Janáček - Complete Chamber & Orchestral Work

5 CD set of complete chamber and orchestral works of Leoš Janáček by various artists: Wiener Philharmoniker, Sir Charles Mackerras, London Philharmonic Orchestra, François Huybrechts, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Neville Marriner, Paul Crossley (piano), Gabrieli String Quartet, members of the London Sinfonietta, London Sinfonietta Chorus, Eva Urbanová (soprano), Marta Beňačková (mezzo-soprano),Vladimir Bogachov (tenor), Richard Novák (bass), Thomas Trotter (organ), Slovak Philharmonic Choir, Riccardo Chailly, Kenneth Sillito (violin).

JCW

Janáček - Glagolitic Mass, Taras Bulba

Leoš Janáček´s "Glagolitic Mass"- Mass for Soloists, Mixed Choir, Organ and Orchestra - is a "mass of life". Janáček had determined to give expression to that belief in God which had not shown itself in his work before. He got back a tart postcard: "No old man, and no believer—till I see for myself." Janáček detested large churches: ". . . concentrated death; tombs under the floor, bones on the altar, pictures which are nothing but torture and dying". His cathedral was the Luhačovice forest, its incense the fragrance from the moist earth, its bells those from a flock of sheep. "I hear...in the choir the voice of our people. The candles—tall firs of the forest lit up with stars; and during the ceremony I see the vision of St. Wenceslas, and hear the language of the missionaries Cyril and Methodius". The Glagolitic Mass is certainly a visionary work, composer´s immaginatoion of raw roots of Christianity in Slavic people, mixed with paganic customs, inimitable opus, going to the origin of musical language. This recording is performed by L.Domanínská-soprano, V.Soukupová-contralto, B.Blachut-tenor, E.Haken-bass, J.Vodrážka-organ, Prague Philharmonic Choir, J.Veselka, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Karel Ančerl. This recording was awarded by Grand prix du disque de L'Academie Charles Cros. Karel Ančerl (1908 - 1973) was, alongside Václav Talich, part of the tandem of two foremost Czech conductors of the 20th century. As he made an overwhelming majority of his recordings for Supraphon, and since we are approaching the thirtieth anniversary of his death, this company has decided to pay a special tribute to Ančerl´s memory by a grandly conceived project of reissues of his creations, under the common heading of Ančerl Gold Series. It is to comprise a total of 42 titles, each of which will undergo complex studio overhaul and streamlining.

JGM

Sir Charles Mackerras conducts Leoš Janáček

Sir Charles Mackerras (1925-2010), Australian conductor, an authority on the operas of Leoš Janáček and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In 1978, he was presented with the Janáček Medal and in 1996, he received the Medal of Merit of Czechia for services to Czech music. This album, recorded with Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, content symphonic poem "Taras Bulba", "Sinfonietta" and ouvertures of operas "The Cunning Little Vixen" and "Káťa Kabanová"

MPJ

Janáček - Sinfonietta, Taras Bulba

"Sinfonietta" and symphonic poem "Taras Bulba" by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Karel Ančerl. Excitement, accuracy, passion, color, and expressive immediacy.  What other performance propels the second-movement ostinatos so forcefully, or builds the third movement's central climax with such explosive energy? Who else observes the various tempo changes in the brief fourth movement so effectively, wringing every drop of variety from its many repetitions of its opening trumpet tune? And who else drives the finale to positively expressionistic extremes of tension, making the return of the opening fanfares a moment of apocalyptic grandeur? I love this work, and enjoy other performances (including Kubelík, Neumann, Jílek, and Mackerras), but this is one of those rare occasions where you really can point your finger to a single version and say, "This is the best."

JST

Janáček - Complete Operas II

The second part of the set with operas From the House of the Dead, The Makropulos Case and Káťa Kabanová as Vol.2 of Complete Operas by Leoš Janáček, completed by Sinfonietta and symphonic poem Taras Bulba. Performed by Wiener Philharmoniker with various soloists, conductor Sir Charles Mackerras.

HOD
TMC
KAT

Janáček - Complete Operas I

Operas Jenufa, Cunning Little Wixen and Excursions of Mr.Brouček as Vol.1 of the set "Complete Operas" of Leoš Janáček, performed by Wiener Philharmoniker and soloists with conductor sir Charles Mackerras.

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CLV
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Janáček - Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs

Czech composer Leoš Janáček devoted a lot of his time and ink on folk songs. This album, "Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs" is a little bit of his work (about 300 songs). Singers Eva Štruplová and Stanislav Předota took the right fair voice to execute those both profound and so light songs accompanied by Adam Skoumal at the piano. While listening to this album, we are travelling through these ageless lights and true emotions of every folk in every day.

JMP

Dvořák, Janáček, Martinů, Novák, Schulhoff, Eben - Songs My Mother Taught Me

Magdalena Kožená, one of the most acclaimed recitalists of today, presents a personal collection of songs she has known since childhood and that form some of her earliest musical influences. A haunting collection of songs by Czech composers such as Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, Bohuslav Martinů, Vítězslav Novák, Ervín Schulhoff and Petr Eben, all deeply rooted in the rich Czech folk song tradition.

SMM

Janáček - String Quartet No.1, Haas - String Quartets Nos.1 & 3

Pavel Haas Quartet completed its recordings of the Janáček and Haas quartets, bringing practically unknown works by this noteworthy; 20th century composer Pavel Haas to the attention of music lovers today. Janáček's student Pavel Haas (1899-1944) wrote his first string quartet in 1920 and his third quartet in 1938 at the peak of his creative life. The piece is marked by the drama and tragedy of the era's rapidly burgeoning Nazi movement, whose victim he became in 1941.

JHQ

Janáček - Lachian Dances, Suite for Strings, Idyll

Well known Leoš Janáček's orchestral works in unforgettable performances by František Jílek and Philharmonia Brno. 1995.Leoš Janáček (1854-1928) was a Czech composer, by Bohemian, Moravian and all Slavic folk music and on these roots created his original style. The greatest compositons are Sinfonietta, Glagolitic Mass, Taras Bulba and operas. Janáček is generally recognised as one of the most inimitable composers.

JLD

Janáček - Pièces pour Piano

Selection of piano works, including the cycles "On a overgrown path", "In the Mists" and Sonata 1.X., performed by French pianist Hélène Couvert.

JPP

Janáček - Káťa Kabanová

"Káťa Kabanová" is an opera in three acts by Leoš Janáček to a libretto by Vincenc Červinka, based on "The Storm", a play by Alexander Ostrovsky. The first performance was at the National Theatre in Brno on 23 November 1921. This recording is performed by Vienna Philharmoniker with conductor sir Charles Mackerras and soloists Elisabeth Söderström, Dalibor Jedlička, Peter Dvorský, Naděžda Kniplová, Vladimír Krejčík,  Zdeněk Švehla, Libuše Márová, Jaroslav Souček, Jitka Pavlová, Gertrude Jahn. Vienna, December 1976.

JKK

Janáček - Strings Quartets

String quartet No.1 "Kreutzer sonata" (written 1923), inspired by Lev Nikolaievich Tolstoy's novella of the same name and No.2 "Intimate Letters" (1928) of Leoš Janáček by Pavel Haas Quartet, the Czech string quartet which was founded in 2002.

JSQ