ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841-1904): The Spectre’s Bride for Soprano, Tenor, Bass, Chorus and Orchestra, Op. 69.

Description: Still one of the composer’s least recorded works, this cantata was an English commission premiere with huge forces in 1885 in Birmingham. The texts are from a poem by Erben, who supplied the inspiration for Dvořák’s most famous tone-poems, about a maiden who wishes for her missing lover and gets him back but without immediately realizing that he is dead as he hurries her off into the night. A diverting 80-odd minutes even if not of the most bone-chilling type. Czech-English texts. Simona Šaturová (soprano), Pavol Breslik (tenor), Adam Plachetka (bass-baritons), Wiener Singakademie, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra; Cornelius Meister.