Suk started writing this piece in 1904 as a dedication to his teacher and father-in-law Antonin Dvorak, who had recently died. Towards the completion of the work his wife, Otylka, also passed away. As a result, Suk turned this work into a requiem for the two. He gave it the subtitle ‘Asrael, the Angel of Death’, who in the Islamic faith leads the souls of the departed to paradise.

This performance is very forceful and commanding. Flor and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra deliver the goods with perfectly judged tempos and incisive accents and never let up the intensity, even in the slow movements. The BIS sound is, as always, excellent.