Search - Bedrich Smetana, Petr Jirikovsky :: Smetana: Complete Polkas

PEDESTRIAN POLKAS

Melvyn M. Sobel | Freeport (Long Island), New York | 08/31/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Smetana Polkas have been given fairly short shrift in the classical community, although some intrepids like Firkusny (Works By Czech Composers), Klein (Smetana Polkas), Kvapil (Smetana Piano Music), Klansky (Smetana Piano Works), Novotny (Smetana Polkas) and Schiff (Smetana Polkas) did their best to introduce these quirky, melodious works. More akin to Chopin and Dvorak than to Strauss, these "dances" are imbued with a memorable nostalgia that belies their nomenclature; it is just this pensive dreaminess that must be elicited in order for the Polkas to bear emotional fruit, especially the exceptionally sublime Op. 12 (Nos. 1 and 2) and Op. 13 (No. 1).



Joining the intrepids is Petr Jirikovsky who premiered the complete Polkas in 1997 on one disc, seemingly an event to relish. Unfortunately, Jirikovsky's Smetana is rather earthbound and uninvolving, nuances glossed over, quietude dismissed, idiomatic angst and individuality lost. This is truly disappointing since it's more than obvious that this pianist has the innate artistry and technique to do full justice to this attractive music, rather than present it as a singularly homogenous collection.



[Running time: 78:41]

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