Only a few days after the premiere of No Man at The National Theatre in Prague, the internationally acclaimed composer Jiří Kadeřábek enjoyed another great success on the Czech scene. On 16 November in Rudolfinum’s Dvořák Hall, PKF – Prague Philharmonia, led by Jakub Hrůša, presented his Duel II which was composed on the orchestra’s commission.
As the title suggests, the piece is a loose sequel to the author’s Duel I from 2004 which is based on the same compositional principle. “Two melodies, two tonalities, two musical worlds and two compositional sources. This time, however, both melodies are quotations of someone else’s music and they do not stand in such a stark contrast,” the author said. “This makes them all the more incompatible in their mischievous manners and spiteful actions…” The premiere was followed by Bohuslav Martinů’s Concerto for two Violins and Orchestra, H 329, performed by the sibling soloist duo of Jan and Jakub Fišer, and Symphony No. 2 D major, Op. 73 by Johannes Brahms.
16 April 2017, Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum, Prague
Jiří Kadeřábek: Duel II (world premiere)
PKF – Prague Philharmonia, cond. Jakub Hrůša