Bedřich Smetana
Šárka, symphonic poem from the cycle Má vlast

Dmitri Shostakovich
Violin Concerto No. 2 in C-sharp minor, Op. 129

Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88 “English”

Vadim Gluzman – violin
Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava
Daniel Raiskin – Chief Conductor of JPO

Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic poem Šárka is one of the most dramatic parts of the cycle Má vlast (“My Country”). Inspired by the ancient Czech legend of the Maidens’ War, it tells the story of the warrior Šárka, who cunningly destroys Ctirad’s army. With extraordinary vividness, Smetana works with contrasts between lyricism and fierce drama, creating a musically compelling portrayal of passion, betrayal, and inescapable fate.

Dmitri Shostakovich’s Second Violin Concerto, composed in 1967 for David Oistrakh, belongs to the composer’s late works. Compared to the First Concerto, it is more concise, formally economical, and restrained in expression, yet immensely concentrated. Beneath its apparent calm lie irony, bitterness, and existential tension characteristic of Shostakovich’s late style. Here, the soloist is not a flamboyant virtuoso but rather the bearer of an inner monologue unfolding in constant dialogue with the orchestra.

The concert concludes with Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, often referred to as the “English” Symphony. Composed in 1889, it is distinguished by exceptional melodic invention, freshness, and a spontaneous joy in music-making. Dvořák masterfully combines symphonic form with inspirations drawn from the Czech landscape and folk music. The work, which received an enthusiastic response at its London premiere, remains one of the most beloved symphonies of the Romantic repertoire.