Antonín Dvořák, Alexandr Glazunov, George Gershwin

Prague Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Václav Smetáček

Karel Krautgartner – saxophone
Jan Panenka – piano

Antonín Dvořák

1. Symphony No. 3 Eb Major, op. 10 (1873)                                         35:54

     I. Allegro moderato 
     II. Adagio Molto
     III. Allegro vivace

Alexandr Glazunov

2. Concerto for saxophone and string orchestra in Eb major, op.109        15:56

George Gershwin

3. Rhapsody in blue                                                                          17:03

Dvorak - Glazunov - Gershwin. With a touch of hyperbole, this combination of seemingly disparate music worlds can be conceived as a comparison of the reverberations of Slavonic musicality in various corners of the world. Dvorak's Symphony No. 3 abounds with "Slavonic" melodiousness and pathos. Glazunov was inspired by the mastery of the American saxophonist Sigurd Rascher, yet in terms of style he remained in the domain of the Romantic concerto, without being influenced by the jazz conquering North America at the time. George Gershwin, a composer seemingly distant from the Slavonic world, hailed from a family of Russian emigres and, in addition, had to square up to the legacy of Antonin Dvorak, whose pedagogic work in the USA markedly influenced several generations of composers. The common denominator of these recordings is the personality of Vaclav Smetacek, to whom the Prague Symphony Orchestra is indebted for its worldwide renown. Smetacek's peerless recording of Dvorak's third symphony contained on this CD is supplemented by superb performances of the pianist Jan Panenka and the jazzman, conductor and composer Karel Krautgartner.