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If we listen to the sound of Dvorák’s Bösendorfer for a while, we can hear how the original pitch of a century ago softens the tone and enables the instrument to display diferent colours. This helps us to understand the logic behind the composer’s treatment of piano works which could appear unnatural when seen from the point of view of the 20th-century piano.
His piano is of course equipped with an old viennese mechanism, which of necessity limits its opportunities for virtuosity. Dvorák takes the instrument to the limits of its virtuoso possibilities, but never goes beyond them. The whole structure of its virtuosity precludes exaggerated tempos.
Thirty-five years have elapsed since I firswt recorded Antonín Dvorák’s complete piano works. I should therefore ask myself to what extent the pianist (in this cas, myself) is able to perform in perfect tune with our present day “mentality” and still respect the “boundaries” imposed by an antique piano. I took great delight in this experience, and I hope it will give you pleasure too. (Radoslav Kvapil, August 2008)
Track listing:
Humoresques (8) for piano, B. 187 (Op. 101)
Suite for piano in A major, B. 184 (Op. 98) (also listed as Op. 101)
Dumka, for piano in C minor, B. 136 (Op.12/1)
Furiant, for piano in G minor, B. 137 (Op.12/2)
Silhouettes (12) for piano, B. 98 (Op. 8)
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