From start to finish within this performance, from the graceful solo harp arpeggios which open the work in Vysehrad (The High Castle) to the overwhelmingly triumphant sense of joy that closes Blanik at the end, it's clearly obvious that the focus is on detail clarity and exceptional sonics. The tempos are broader than usual, the dynamics wider, and the depth of the orchestra very well conveyed.

For example, I've rarely heard the opening of Vltava (The Moldau), with its trio of woodwinds representing the merging of various streams into a river, sound so limpid and fluid, or the passage of the nocturnal water sprites sound so ethereal. Mind you, the stormy sequence through the rapids could have done with a bit more dramatic urgency, although here you experience the tortuous undertow of the swelling current, and hear the power of the water splashing against the rocks. The ever broadening tempo as the river bravely flows into the sea in the end is perfectly shaped as well. Smetana used the river as a metaphor about life's struggles from its humble beginning to its apotheosis.

Má Vlast (My Homeland), is the most famous work by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) and for good reason. It's based on legend and folklore from the nation's heritage whilst it peers courageously into the future. The audio engineers at Pentatone have done a great job here capturing its many details and orchestral colors. Conductor Semyon Bychkov leads a meticulous yet unmannered performance, true to the scope and intent of the work.