Gramophone Awards
2024
Shortlisted - Orchestral

Gramophone Magazine
April 2024
Editor's Choice

Czech Philharmonic, Semyon Bychkov

The Czech Philharmonic and its Chief Conductor and Music Director Semyon Bychkov present a new recording of Bed ř ich Smetana’s masterpiece Má vlast (My Homeland). The album celebrates both the bicentenary of Smetana's birth and, the start of 2024's Year of Czech Music which has been celebrated every ten years since Smetana's 100th anniversary in 1924. Má vlast (1874 - 1878) is a potent symbol of the Czech Republic's turbulent political history and has played an important role in the Czech national movement. Contemplating the landscape, history, and legends of Bohemia, Má vlast is best known for its world - famous Moldau melody. For Bychkov, who was born in Russia before emigrating to the United States, and now lives in France, the question of 'the homeland' is particularly poignant - how to take pride in the best of its heritage, while also coming to terms with its darker pages. For the Orchestra to revisit this seminal piece with Bychkov, with whom it has developed such a close working relationship over the past few years, makes the recording all the more personal and topical. The Czech Philharmonic is one of the world’s orchestral gems, recognised for its rich tradition with the Czech masters as well as European repertoire. Semyon Bychkov who is internationally renowned for his interpretations of the core repertoire, began his tenure with the Orchestra at the start of the 2018/19 season. Together, they have so far recorded for Pentatone Mahler ’s First, Second, Fourth and Fifth Symphonies (2022 - 2023), part of the complete Mahler cycle to be released by the label. The Orchestra is also featured on the album Folk Songs (2023) recorded by Magdalena Kožená and Sir Simon Rattle.

"I think it’s Bychkov’s ability to relate phrasing to sound that is at the heart of his success here. He plainly relishes the orchestra’s natural blend while celebrating the beauty of its soloists." - Gramophone Magazine, April 2024.