FRENCH HORN IN PRAGUE (KOFROŇ J., ŠESTÁK Z., SLAVICKÝ K., HLOBIL E.) / P.Vojta French horn

Jaroslav Kofroň (1921-1966) - Sonatina per corno e piano (1952) 8:02

1. I. Allegro moderato 3:31

2. II. Andante 2:01

3. III. Allegretto 2:29

Zdeněk Šesták (*1925) - Concertino No. 2 in F major for French Horn and Piano (1975) 6:43

4. I. Poco moderato elegiac 4:04

5. II. Allegro giusto 2:39

Klement Slavický (1910-1999) - Capricci per corno e pianoforte (1967) 14:13

6. I. Capriccio drammatico 3:00

7. II. Capriccio lirico 6:05

8. III. Capriccio burlesco 5:07

Klement Slavický - Musica per corno solo (1988) 13:38

9. I. Prologo drammatico 4:52

10. II. Intermezzo lirico 5:35

11. III. Etuda bravura 3:10

Emil Hlobil (1901-1987) - Sonata for French Horn and Piano, Op. 21 (1942) 16:45

12. I. Animato 4:32

13. II. Lento 6:40

14. III. Vivace 5:32

Přemysl Vojta - French horn, Tomoko Sawano - piano

Recorded at the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum, Prague, December 2012.

Horn-playing has a long tradition in Bohemia, ranging from the 18th century (J. V. Stich-Punto) to the Tylšar brothers and Radek Baborák. And Přemysl Vojta is without question a superlative pursuer of this line. He earned his most remarkable triumph in September 2010 at the ARD competition in Munich (1st prize, the audience award and two other special prizes). Upon receiving the Beethoven Ring at the Beethovenfest in Bonn, he joined the ranks of young stars of classical music (Gustavo Dudamel, Julia Fisher, Lisa Batiashvili, etc.). For his debut album, Přemysl Vojta, currently solo horn of the Staatskapelle Berlin, has chosen pieces by 20th-century Prague modernists. As he himself puts it: "Works by unknown composers who experienced World War II, the German occupation, liberation, occupation by the 'liberators' and the bullying by the communist regime. May this recording be a reminiscence of that time and the people who lived through it." In addition to reflecting the fraught epoch and Slavonic musicality in the Janáček spirit, these works place extreme technical demands on their performers. Přemysl Vojta, however, is up to the challenge and with true mastery duly demonstrates his belonging to the famous Czech horn tradition.

Přemysl Vojta - pursuing the famous Czech horn tradition with aplomb.

(Supraphon 2013)