As anniversary celebrations go, it doesn’t get much better than the Czech Philharmonic’s Concert for the Velvet Revolution. Converging this year with the Year of Czech Music, the concert marked 35 years of freedom with a joyous all-Czech program featuring two of the finest young musical talents in the country, conductor Petr Popelka and violinist Josef Špaček. With French viola player Antoine Tamestit adding the incomparable sound of his 1672 Stradivarius to the mix, it was a moving performance tailor-made for the occasion.
The overture to Smetana’s opera The Two Widows set the tone for the evening, sizzling from the opening bars and brimming with exhilaration. Popelka’s native feel for the music added zest to the lively polka rhythms and richness to the melodies. He favors a full-throated, high-volume sound, which is a bit much for a brief overture, but irresistible in its dramatic impact. The symphonic dimensions took nothing away from the light-hearted charm of the music and the heady sensation of a thrill ride.
The work of composer and violinist (and Dvořák son-in-law) Josef Suk is not well-known outside the Czech lands, but his Fantasy in G minor for violin and orchestra stands alongside other late Romantic works as a fine example of the form. Popelka crafted its shifting moods and textures with precision and care, weaving spells with the strings and creating evocative backing for Špaček’s soulful solos. The violinist plays with an emotive quality sharpened by technical finesse that was perfect for this piece, capturing its reveries, lyricism and high spirits in a seamless flow.
Tamestit was no less impressive in Martinů’s Rhapsody-Concerto for viola and orchestra, playing with powerful expression that matched the depth of feeling in the orchestra. The tenderness and purity in his sound was highlighted by supple backing, with Popelka providing engaging melodies and propulsive rhythms. Overall the collaboration was remarkably tight, with Tamestit and Popelka locked into the same heartfelt interpretation, trading sensitive exchanges that ended in a hug between the two men after a soft, elegant finish. There was not a harsh note in their performance, beautifully rendered and played with virtuoso skill.
Rather than do individual encores, Tamestit and Špaček then teamed up to play the first of Martinů’s Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola. Their similar styles were a good match and the chemistry they shared was clear, offering an animated, razor-sharp performance that brought a cheering audience to its feet.
With its opening and closing brass fanfares and insistent timpani, Janacek’s Sinfonietta is a celebration in and of itself, especially with the fire and bite that Popelka gave it. The music had an edge, with careful pacing fueling the recurring buildups and peaks of excitement. There was plenty of color and character in this reading, though what stood out most was the close attention to detail. Popelka dove into the tumultuous contours of the piece without losing any clarity in the sound, a notable accomplishment for a conductor of any nationality.
Popelka is normally on the podium at the Rudolfinum leading the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, whose repertoire he has broadened with notable success. In this return to his roots, he showed both an innate understanding of Czech music and a flair for making it fresh. The energy and verve that he drew from the Czech Philharmonic mirrored the ardor on the streets outside, where hard-won freedom is still held dear. In that respect, the closing fanfare of the Sinfonietta rang triumphant for an entire nation.
