Dvorak, Brahms

Live from The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

Presented by Martin Handley

Two works by Czech composers surround a work by a composer often influenced by Slavic music. Dvorak's Slavonic Dances took Brahms's similarly titled set as their inspiration, but whereas Brahms used actual folk melodies Dvořak's pieces took the character of folk dances but the melodies are entirely his own.

Brahms's epic 1st Piano Concerto is performed by the Croatian pianist Dejan Lazic who has Brahms in his blood - he recently made his own piano and orchestra transcription of Brahms's Violin Concerto. Janácek's Taras Bulba is an orchestral fantasy that takes three key moments from a novel by Gogol which recounts the death of the protagonist and his sons.

Dvorak: Slavonic Dances
Brahms: Piano Concerto no.1

Dejan Lazic (piano)
BBC Philharmonic
Vassily Sinaisky (conductor).