In William Blake’s aphorism, “exuberance is beauty, prudence an ugly old maid courted by incapacity”. And there in a nutshell you have a literary pointer to Smetana’s engaging character. Brilliant, picturesque and nationalistic, all the music on this superb disc pays colourful tribute to “the father of Bohemian music”. Even the most familiar pages from The Bartered Bride (once mistakenly appearing in an American newspaper as The Buttered Broad) come up fresh as paint, the BBC Philharmonic’s immaculate virtuosity as musicianly and refined as it is sparkling. However rapid and propulsive the tempo, nothing is pushed or over-driven. The Polka’s grandiose opening leads to music of a courtly charm, enough to set even the least susceptible heads nodding and feet tapping. The Furiant’s catchy cross-rhythms lead to a suavely romantic melody and in the Overture to The Secret there is a typical Smetana progression from sobriety to lightness and exultance.

The Prelude to Libuse was written to celebrate the coronation of the Emperor Franz Josef. But even if Smetana was left in the lurch (the event never took place) his ceremonial fanfares carry all the importance of a promised state occasion. The Entr’acte from Dalibor is a special delight, a magical dream-like interlude before a return in The Two Widows to hyperactivity. Everything is permeated with a sense of Czech pride and ideals, a mood memorably captured by Noseda. Chandos’s sound is exceptional and there are outstanding accompanying notes by Jan Smaczny.