Castle Classics Janacek, Leos (Moravian 1854-1928)

L Janacek: Orchestral Works (SACD Version) - GWENETH-ANN JEFFERS, soprano; ADRIAN THOMPSON, tenor; EDINBURGH FESTIVAL CHORUS; BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA; ILAN VOLKOV, conductor

Label - Hyperion

Cat. No. - SACDA67517

SACD Hybrid Multichannel Recording

Including The Eternal Gospel – Legend for soprano, tenor, chorus and orchestra 1913; The Ballad of Blaník 1919; The Fiddler’s Child – Ballad for solo violin and orchestra 1913; The Excursions of Mr Broucvek – Suite for orchestra 1908–17

The years either side of the First World War were a time of renaissance for the Czech nation – and at the heart of this rebirth was the music of Leoš Janácvek. The Fiddler’s Child, a ballad for solo violin (Elizabeth Layton in this exciting new recording) and orchestra, tells a harrowing tale of supernatural malfaisance as a parable for the struggles of a perennially oppressed nation.

Such a tone of double meaning is also to be found in The Eternal Gospel: overt religiosity becomes, for Janácvek, an expression of the contemporary world’s need for reconciliation – the work received its premiere late in 1917. Similarly The Ballad of Blaník, dating from a couple of years later, adapts traditional folk material into an orchestral ‘miniature epic’ depicting the transformation of swords into ploughshares amid a scene of unabashed pastoral tranquillity.

Janácvek’s two ‘Excursion of Mr Broucvek’ operas – the ‘excursions’ in question being ‘to the moon’ and ‘to the fifteenth century’ – concern themselves with traditional tales of medievalist escapism. Dedicated to ‘the liberator of the Czech nation’ (Tomáš Masaryk, the country’s president in the years following its separation from the Austro–Hungarian empire), this is music of an irrepressible vivacity and optimism; the suite recorded here (prepared after the composer’s death) draws together the considerable quantity of purely orchestral music from the operas – including some of Janácvek’s original drafts.

The broad sweep of these orchestral works is given full flight in luxurious performances from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under its Chief Conductor Ilan Volkov.

Czechoslovakia’s independence was to be short-lived, but Janácvek’s aspirational music can stand today as a symbol of what might have been
Price: £14.50 (Including VAT at 15%)

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L Janacek: Orchestral Works - Bamberg Symphony Orchestra; Jonathan Nott, conductor

Label - Tudor

Cat. No. - TUDOR7135

SACD Hybrid Recording

Including Sinfonietta for Orchestra (1926), Taras Bulba (1915/18), Suite for Orchestra “Das schlaue Füchslein” (1921/23)

The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra was founded after the Second World War, by musicians from the former German Theatre in Prague, who had been forced to leave Czechoslovakia. There had been an orchestra in existence at the German Theatre since Mozart's day. Therefore the thread of Czech repertoire, as presented on this disc, continues to this day. The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra with Jonathan Nott is appearing at this year’s Prom’s.

“…this powerful Janacek triptych reinforces the favourable impression left by these artists’ stimulating Schubert symphony cycle for this Swiss label. Nott’s Sinfonietta is something of a grower, a thoughtful, defiantly un-sensational reading which takes a number of hearings to reveal its lasting qualities…How judiciously Nott controls his forces – the effect is properly rousing, noble and unflashy… there can be nothing but praise for a vividly truthful co-production between Tudor and Barvarian Radio.” Andrew Achenbach, The Gramophone (August)

“This Sinfonietta is just about the most lyrical I can remember…the Sinfonietta in particular offers a fine alternative – and for the stunning SACD sound.” Michael Scott Rohan, BBC Music Magazine
Price: £13.50 (Including VAT at 15%)

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