AUGUST 2026 NEW ON NAXOS
Bedřich SMETANA (1824–1884) Romantic Piano, Vol. 11 Piano Works Piano Sonata in G minor Czech Dances, Books 1 and 2 Bogang Hwang, Piano
Regarded as the father of Czech music Bedřich Smetana was a pioneer in developing a national style that culminated in his popular symphonic cycle Má vlast . Composed after he had become deaf the Czech Dances are Smetana’s last major piano works. Sparkling with distinctive character and inventiveness Book 1 elevates the humble polka to the level Chopin achieved with his mazurkas, while Book 2 was inspired by the old Moravian and Bohemian dances played to Smetana by his neighbour, a local amateur violinist. Coloured with Lisztian harmonic richness, the Piano Sonata in G minor combines Romantic expressiveness with puckish good humour. Key features: • The Naxos Romantic Piano series first appeared in September 2025 with works by Julius Benedict (8.574586), which was warmly welcomed by MusicWeb International : ‘we must above all be grateful to Naxos… for their enterprise in exploring an area of the repertoire that must be totally unknown to all but a very few experts in the period’. With numerous world premiere recordings, this series explores and promotes little-known composers and unusual repertoire. Further volumes present rarely heard music by the likes of Friedrich Kiel (8.574703), and piano sonatas by Józef Wieniawski (8.574583), in which Andrew Cannestra’s ‘bold playing is perfect for the grandeur of the sonata and the brilliance of the dances while finding delicacy and a fluent singing line in the barcarolle. This is a lovely disc in this enterprising series’ ( MusicWeb international ). • Vol. 2 of the series with sonatas by Wilhelm Taubert (8.574585) saw Interlude commenting that this recording is ‘a reminder of the breadth of 19th-century musical life, where many composers made meaningful contributions to the piano repertoire, even if they did not become household names’. Vol. 3 (8.574534) presents a substantial programme of piano works by Charles Gounod, with American Record Guide declaring that ‘[Warren] Lee is a most eloquent and spirited advocate for this rare and diverting repertory.’ One further volume in this edition includes the piano music of Robert Volkmann (8.574674), of which pianist Levon Avagyan is ‘an inspired interpreter’ ( Pizzicato ).
Playing time: 87:00 Release date: 14 Aug 2026
8.574718
7 47313 47187 4
Listen to an excerpt from České tance (‘Czech Dances’) Book 1: No. 2. Polka in A minor LISTEN
Tracklist
Piano Sonata in G minor (1846) 1 I. Sostenuto – Allegro 2 II. Adagio 3 III. Scherzo: Vivace 4 IV. Finale: Molto vivace České tance (‘Czech Dances’) Book 1 (1877) 5 No. 1. Polka in F sharp minor 6 No. 2. Polka in A minor 7 No. 3. Polka in F major 8 No. 4. Polka in B flat major
Book 2 (1879)
9 No. 1. Furiant 0 No. 2. Slepička (‘Little Hen’) ! No. 3. Oves (‘Grain Dance’) @ No. 4. Medvěd (‘Bear Dance’) # No. 5. Cibulička (‘Little Onion’) $ No. 6. Dupák (‘Stamping Dance’) % No. 7. Hulán (‘Lancer’) ^ No. 8. Obkročák (‘Stepping Dance’) & No. 9. Sousedská (‘Neighbour’s Dance’) * No. 10. Skočná
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