Dvořák - Stabat Mater

Antonín Dvořák - Stabat Mater, op.58 for soli, choir and orchestra by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Wolfgang Sawalisch, with soloists Gabriela Beňačková, Peter Dvorský, Ortrun Wenkel, Jan-Hendrik Rootering. The oratorio Stabat Mater was written by Antonín Dvořák in 1876 and the first performance took place on 23 December 1880 in Prague. The first movement is an extended sonata-form in symphonic style. It opens with a long orchestral introduction, then repeated with the chorus. A contrasting second theme is introduced by the soloists. A development section leads to the return of the opening material. The organ has an independent part accompanying the female semi-chorus in the fourth movement, and is not used otherwise. The final movement recalls the opening themes of the work, but then turns into the major key for a triumphant Amen fugue of considerable complexity. The work is scored for an orchestra of: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets in A, 2 bassoons, 4 horns (two in F, two in D), 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, organ and strings. The solos are written for soprano, tenor, alto, bass, accompanied with the SATB choir.

DSM

Eben - Job for Organ

Job for Organ is an eight movement organ cycle by the Czech composer Petr Eben (1929-2007). This work is based upon the story of Job in the Old Testament. The eight movements of this cycle tell the story of Job's struggle, perseverance, and triumph in the midst of human suffering. Job remains faithful to God throughout his trials, and in the end God rewards him for his faithfulness. Eben's compositional technique is dramatic in nature and his music lends itself to theatrical interpretation. This document provides a detailed musical analysis of each movement of the work, and the author offers a possible recreation of the plot and its interpretation, based upon extensive analysis of the score and Petr Eben's program notes.The analysis demonstrates that Job for Organ is a product of utmost craftsmanship. It is a powerful musical drama that vividly portrays Job's ordeal utilizing an extended musical program.

EJO

Vejvanovský - Sonate e serenade

Pavel Josef Vejvanovský was is a Czech composer of the middle baroque period. He composed about 120, largely orchestral works with dominant roles for brass as a trumpet virtuoso. He wrote spiritual as well as secular works, but in his later works he was able to master most typical idioms of the day. He seems to have struggled with imitative counterpoint and his most compelling pieces are characterised by charming folk idioms and virtuosic brass writing. He composed in a wide variety of genres ranging from large-scale Mass settings and music for special feast days to more intimate sonatas and suites.

VSS

Martinů - Cello Sonatas Nos.1-3

Bohuslav Martinů (8 December 1890, Polička – 28 August 1959, Liestahl) was a Czech composer of modern classical music. He was very prolific, writing almost 400 pieces, among them 6 symphonies, choral works, operas, concertos, including for cello, violin, oboe and five for the piano and his chamber music, including seven string quartets. His artistic history content more creative periods, incl. postimpresionism, neo-classicism, expressionism etc.

MCS

Vaňhal - Symphonies

Jan Křtitel Vaňhal (generally known as Johann Batist Vanhal) was a Czech composer of classical era (1739-1813). Born in Nechanice, Bohemia, to a Czech peasant family, Vanhal received his early training from a local musician. From these humble beginnings he was able to earn a living as a village organist and choirmaster. The Countess Schaffgotsch, who heard him playing the violin, took him to Vienna in 1760, where she arranged lessons in composition with Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf. Further patronage helped him to travel and gain further knowledge of music and by the age of 35, he was moving in exalted musical company: it is reported he played quartets with Haydn, Mozart, and Dittersdorf. Vanhal tailored his output to economic realities of the day and ceased writing symphonies in the late-1770s. He wrote three operas: Il Demofoonte (1770), Il trionfo di Clelia (1770), and The Princess of Tarento. In the 1770s, Vaňhal met the contrabassist Johannes Matthias Sperger and wrote a double bass concerto for him. The English music historian Charles Burney visited Vaňhal in 1772. Mozart performed Vanhal’s Violin Concerto in B flat in Augsburg in 1777. In or around 1784, Haydn, Dittersdorf, Mozart and Vaňhal played string quartets together; Haydn and Dittersdorf played the violins, Mozart the viola, and Vaňhal cello. This recording is performed by London Mozart Players with conductor Matthias Bamert.

VJS

Smetana - Orchestral Works

Three-disc set of Bedřich Smetana's orchestral works with Vladimir Válek leading the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. Not only does it contain Smetana's orchestral masterpiece Má Vlast plus his three fairly well-known tone poems Richard III, Wallenstein's Campo, and Hakon Jarl, it also contains his nearly completely unknown four-movement Triumph Symphony, his almost totally unknown March for Shakespeare, and the Ceremonial Prelude in C major along with three short orchestral dances, the Georginen, the Louisen, and the Our Lasses Polkas.

SOW

Mysliveček - Symphonies & Ouvertures

Josef Mysliveček (1737–1781), nicknamed “Il divino Boemo” (The Divine Czech) was a Czech composer of classical era. Apart from 28 operas, he also wrote 10 oratorios and cantatas, numerous chamber music scores, and orchestral and concert music.

MSO

Zelenka - Il Diamante

Il Diamante is the ultimate secular work of Jan Dismas Zelenka. Il Diamante is the only known contribution Zelenka made to the genre of serenata. Zelenka writing a great secular work for Dresden court society late in his life. His music as a part of a politically important ceremonial occasion at court - none of this corresponds with the traditional image of Zelenka as an overshadowed composer held in low esteem by the court; nothing can be more far from the truth according to newly found sources, one of which has a contemporary of Zelenka describing him as the "perfect Virtuoso", whose music gives a "foretaste of heavenly pleasure". With this in mind we can look forward to a new, revised way of looking at the greatest Czech baroque composer, considered as some "catholic counterpoint to J.S.Bach". Furthermore, we can enjoy his incredible music - and rejoice over the new diamond discovered amongst Zelenka's works.This recordings is performed by Ensemble Inégal, Prague Baroque Soloists, conducted by Adam Viktora.

ZID

Dvořák - Symphonic Poems

Just about every Czech conductor has recorded Dvořák's four symphonic poems based on the poetry of Karel Erben. At the successful end of spectrum are Vaclav Talich's dramatic 1951 recordings and Rafael Kubelik's lyrical 1975 recordings. To challenge the Czechs' hegemony, we have Charles Mackerras' 2010 accounts, which come very close to taking Talich's place as the finest performances of these works ever recorded. Recorded with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in lushly detailed digital sound.

DSP

Hába - String Quartets

Alois Hába (June 21, 1893, Vizovice – November 18, 1973, Prague) was a Czech composer, musical theoretician, teacher and organiser, one of the creators of microtonal systems. His most significant innovative contribution to European music is his reworking of the tonality into quarter, six, twelve, and five tone systems, which come from the Moravian folk tradition.

HSQ

Kabeláč - Improvisación sobre Hamlet, Invenciónes para percusión

Hamlet Improvisation for large orchestra, Op. 46 (1962-63) and 8 Invenzioni for percussion instruments (by Prague Percussion Ensemble), Op. 45 (1962-63) by Miloslav Kabeláč (1908 -1979), the most original personality of Czech modern music of second half of 20th century.

KHI

Novák - Autumn Symphony

Vítězslav Novák (1870-1949): Autumn Symphony, Op. 62 (1931-1934) for male and female chorus and orchestra by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Karel Ančerl. It's a reflection on the brevity of life and passing of time, work of balancing life, consolation and celebration of joys and beauties that life has brought but also still can bring. The first eight minutes of the 2nd movement are purely orchestral and make an ouverture to the vocal scene of Moravian folk festivity. Not long after beginning melodic and rhytmic elements of Moravian folk music appear and Novák's complex polyphony gets a dancing temperament with the specific tinge gradually.

NAS

Zelenka - Missa ultimarum sexta

Missa ultimarum sexta - Missa omnium sanctorum of Jan Dismas Zelenka belongs to his final five pieces (ZWV 17–21), commonly called "High Mass" compositions, written between 1736 and 1741 and considered as Zelenka's compositional peak. The last three incl.this one are also called "Missae ultimae" (Last Masses).

MUS

Dussek - Piano Sonatas

Jan Ladislav Dusík (Dussek), Czech composer and pianist (1760-1812), was one of the first piano virtuosos to travel widely throughout Europe. He performed at courts and concert venues from London to Saint Petersburg to Milan, and was celebrated for his technical prowess. During a nearly ten-year stay in London, he was instrumental in extending the size of the pianoforte. He was an important representative of Czech music abroad in the second half of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Some of his more forward-looking piano works have traits often associated with Romanticism. This recording of large amount of his piano sonatas is performed by Frederick Marvin.

DPS

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

Michna - Missa à 7, Cantiones, Requiem

Adam Václav Michna z Otradovic (1600 – 1676) was a Czech catholic poet, composer, organist and choir leader of early baroque era. About 230 of his compositions from three Czech and two Latin collections are known today. This album content his masses and cantiones. Performed by Capella regia muscialis with conductor Robert Hugo and soloists Stanislav Předota, Milada Čechalová, Magdalena Černá, Jana Lewitová, Michael Pospíšil and Marcin Bornus Sczycinski. Thius recording was awareded by Grammy Classics in 1993.

MMR

Suk - Piano Works

Josef Suk (1874–1935) was a Czech composer of late romantic and early modernist era. He was also violinist. Suk also wrote for the piano, an instrument that he himself had played since childhood. These compositions are generally of a more intimate and personal nature, and they include music for his son. This 2 CD setof piano works  (Piano Works 1 & 2) is performed by Margaret Fingerhut.

SPW

Martinů - Three Fragments and Suite From the Opera Juliette

Three Fragments and Suite From the Opera Juliette of Bohuslav Martinů, performed by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by sir Charles Mackerras, with soloist Magdalena Kožená (mezzosoprano). Juliette is Martinu's operatic masterpiece and one of the most distinctive of all 20th-century operatic works. The plot is hallucinatory and wonderfully weird. Charles Mackerras delivers his usual outstanding results, the Czech Philharmonic plays amazingly, and the principal singers, especially Kožená and Davislim, sing beautifully. We still need a new recording of the complete opera, but until then this will do nicely. Essential for anyone who cares about 20th-century opera, or Martinů generally.

BOJ

Mysliveček - Il divino Boemo: Symphonies

Josef Mysliveček (1737–1781) was a Czech composer of gallant style, who contributed to the formation of late eighteenth-century classicism. Mysliveček provided his younger friend Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with significant compositional models in the genres of symphony, opera, and violin concerto. Ensemble Concerto Köln's "Il divino boemo" is one of the group's projects, bringing its considerable artistry to bear on a composer whose reputation has been less fortunate than that of his contemporaneous peers. In this case, the truffle is Josef Mysliveček, the "divine Czech" , in his time popular for his operas and oratorios, but already considered passé by his early death in 1781.

MJS

Zelenka - The Lamentations of Jeremiah

Lamentationes pro hebdomada sancta, for soloists & chorus ("Lamentationes Jeremiae prophetae") of Jan Dismas Zelenka, perfomed by  Michael Chance (countertenor), John Ainsley (tenor), Michael George (bass) and Chandos Baroque Players

ZLJ