Post Description

Concertos for piano and orchestra
Composer(s):

    Frantisek Xaver Dušek (1731-1799)

Artist(s):

    Karel Košárek
    Prague Chamber Orchestra

Dušek was one of the prominent personalities of Prague musical life in the second half of the 18th century, not only as a composer, but also as a pianist and music teacher. His musical style grew from the fully mastered essentials of the old Vienna school (Wagenseil), reaching mature Classical expression of the Haydnesque character. We can discern the influence of the gallant style of the Italian type in it, as well as the infl uence of the Berlin school. The slow movements are characterized by a gentle touch of melancholy and marked expressiveness. Dušek’s melodic inspiration catches the ear also by the occasional use of elements of Czech tunes. This applies fully to the Harpsichord Concerto in D major, like those in C major and flat. Although undated, its origin (on the basis of the fact that the Concerto is listed in the Breitkopf catalogue of 1774) can be placed in the 1760s or ‘70s. Karel Košárek has won a number of international pianocompetitions, including the Walter Naumburg Piano Competition in New York (1997). Recitals given in the past seasons in New York, Dallas, Palm Beach, Calgary, Tel Aviv, and St. Petersburg, and concert appearances in Europe and Japan document Karel’s international musical involvement. He has also appeared at international music festivals and has performed with leading orchestras. He has frequently collaborated with the mezzo Magdalena Kožená. Prague Chamber Orchestra boasts a unique position, for similar formations are quite rare even worldwide as performing music without a conductor requires a special rapport of all orchestra members. It was the initiative of the players as performers of solo parts that has been making the Prague Chamber Orchestra’s history ever since its beginnings when solo players of the individual instrument sections of the Czechoslovak Radio Symphony Orchestra got together to start a smaller ensemble. The repertoire of this type of ensemble stems mainly from the Classicist heritage but finds much inspiration also in other periods.