Dvořák's Hussite Overture incorporates two national themes: the Hussite Hymn 'Ye Who Are God's Warriors' and a passage from the chorale 'St Wenceslas', both of which were rallying cries for Hussite fighters.
Composer Biography
Antonín Dvořák, the composer of the Hussite Overture, was a butcher's son living in modest circumstances when Johannes Brahms helped him secure a scholarship and a publishing contract.
Performer Biography
Rafael Kubelík, the conductor, was the son of Jan Kubelík, one of the greatest violinists of the early 20th century, and was himself a gifted pianist, violinist, and composer from a young age.
Performer Biography
Henryk Szeryng, the violinist on this recording, was a Polish-born musician who became a Mexican citizen and a cultural ambassador for the Mexican president.
Interpretation
Henryk Szeryng, the violinist, chose to perform Brahms's Violin Concerto just five weeks after a serious operation, stating he felt it was right to "take the bull by the horns."
Recording & Production
This album is a live recording from June 11, 1967, captured at the Konzerthaus Wien.
Composition History
Dvořák's Hussite Overture was originally intended as incidental music for a patriotic trilogy about the Hussite Wars of Religion, but the trilogy was never completed.
You might also enjoy...
Henryk Szeryng: Dvorak & Brahms
Brahms: 21 Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No. 5 in G Minor. Allegro
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77
Brahms: Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 77
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 (Live in Utrecht, 9/30/2003)
