A. Dvořák – Poetic Tone Pictures, Op. 85, Selection (Primakov)

0:00 – 1. Noční cesta (Night Journey)
6:00 – 3. Na starém hradě (At the Old Castle)
11:53 – 6. Vzpomínání (Reminiscence)
16:19 – 8. Rej skřítků (Goblins' dance)
19:54 – 12. U mohyly (At a Tumulus)

One of the things that set Dvořák apart from Brahms is that programmatic music was not alien to him, as evidenced partly in Poetic Tone Pictures, or much more heavily in his symphonic poems. These thirteen piano pieces belong to the musical idiom of semi-programmatic short works by Grieg (Lyric Pieces) or Schumann – in fact according to Dvořák's letter to Simrock, the latter served as a source of inspiration to Dvořák, however different the results of the two composers may be. It is interesting to note that in comparison to many of his other solo piano works (Variations, Suite), these pieces are fairly pianistic and with some exceptions relatively comfortable to play.

It is unfortunate that these thirteen pieces seldom get played in public in their entirety, even though the composer himself expressed the wish for them to be played as a complete set (however, he was obviously aware that this was difficult to execute, considering the magnitude of the cycle). There have been some instances lately though, most notably Leif Ove Andsnes featuring the complete cycle in recitals.

Composer – Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)
Piano – Vassily Primakov
Year of recording – 2020

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