It’s just over five years since the Prague Symphony Orchestra last visited Britain and, given the relative paucity of European orchestras venturing here these days, this return tour of seven concert dates and an eighth in Dublin is welcome.
Their programmes differ in each venue, but Dvořák – being in their blood – is featured in all of them and this Bristol performance opened with his tone poem Noonday Witch, written on the composer’s return from America. The mood-painting, with its contrast of village rurality and the sinister spookiness of the witch – invoked by a mother to make her naughty child behave, but only bringing tragedy – was beautifully realised. Chief conductor Tomáš Brauner ensured authentic colouring both for the folk-like Bohemian lilt and the elements of symphonic drama.
