Czech State Philharmonic
The illustrious tradition of the Brno Philharmonic dates its beginnings to the 1870s, when the young Leoš Janáček began his efforts to create a Czech symphony orchestra. The present-day orchestra was established in 1956 as the Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra. Its seat is the Besední dům designed by Theophil von Hansen, the architect of Vienna’s Musikverein.
The Philharmonic gives dozens of concerts a year in Brno. Its 59th season comprises twelve concert series (fifteen options), and the offer is very rich indeed: from classical music which has stood the test of time, to contemporary and baroque music, to concerts of the Kantiléna choir and special concerts. New series include Jazz & World Music, informal concerts of the Young Blood series, and the Public Dress Rehearsals. The traditional encompass Symphonic, Concerto, Classical, and Family Series. The Artist of the Season is Benjamin Yusupov, and other distinguished performers of the season include Iva Bittová, Adam Plachetka, Anat Cohen, Alexander Kniazev, and Maxim Rysanov.
The Brno Philharmonic Orchestra excels in recordings for television, radio, and on CD, and its discography reflects a repertoire emphasis on Leoš Janáček and twentieth-century music.…
Czech State Philharmonic Reviews:
“The performances under the experienced Jose Serebrier are first-rate, and the recording conveys both detail and a sense of space.” —Anthony Burton, BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
“Let’s cut to the chase — this is a marvellous collection of Janacek’s major orchestral works, made even more appealing in this generous repackaging. Jose Serebrier is not a conductor one normally associates with Janacek, but these superbly characterised performances should help change that. The Czech State Philharmoinc, Brno play as to the manner born, their pleasingly pungent tone quality ideally suited to this music. . . The climaxes are awesomely expansive. Strongly recommended” —Andrew Farach-Colton, GRAMOPHONE
“Brno’s Stadion Hall provides the ideal venue for this magnificently recorded disc. Yet again, RR’s Keith Johnson stakes his claim as one of the best engineers in the business, providing sound quality so natural, so right, so effortless that it is easy to forget we are listening to a recording” —Terry Williams, CLASSIC CD