Cechova: Smetana – Piano Works (APE)

Performer: Jitka Cechová
Composer: Bedrich Smetana, Franz Schubert
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Supraphon
Size: 181 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Performer: Jitka Cechová
Composer: Bedrich Smetana
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Supraphon
Size: 216 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Performer: Jitka Cechová
Composer: Bedrich Smetana
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Supraphon
Size: 211 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

01. Macbeth and the Witches
02. Der Neugierige / Inquisitive
03. Ball-Vision. Polka-Rhapsody
04. Bettina Polka
05. Concert Etude in C Major
06. Polka in A Minor, Op. 12, No. 1 (Souvenirs de Bohême en forme de polkas)
07. Polka in E Minor, Op. 12, No. 2 (Souvenirs de Bohême en forme de polkas)
08. Polka in E Minor, Op. 13, No. 1 (Souvenirs de Bohême en forme de polkas)
09. Polka in E-Flat Major, Op. 13, No. 2 (Souvenirs de Bohême en forme de polkas)
10. Concert Etude in G-Sharp Minor, Op. 17 – “On the Seashore”
11. Fantasie concertante on Czech Folk Songs

01. Rêves: Le bonheur éteint
02. Rêves: La consolation
03. Rêves: En Bohême, Scène champêtre
04. Rêves: Au salon
05. Rêves: Près du château
06. Rêves: La fête des paysans bohémiens
07. Stammbuchblätter: I. B-Flat Major
08. Stammbuchblätter: II. B Minor
09. Stammbuchblätter: III. Toccatina in B-Flat Major
10. Stammbuchblätter: IV. G Major
11. Stammbuchblätter: V. G Minor
12. Stammbuchblätter: VI. E-Flat Minor
13. Stammbuchblätter: VII. B-Flat Minor
14. Andante in E-Flat Major
15. Polka in E Major
16. Polka in G Minor
17. Polka in A Major
18. Polka in F Minor
19. Hochzietsszenen – “Wedding Scenes”: I. Wedding procession
20. Hochzietsszenen – “Wedding Scenes”: II. Bridegroom and Bride
21. Hochzietsszenen – “Wedding Scenes”: III. Wedding Festivity – Dance

01. Czech Dances, First Series: Polka I in F-Sharp Minor
02. Czech Dances, First Series: Polka II in A Minor
03. Czech Dances, First Series: Polka III in F Major
04. Czech Dances, First Series: Polka IV in B-Flat Major
05. Czech Dances, Second Series: Furiant
06. Czech Dances, Second Series: The Hen
07. Czech Dances, Second Series: The Oats
08. Czech Dances, Second Series: The Bear
09. Czech Dances, Second Series: Little Onion
10. Czech Dances, Second Series: Stamping Dance
11. Czech Dances, Second Series: The Lancer
12. Czech Dances, Second Series: The Astride Dance
13. Czech Dances, Second Series: The Neighbour’s Dance
14. Czech Dances, Second Series: The Jump Dance
15. Bettina Polka
16. The Peasant Woman
17. Andante in F Minor
18. Romance in G Minor

Decent series of recordings

Smetana’s greatest volume of output was for the piano and Jitka Cechova plays through it to good effect. Little of the music is truly memorable but it is constructed well and is pleasant enough to listen to and very little is unworthy of inclusion for the sake of completeness. To my ear, volumes 4 to 6 are the best, perhaps because the pianist has warmed to her task and established a rapport with the composer.