Prazak Quartet & Ivan Klánský

• Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904): Piano Quintet No. 1 in A Major, Op. 5, B. 28:
• 1 Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 1 in A Major, Op. 5, B. 28: I. Allegro non troppo 07:47
• 2 Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 1 in A Major, Op. 5, B. 28: II. Andante sostenuto 08:06
• 3 Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 1 in A Major, Op. 5, B. 28: III. Finale. Allegro con brio 08:49
• Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81, B. 155: I. Allegro, ma non tanto, alla breve
• 4 Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81, B. 155: I. Allegro, ma non tanto, alla breve 13:10
• 5 Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81, B. 155: II. Dumka (Andante con moto) 12:53
• 6 Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81, B. 155: III. Scherzo (Furiant). Molto vivace 04:09
• 7 Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81, B. 155: IV. Finale. Allegro 07:15
• Total Runtime 01:02:09

Info for Antonín Dvorák: Piano Quintets Nos. 1 & 2 (Remastered)

“The Op. 81 Quintet is the more popular of these two A major quintets, but the Op. 5, written in 1872, has much to recommend it as well. Like its later sibling, there’s an immediately gripping melody sung by the cello and a piano part (in the first two movements) that’s full of Schubertian grace, idiomatically played here by Ivan Klánský. The second-movement Andante sostenuto is the work’s center of gravity, and the Pražák sustains its mood beautifully. In the Allegro con brio finale, the piano emerges to take a prominent role, and the strings, often playing in unison, add their own fire. In Op. 81, the energetic first movement, the soulful Dumka, snappy Scherzo, and polka-based Finale add up to a significantly more mature, substantial work. (…) You can’t go wrong with this accomplished Pražák disc.” (ClassicsToday.com, 26 May 2003)

Awards: Choc by Le Monde de la Musique, Recommended by Classica, 5 by Diapason, ClassicsToday.com

Pražák Quartet
Ivan Klánský, piano

Digitally remastered

The Pražák Quartet
one of today’s leading international chamber music ensembles - was established in 1972 while its members were students at the Prague Conservatory, and won major chamber music prizes early on, including first prize at the prestigious Evian String Quartet Competition, along with a special recording prize from Radio France. Since then, the quartet has gained attention for its place in the unique Czech quartet tradition, and for its musical virtuosity.

For more than 30 years, the Prazak Quartet has been at home on music stages worldwide. They are regular guests in the major European musical capitals such as Prague, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan, Madrid, London, Berlin, and Munich, and have been invited to participate at numerous international festivals, where they have collaborated with such artists as Menahem Pressler, Jon Nakamatsu, Cynthia Phelps, Roberto Diaz, Josef Suk, and Sharon Kam.

The quartet has toured widely in North America, having performed in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Washington, Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal and many others. The quartet returns to the US and Canada every other year.

The Prazak Quartet has recorded extensively for Praga/Harmonia Mundi which, to date, has released 50 award-winning CDs. In addition to numerous radio recordings in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, the Prazak Quartet has also made recordings for Supraphon, Panton, Orfeo, Ottavo, Bonton, and Nuova Era.

As of 2020, violinist Marie Fuxová and cellist Jonáš Krejčí joined the quartet. The new members bring their extensive string quartet and chamber music experience, having played with the Pavel Haas, Škampa, Petersen and Schulhoff quartets as well as in many chamber orchestras and ensembles. They bring their experience and energy into the group while remaining faithful to the Czech quartet tradition, character and quality which are the longtime hallmarks of the Pražák Quartet. A new CD with the last string quartets of Josef Haydn will be released on the Aparté/Praga label in August 2021.

Booklet for Antonín Dvorák: Piano Quintets Nos. 1 & 2 (Remastered)