An interview with Ivo Kahánek

Why bring these two piano concertos together?

I consider these concertos to be the biggest and most worthy in the Czech music repertoire. Their character is very contrasting in style and in time period, but there are things that are related, like their dramatism. The Dvoˇrak concerto is a drama on the highest level – and that was a reason for playing it in its original version. It’s very ambitious and one of the seminal works in this form, like the Brahms and Tchaikovsky concertos.

How would you describe the complexities of the Dvoˇrak? There are passages that are very difficult, because of the structure and also because of the dynamic and dramatic peaks of the work. You also have to defend your position because the orchestra is so richly instrumented. I think the piano concerto, as a genre, needs a little show; but this was never exactly a big ingredient for Dvoˇrak. He was more focused on achieving maximum depth of expression, with instrumental bravura not such a priority.

What was it like working with the Bamberg Symphony?

They were splendid partners!

The Bamberg Symphony bears all the signs of a great German orchestra: precision, energy and perfection. Moreover, they add very soft and warm-hearted sound to this music. Jakub

Hru˚ a is a fantastic conductor; he is able to be a real leader, to conduct as a great maestro, but he is also able to be a humble servant of the music – and that’s very important, especially for Dvoˇrak. Of course, we were school mates at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, so we’re good friends.