V�clav Neumann, born in Prague and trained as a violinist, first conducted the Czech Philharmonic in 1948; 20 years later, at a crucial time in his country's history, he became the orchestra's chief conductor. Recorded in the early 1970s, these performances of Dvor�k's Slavonic Dances exude authenticity of spirit. As Gramophone wrote when they were first released: "This is as enchanting a set of enchanting music as one could hope for."