Dusík: Piano Concerto, Sonatas

Jan Ladislav Dusík (1760-1812) is among the most significant representatives of the great wave of Czech musical emigration at the turn of the nineteenth century. As one of the first modern performers, with a radius of activities throughout the whole of Europe from England to Russia, he captivated his contemporaries with his peerless art of piano playing and his social and amorous scandals; today we are left with his remarkable works. Dusík's piano compositions are a precursor to the poetics of Chopin; the influence made by the new style of pianos by English makers allowed the instrument to resonate in the great romantic spirit, but at the same time the classical foundation of his works prevent them from getting bogged down in excessive virtuosity. In awell-studied performance by Jan Novotný with the accompaniment of the youthful and precise Prague Chamber Philharmonic, this new digital recording of Dusík's music speaks to us in a finely balanced version which will be of interest to many.