Smetana: Piano Works Vol.3 / Cechova

Jitka Cechová (piano)

Smetana: Czech dances for piano, books 1 & 2 (14) Bettina Polka (1st version) Venkovanka, The Peasant Woman - polka Romance in G minor Andante in F minor

Jitka Cechova is an energetic young pianist and member of the highly successful Smetana Trio. On her third CD of Smetana's piano works she proves how intimately familiar she is with the composer's style. The album includes Smetana's greatest piano cycle, the Czech Dances, written in the years 1877-79. The first part of the cycle consists of four polkas, while the second part contains Smetana's concert interpretations of specific Czech folk dances (including the Furiant, Skocna, Rejdovak a rejdovacka, Sousedska, Hulan and Medved). The album is rounded out with Smetana's late piano works. The Romance in G minor (1881) was the last piece he composed for piano, though at the very end of his life he revised his famous Bettina Polka (1883). Smetana's greatest piano cycle Czech Dances in an outstanding performance by Jitka Cechova.

Price: $18.98