Unsung Composers

Thank you for the Kalliwoda symphonies - I enjoy his music immensely.  One question, though - does the 2nd symphony only have three movements?  The movement that would be 4 out of 4 seems to be missing.

the whole Kalliwoda 2nd symphony in parts (though not score) has been uploaded to IMSLP here (http://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.2,_Op.17_%28Kalliwoda,_Johann_Wenzel%29) from the library at Karlsruhe.

Movements -

1.Larghetto, con sordini-un poco più mosso-Allegro vivace
2.Larghetto
3.Menuetto: Allegro risoluto
4.Rondo: Allegro con spirito

I think the recentish cpo recording comes out to about 27 minutes, for what that's worth, by comparison...

I hope you've seen that I edited the post to include the missing file (I kept checking there for replies, and forgot they went here...).

IMO, these performances - which I now discover were recorded off-air in the 60s, probably live or radio production, never released - are quite better than the CPO cd of the 2nd and 4th and the MD&G cd of the 3rd. It's the only I've heard of the 1st, however.

there was an LP of the first, and I believe there's been a CD recently but I'd have to check... (a piano 4h reduction of symphony no.1 is also at IMSLP, if memory serves... just checking in but will edit that in awhile for link or to correct- sorry...)

Some searching leads to a Vox LP reviewed in 75 by the gramophone, with Kalliwoda's 1st and a Tomasek PC. The performance got panned, the music came out as "should be heard". I don't think I've ever seen a CD with Kalliwoda's 1st...
The imslp indeed has the score of the 1st in 4 hands, I used it and the recording (MD&G) of the 3rd to organize the mp3 files, as when I downloaded them they were completely out of order, mistakenly labeled.

the Czerny arrangement (published 1853) mentioned by ArturPS of the ca.1824 1st symphony  is here, from Karlsruhe - http://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.1,_Op.7_%28Kalliwoda,_Johann_Wenzel%29 (http://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.1,_Op.7_%28Kalliwoda,_Johann_Wenzel%29).  The movement headings are (with the opening notes briefly if it helps any, but I recommend downloading the score also to sort it out)

1. Largo-Allegro. (E-flat D-flat C Bflat B C(hold) ) -this is the same as the file claiming to be it, too- that's one weird, harmonically wandering opening, though less weird maybe in 1824...
2. Adagio non troppo in D-flat major (Aflat F Aflat G-F-Eflat-F)
3. Menuetto: Allegro (F minor) (C-F G Aflat Bflat Aflat G F...)
4. Finale. Allegro molto. (F minor) (F - Aflat - Dflat. C B BB B(trill) AB C C) (spotcheck while I look at the rest... : -this- definitely seems to be the file it says it is :) maybe the files have been reorganized since the last posting, but they all 'check out' against the Czerny score now. Hrm. I like this piece. Thank you!! (Already have syms. 5 and 6 and have heard syms. 3 and 7 - local public library has the MDG and cpo recordings of the latter in their rather good classical section... looking forward to hearing 2 and 4 though should have gotten them on cpo too of course.)

the LP of the 1st symphony has around the same overall duration (27:05 in all) by the way.  (... some silliness deleted on account of using misleading software - sorry about.)

apologies for all these posts- I think there is a problem though, as the file of the first movement of the first symphony - which seems oddly brief at 6 1/2 minutes (I should have followed along with the reduced score :) ) - suddenly breaks off and the slow movement starts - not sure where (the sender, the receiver end) is though...

Quote from: eschiss1 on Saturday 06 August 2011, 14:56
apologies for all these posts- I think there is a problem though, as the file of the first movement of the first symphony - which seems oddly brief at 6 1/2 minutes (I should have followed along with the reduced score :) ) - suddenly breaks off and the slow movement starts - not sure where (the sender, the receiver end) is though...

I guess you should have. There are 3 minor glitches that don't account together for more than a second of lost music. The movement is short and he didn't take the repeat. It is intact and there isn't a problem.

Artur,
Thanks for posting the Kalivoda symphonies. However, I get a blank rapidshare screen for the 2nd symphony movement 4. Could you put it on mediafire?
Thanks,
Balapoel

hrm. didn't sound intact at all which suggests that there was a problem when I downloaded it. will do so again. sorry about that... Hrm. Plays fine with Quicktime Media player, but I am guessing that my iPod interpreted (maybe will again, not sure) one of those dropouts as a movement-ending and jumped to the beginning of the next movement.  Bother! Well, happens.

eschiss and Balapoel, I've edited my message. The first movement of the first symphony ended up losing about 3-4 seconds in those 3 glitches (combined). I reconverted them in dbPowerAmp and now mediafire accepted the last movement of the second symphony also. Should anymore glitches occur, let me know, I play them with wmp and it never stopped.

btw, Kalliwoda sym.1 was published in 1826 but apparently premiered in 1824? I changed the Wikipedia date to reflect this, or I hope I remembered to... might have been composed earlier still, of course.
Need to go listen to the other three movements of Kalliwoda 1 now  ;) but that opening movement is very impressive. The competition symphony-wise that decade and that year was fierce but that movement is - still impressive, and especially, I think, for a first symphony... quite an opening section and quite an opening movement. Thanks again...

Quote from: eschiss1 on Monday 08 August 2011, 00:56
btw, Kalliwoda sym.1 was published in 1826 but apparently premiered in 1824? I changed the Wikipedia date to reflect this, or I hope I remembered to... might have been composed earlier still, of course.
Need to go listen to the other three movements of Kalliwoda 1 now  ;) but that opening movement is very impressive. The competition symphony-wise that decade and that year was fierce but that movement is - still impressive, and especially, I think, for a first symphony... quite an opening section and quite an opening movement. Thanks again...

I agree, and I went back and payed attention to the score in this glitch talk and was impressed with the "balls" he had on form. The first movement is sonata form as usual, but he connects the development straight into the second theme when returning to do the recapitulation. He almost doesn't recapitulate the first theme, using it as a coda. That's also why it's so small, it's very concise indeed. Very, very interesting.

I could only wish CPO would complete the cycle with Spering but, alas, he declined (that's why the 2nd and 4th symps. cd is with Willens).

Even though I've now heard symphonies 1 and 3 (the former with Vonk the latter on MDG though not yet with Vonk) I hope they will finish the cycle with a good conductor, which I expect Willens is. Listened to the remainder of sym. 1 and to the first movement of sym. 2. Inclined to be slightly critical of what are still very very fine works in very good performances (whose composer, I'm sure, will welcome the constructive criticism when next he decides to compose something, right...)- the similarity of the opening of Kalliwoda 2 to Beethoven in his violin concerto is hard not to notice I guess ("Try, B.D., try!" - Doonesbury reference.) (If you're going to recall someone, there're much worse composers than Beethoven and far worse works than that, though!!...) --

it's also odd sometimes how often I'm reminded of Schubert works that I wonder if Kalliwoda could even ever have heard... maybe it's just qualities Schubert had in common with yet other composers in those works (Rossiniesque qualities in his own 5th symphony, e.g.) ...

but at worst this detracts only occasionally, in the form of slight feelings of stylistic not-quite-flowings, in music that really to repeat I'm glad I'm getting a chance to hear- to repeat and retain perspective, this really is terrific stuff... another highlight was the main sonata theme of the first movement of the 2nd symphony, and Vonk's treatment of it (sounded like solo strings?) each time it appeared. A Spohr-like rhythm, somehow (again, only a comparison and reference point meant- and I quite like that kind of rhythm and theme, especially so treated by composer and performers) and the later contrapuntal development felt right too...

Again though I repeat myself- -good- stuff.
Has the cpo CD of some of the violin concertinos been released yet by the way?

Also, anyone have the Krommer sinfonia (unnumbered) that was broadcast on Czech radio some while back :) (not one of his canonical 8+1 missing, I do believe, but Padrta's worklist, IIRC, does mention some others besides those 9 of which that sinfonia might be one. Wasn't on their Rozhlas-D-dur streaming service, either, I think- a fine and very recommendable channel last I heard it, about which I'm tempted to wax lyrical on another of these subfora ;) ) (subfuna?)

Also by way of "wishlist", Navratil's symphony? :)

Anything by his contemporary, Isa Krejci,  will be greatly appreciated!

agreed, have looked at a quartet by Krejci and his music seems very worth hearing.

Krejci's Symphony No. 2 in a classic recording by Karel Ancerl was reissued by Supraphon on CD within the past couple of years. I've heard a lot of Krejci, and while most everything is quite worthwhile, the 2nd Symphony is clearly his masterpiece, IMHO. Absolutely dazzling!

I have another excellent performance of the work that I'll upload when time permits, but the Ancerl recording is the one to get.

Forget if I asked- probably did- but some while back, Rozhlas made some recordings of the first 4 Foerster symphonies, not the same recordings (different conductor, for one thing, and a bit before the announcement date, which is less conclusive :) ) as appeared on Orfeo a bit later (don't know if Czech Radio recorded the 5th in this series, though. They used to have a good search page for this- have to look for it again, likewise to find the Krommer un-numbered sinfonia I mentioned elsewhere and when and with whom they recorded that, and its movements/timings.) I did hear some of these radio recordings, since they broadcast them not only over their local classical station 3 but over their station D-Dur (which has a webstream - still, I think, must check, but did at the time.) I don't think these were ever commercially released. Anyone ever tape any of these? :) (The recording date may be too recent, though.)

(Ah. It was conducted by Ondřej Kukal and the Czech (Rozhlas, radio inhouse) Symphony, and  3rd symphony in D op.36 is being broadcast on D-Dur - the streaming station that is - on Tuesday August 30 at 9:37 European time (pm) / 8:37 pm British I think/ 3:37 pm EDT. I will, of course, be at work, and while they usually broadcast things twice at an interval of 20-odd hours apart, I think that -is- the 2nd broadcast :) Well, some other time.)

QuoteForget if I asked- probably did- but some while back, Rozhlas made some recordings of the first 4 Foerster symphonies, not the same recordings[...] as appeared on Orfeo a bit later[...] I don't think these were ever commercially released. Anyone ever tape any of these?

Yes, I have #1-3 with Kukal from this group; don't have his #4, though. No, I'm quite sure they were never released commercially.

I'll upload sometime if you like, but it may be a while -- I have some other more pressing matters to attend to this week. I also have Jilek/Brno State PO doing #5 in a non-commercial recording from about the same time. Maybe it was made in lieu of a Kukal #5? Though I don't know why Kukal wouldn't have completed the cycle.

ah, thanks- I heard one of those (Kukal Foerster symphony) broadcasts awhile back as I recall and enjoyed it, so glad to hear!

The Novak cello sonata is an instant favorite. Thanks, Eric!

More than happy to, and I hope others will be taking it up! Haven't heard the newer performance and recording but I do like this one. I had the accompanying 3rd quartet Op.66 digitized at one point and may still have it, if I can find it will upload that too- I don't think that's on CD anywhere in any recording but will check of course (it was a recording, as i think I mentioned, by the Vlach Quartet in its "earlier incarnation" of course.)

Thanks to A.S. for the latest Czech downloads!

Radim Drejsl (1923-53) is a new name to me.  For others who may not have encountered him before, his story is a sad one and worth checking out on the web.

In a nutshell, he was a committed communist but was so disillusioned when he saw the conditions in post-war communist states that he killed himself by cutting his wrists and throwing himself from the window of his Prague apartment. He was aged 29. This version has been called into question, however, with suggestions that he was actually murdered by the KGB to prevent him 'going public'.

In 1997, an asteroid was named in his honour, discovered by the Czech astronomer Lenka Kotková.

  Dear semloh
 
  Thanks to introduce Drejsl's biography.
  I didn't know about this composers tragic life.
  I also checked wikipedia page myself.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radim_Drejsl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radim_Drejsl)
  Thanks. 

  A.S

I don't know for you folks but I had trouble with the link provided for Novak's May Symphony ( maybe because it's already fall !), so here is one that worked for me :

http://www.mediafire.com/?0q9wmb8krqdz0bz (http://www.mediafire.com/?0q9wmb8krqdz0bz)

thx a lot  to Jerfilm BTW

Welcome back home, Jerry! :D
Hope you had a good return journey!
And instead of taking things easy you dash away to fill our insatiable ears... ;)
Thanks a lot! Unfortunately the links doesn't work for me, only Sicmu's of the Autumn Symphony does.

May I remind you of a few other 'promises'?  ;)
You said you have some symphonies by Julius Weismann and the Piano Concerto by Ernst Mielck, is that right?
I would be glad if you could upload these sometime in the future!!!  ;D ;D ;D

Just found out that when I click one of you links the address in my browser begins with 'ftp' instead of 'http'. It works when I correct this manually. Strange! ???

Quote from: britishcomposer on Sunday 09 October 2011, 23:05

Thanks a lot! Unfortunately the links doesn't work for me, only Sicmu's of the Autumn Symphony does.

I think you have to change the ftp to http in the download links.

Wow!!

First Novak's Autumn Symphony and now the May Symphony too :) :)

Splendid ;D

Yup, the old guy used the wrong link.  Have corrected, I hope, the Novak and will go in and check the other uploads from today as well.

BC, yes I promised the Mielck Piano Concerto but I believe that it already has been posted.   I'll check the Weismann - I have Sym 2 & 3 but on reel to reel which will take a bit more monkey business to digitize.

Best,  Jerry

soloists in Novák's May symphony according to VIAF authorities and a bit of guesswork- Daniela Šounová, soprano/Lubomír Vraspír, tenor/Jaroslav Souček, baritone.

Thanks, Atsushi for the Kovarovics Piano Concerto. Very pleasant stuff. It's Kovarovics, by the way. Only two v's.

Or even Kovarovic?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Kova%C5%99ovic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Kova%C5%99ovic)

Quote from: Mark Thomas on Friday 14 October 2011, 22:16
Thanks, Atsushi for the Kovarovics Piano Concerto. Very pleasant stuff. It's Kovarovics, by the way. Only two v's.

Thanks from me too.  Very pleasant stuff indeed - a prime candidate for Hyperion's RPC series, I should have thought.

  Hello Mark, Lionel

  I'm glad to hear your comment.
  I also think this work is a prime candidate for Hyperion's RPC series.
  Very good work.


  Thanks

  Atsushi(A.S)

Yes, I agree, the Kovarovic concerto is a most enjoyable piece. Thank you for sharing this, Astushi.

If the Wiki article has the accurate spelling of his name, then the pronunciation is probably Kovarzhovich, since he has the same inflection over the r in his name that Dvorak does (which I can't find in the character map).

it's called a "caron"- either r + ̌ (the latter is a "combining caron") or I think ŝ for the already-combined whatsit (r and caron) (it says U+0159 but that's in hexadecimal.)

Tried all 3.  None of them were the right one.

my mistake - try ř or ř

Nope.  Still nothing.

maybe/definitely should take this to message- you said "character map"- what did you mean?

When I hold down the Alternate and either the key with the Windows logo or the one with some other weird logo on it and type in a number I get any number of symbols: for instance, holding them down and typing 156 gets you £.  I'm assuming that's the character map.

Can't help you with that'n I think- well, I can try to search to see if there's a correspondence. I was looking for the HTML entity which if entered in a webpage would give you the carontly (or maybe not so carontly- maybe gravely and acutely obsolete) r-caron matchup.
Tilde next time-
E, circumflexly
(don't be too diacritical-- ok, ok, feel free)

Latvian :) - I see you've uploaded a couple of Foerster's symphonies! You don't by any chance have an uploadable copy of From Shakespeare - orchestral suite, Op.76 do you? Gosh, that would be real treat!! :)

Semloh,

I wish I did, but no such luck. Perhaps another forum member has one?

More Foerster symphonies to come, though...

Thanks for the Czech Radio Foerster symphony recordings, yes :)
Symphony no.2. Movements (see http://allmusic.com/work/symphony-no-2-in-f-major-op-29-c583623/parts-movements (http://allmusic.com/work/symphony-no-2-in-f-major-op-29-c583623/parts-movements)  )
Allegro moderato
Andante sostenuto
Allegro
Allegro con brio

Quote from: eschiss1 on Wednesday 19 October 2011, 13:46
Thanks for the Czech Radio Foerster symphony recordings, yes :)

Hear, hear! ;D

Thanks to Latvian for the wonderful Foerster symphonies.
And don't worry about a non-commercial Symphony no. 4.
I believe most lovers of unsung composers have at least one commercial copy.
I believe the first commercial recording was one conducted by Smetacek and released on LP by Nonesuch (?). Has there ever been a CD release of that recording?

Yes, Supraphon released the Nonesuch recording of the wonderful 4th symphony on CD, on 1st July 1994.
See:
http://www.musicstack.com/album/smetacek/foerster:_symphony_no._4_in_c_minor__apz_quot;easter_apz_quot; 
:)

QuoteI believe the first commercial recording was one conducted by Smetacek

Actually, the first commercial recording was with Kubelik and the Czech Philharmonic in 1948. It was quickly suppressed for political reasons by the Communist Czech government after Kubelik defected, but reissued on CD in 1995.

Foerster Symphony 5 op141 movements - (from the MDG recording label as seen on amazon.com )-
I. Moderato solenne - Allegro ma non troppo
II. Andante moderato - Adagio religioso
III. Vivace
IV. Moderato molto

At Eric's request I've uploaded Blodek's Symphony.

Thanks! The timings about match, give or take a few seconds that could be ending announcements in the original or something- this seems to maybe be
http://www2.rozhlas.cz/archivy/index.php?HLEDPO=537938 (http://www2.rozhlas.cz/archivy/index.php?HLEDPO=537938) (Bohumír Liška/Pilsen Radio Orch., 1973) (if I'm right...)

semloh- you did mention Drejsl, I'd only half-forgotten - sorry! ...  and uploaded last month the recording of his piano concerto I was asking about. *eep!*

Thanks again- the Blodek flute concerto as I posted in the other thread is
#Risoluto - Allegro
#Adagio
#Molto allegro vivace
Any idea if that was the Colosseum or the Koch LP of the concerto? May be possible to find out from the timings...
(If the first three works are all from the same LP, then it's probably the Koch I think, will check- the Colosseum LP (originally 78s?) (1950s, conducted by Smetacek) couples the Blodek with works by Vivaldi and others. Actually- the Koch is also an LP of different flute concertos and concertinos (Chaminade, Blodek, Demersseman, etc.- the Blodek is 15:16 in this recording) conducted by Lajovic with Karl-Bernhard Sebon as soloist, recorded in 1981. Actually, this Koch recording was also an early CD, too- Blodek/Doppler/Fürstenau/Doppler/Ciardi on Koch Schwann LC 1083. Haven't heard it and label is defunct, and even if this is where this recording comes from don't know where the other works do- hrm.)

Ooh, found it - 1974 Supraphon LP with, apparently, all the works in question... (Link (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56331521)) "Jan Hecl, flûte ; Symfonický Orchestr HL. M. Prahy ; Libor Hlaváček, chef d'orchestre."

Hi Mike, regarding the flute and orchestra Blodek works,  Not sure I understand what's exactly in the Unknown Album 01- is it three separate works?  If so, then I presume the longer pause spearates them.

Thanks for the upload.

Jerry

I think it's the  three items here- Fantazie a caprice pro flétnu a orchestr  ( semicolon ) Andante cantabile pro flétnu a orchestr ; Koncert D dur pro flétnu a orchestr - while the other mp3 is the rest of the album (the Shakespeare Suite) on that 1974 Supraphon LP (see the link above).

Thanks Eric - that's what I figured but wanted to confirm before consigning it to the database.....

Jerry

Well, I'm guessing, I just think it's a good guess :)

Eric is probably right about the arrangement of the  Blodek works on my recent offering.

Many of my recordings were made in the 1970s when I was young, slovenly and lazy about cataloguing & identifying works.

Unfortunately, all that has changed is that I am now old.

QuoteI think it's the  three items here- Fantazie a caprice pro flétnu a orchestr  ( semicolon ) Andante cantabile pro flétnu a orchestr ; Koncert D dur pro flétnu a orchestr - while the other mp3 is the rest of the album (the Shakespeare Suite) on that 1974 Supraphon LP

Yes, that's exactly right. I downloaded and then divided up the files according this scheme and all worked out correctly.

  Hi, Thanks to violin concerto by Foerster.
  I have LP of violin concerto no.2 by Foerster.
  I will upload it.

Quote from: Amphissa on Sunday 20 November 2011, 06:45
Josef Bohuslav Foerster (1859-1951)
Violin Concerto No. 1 in B minor

Ivan Ženatý, violin
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Jiří Bělohlávek, conductor

Barbican Hall, London
Saturday 8 December 2007

from BBC Radio broadcast

http://www.mediafire.com/?7vo6mfl0o796042 (http://www.mediafire.com/?7vo6mfl0o796042)

Note: This is not the same performance that appears on the
CD featuring the same performers. The CD recording is about
27 minutes. This performance is more than 31 minutes. And
the audio of this live broadcast recording is, IMO, superior to
the CD release. They do sound notably different.

Correction: the CD performance actually lasts 31:22 - so this is likely to be the broadcast that was simultaneously recorded for release on CD...
Alan Howe

Um, Dave?  I looked at the Wiki on Foerster and also the score of the 1st VC on IMSLP (uploaded by Eric).  It's in C minor, not B minor.  :-[

Funny!
An old Westminster recording of the Foerster (XWN 18534) lists the op. 88 violin concerto as "C major"...By the way, in that recording it was played  by Igor Bezrodny and the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Nikolai Anosov.

I looked at the score.  Three flats.  C minor.  The title page says "C möll".  Also, you could tell it's in a minor key the usual way - just by listening to it.  Same way I was shocked when I heard the first LP of Anton Rubinstein's PC 1 and was stunned to find out that the guy who wrote the liner notes and the entire Orion company got the key wrong.  I wasn't aware a mistake of that magnitude could get by so many people.

I think at least one other record company (Marco Polo?) may have referred to the Rubinstein first concerto as "E major" so my first encounter with the work (sound or page) was confusing at that... as to the Foerster, I have a copy of the Orfeo recording of the piece and can confirm C minor also (besides having uploaded the reduced score :) ).  Getting to rather like his music!

Thanks for catching the error. I've updated the note in the Downloads section and also updated the info file in side the zip available for download.

Two very rare Czech works have just been uploaded:

Josef Matej's Symphony No.4(1974) and Jaroslav Kvapil's Symphonic Poem "The Dawn"(1948).

Full details on Downloads page.

Quote from: eschiss1 on Sunday 27 November 2011, 23:43
I think at least one other record company (Marco Polo?) may have referred to the Rubinstein first concerto as "E major" so my first encounter with the work (sound or page) was confusing at that... as to the Foerster, I have a copy of the Orfeo recording of the piece and can confirm C minor also (besides having uploaded the reduced score :) ).  Getting to rather like his music!

I have the MP CD of the Rubinstein PC 1 & 2.  Now get this:  The top of the liner notes says the PC 1 is in E Major.  The back of the liner note booklet where the movements are listed says Piano Concerto No. 1 in E, Op. 25.  The back cover of the CD case (which also lists the movements) says Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 25.  They sure covered all the bases, hoping one would be right! :)

Matěj Symphony 4 - movement listing from Czech Radio archives (which has 2 recordings, one of which or both may be studio rather than LP) -
I. Adagio molto e quieto
II. Allegro energico. Quasi adagio

Kalabis violin concerto no.1 op.17 - (same source for information. Same recording apparently, made in 1980 for Radio Prague.)
I. Andante Maestoso,
II. Andante angoscioso quasi adagio
III. Allegro vivace

also, re Foerster's 2nd violin concerto, the track listings for Ženatý's recording on Supraphon give 3 movements lasting 33 minutes in his performance -
1. Andante sostenuto
2. Andante moderato
3. Allegro
(listing from Allmusic.com . )

A.S., is the link to the Kabalis VC gone away? I don't see it.

  Hi Amphissa,

  Welcome back and thanks for Röntgen and Higdon.
  I checked link of Kabalis. But it seems working without problem.
  If your problem continue, please tell me again.  I will create new download link.

But I see no link at all on the download page for the Kabalis. The description is there, but no link. ???

  Hi Amphissa,  Concerto by Kabalis is in same zip file of Foerster.
  I made link below of Foerster.  It was difficult to understand.  I apologize to confuse you.

Greg K was most generous in sending to my home a recording of Jaroslav Ridky's Cello Concerto No.1. It is coupled with Simon Jurovsky's Cello Concerto. About two weeks ago I uploaded Ridky's Cello Concerto No.2. If there is interest in more of Ridky I will upload these works.

Message from fr8nks:
I previously owned the LP that the Overture was taken from and posted all the information that was available. However, an error was just brought to my attention by a private message concerning a previous post at UC. An astute member observed that Cello Concertos Nos.1 & 2 are identical. Concerto No.1 was sent to me by a member of UC (also a member here) and I assumed the information was correct without comparing it to No.2 and posted it with his permission on UC. Cello Concerto No.2 is labeled correctly and was taken from an LP that I had in my possession. I will try to correct the posting at UC. It was also correctly brought to my attention that I should have uploaded No.2 into a different folder designated for previous posts from UC. I am sorry for the mistakes.

fr8nks, definitely there is interest - I would be glad to get these works!

Is it KABALIS or KALABIS?  I'm confused? ??? ???

Quote from: JimL on Friday 30 December 2011, 01:46
Is it KABALIS or KALABIS?  I'm confused? ??? ???

Viktor KALABIS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Kalabis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Kalabis)

http://www.kalabismusic.org/ (http://www.kalabismusic.org/)

fr8nks, thanks for your further uploads. I have now listened to Řídký's Cello Concerto No. 1 and enjoyed it a lot. Actually there are quite some influences of Dvořák's B Minor Cello Concerto in the piece (and the same holds for Řídký's Second Cello Concerto as well), but for me this doesn't matter as these works are very pleasant and spirited.

For those interested in having complete information on pieces, broadcasts etc., the recording of the piece by Jaroslav Smolka (Dialogue of Forms, actually it is called a symphony) which Sydney kindly uploaded seems to be exactly this one:
http://www2.rozhlas.cz/archivy/index.php?HLEDPO=841577 (http://www2.rozhlas.cz/archivy/index.php?HLEDPO=841577)

  fr8nks , Thank you very much to upload violin concerto by Srnka. He is new composer to me, and very interesting work :D

Something about the Czech composer Ivo Bláha (born 1936), including a list of his compositions: http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/ivoblaha (http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/ivoblaha)

Thank you very much for your Czech music downloads, Sydney Grew :)

If you could possibly provide details of performers of the music you are uploading that would be very helpful :)

I think that the performers for the Blaha are the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zdenek Macal ???

....although, to be honest, I am afraid that the Blaha is the type of "modern music" which does nothing for me at all :(

Quote from: Dundonnell on Monday 23 January 2012, 14:38. . . If you could possibly provide details of performers of the music . . . that would be very helpful :)

I think that the performers for the Blaha are the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zdenek Macal ???

....although, to be honest, I am afraid that the Blaha is the type of "modern music" which does nothing for me at all :(

Indeed Mr. Dundonnell that was one of the reasons why I kept the spoken introductions for each work: I thought there was a chance that one day I might learn Czech and understand what was being said. But alas! my Czech remains very rudimentary, and any interpretation I might attempt of the performers' names would really only be guesswork. So, many thanks to yourself, to Mr. Holger above, and to any one else whose command of Czech enables them to decypher more information and post it. At the time of recording I did cut and paste from the broadcast schedule, for my records, the composer's name and the name of the work in Czech, but unfortunately not those of the performers.

By the way, Czech seems one of the most difficult European languages, as nouns have about four genders and seven cases for each of singular and plural; adjectives and verbs are much the same; probably more than ancient Greek.

I agree with you that the Bláha was not very promising at the start - but towards the end he does seem to revert to a rather more mellifluously traditional and tonal style. Czech Radio uses the orthography Cyklorama, but the composer's web-site spells it Cyclorama - that may be because the rest of the text on that site is in English. In general I'm not very keen on the modern fashion for evocative names - not quite the same case as "tone-poems" - I would rather let the music speak for itself . . .

Performers aside, the JEREMIÁŠ overture is a most enjoyable piece, Sydney. Certainly uplifting after a busy day....
Thanks!  :)

Driving to work this morning, I was listening to Iša Krejčí's 2nd Symphony, and it occurred to me that none of Krejčí's music had been uploaded yet to UC. So, here you are -- one of my very favorite pieces of music. I hope you'll find it as engaging as I do, with a very recognizable Czech character (orchestral colors, harmonies, etc.). Tuneful from beginning to end, but with a modern flair and lots of cheek.

The performance I uploaded is a good one, but the one to get is Karel Ančerl's on Supraphon, which I can't upload. If you like the work, do seek out Ančerl's recording -- it's the real deal and really penetrates to the heart of the music.

Indeed..I have the Ancerl performance on cd and I shall certainly get it off the shelves and give it another listen ;D

Two very melodious and pleasant works from composers whose names have until this week been completely off my radar:

The Pianoforte Concerto (1939) of Emil Axman (1887 to 1949), and the First Symphony of Luboš Fišer (1935 to 1999).

It is rather odd, but I cannot find the year of composition of the Fišer symphony anywhere. Apparently he wrote two,  but for some reason they are omitted from most lists; the date of the First is referenced in only one place, where it is assigned to the "late nineteen-fifties."

QuoteIt is rather odd, but I cannot find the year of composition of the Fišer symphony anywhere. Apparently he wrote two,  but for some reason they are omitted from most lists; the date of the First is referenced in only one place, where it is assigned to the "late nineteen-fifties."

According to Contemporary Czechoslovak Composers, edited by Cenek Gardavsky (Panton, Prague/Bratislava, 1965), they were written in 1956 and 1960, respectively.

Frantisek Rauch-the soloist in the Axman Piano Concerto-is not a "lady pianist" ;D He is definitely male :)

Oops - I was misled by the case endings; "pianista" - masculine nominative singular; "pianistka" feminine ditto. Correction duly made. I recognize now that he was also the soloist in the Eben concerto, posted earlier.

And many thanks to Latvian for seeking out those dates of the Fišer symphonies.

Rauch I think is also pianist in the Novak cello sonata LP recording from some while back (which I uploaded  I think- lovely piece...) and edited much Czech piano music.

The Ancerl Symphonietta is a really remarkable piece - many thanks, Sydney, for posting it.
I hadn't previously realised that he composed at all. This is the only piece to which I can immediately find reference: there are presumably others?

Thanks Member Dax - but I am in the same boat as you; I just happened to hear this broadcast last week, and I couldn't find any information about other works.

What a wretchedly unhappy life he had!

I am posting  Symphony 1 by Czech Composer Jiri Teml- Wikipedia entry below:

(http://www.musica.cz/skladatele/nahledy/teml_jiri_20100210100520_6.jpg)

Born in Vimperk, Teml studied music theory and composition with Bohumil Dušek and Jiří Jaroch during the 1960s and early 1970s while working as an economist. His first major success as a composer came with his Fantasia appassionata for organ which took third prize at the 1972 Prague Spring Festival. In 1976 he became the head of music and a radio producer at Plzeň Radio. He left there in 1980 to join the staff of Czech Radio 3 in Prague where he worked as a producer of programs of classical music for over 20 years.

A prolific composer, Teml's output includes several symphonies, concertos, song cycles, choral works, children's operas, chamber music, art songs, and works for solo organ and piano. His writing displays an influence of Czech folk music and for many years he has collaborated with the Plzeň Radio folk ensemble.

(Source recording from the collection of Karl Miller)

Jaroslav Doubrava
I've posted the 3rd Symphony and a fragment of his fourth in the Downloads section.   He's been described as a late Romantic with a "somber, dramatic style".

(http://www.doubrava.name/images/doubrava1.jpg)

A little more information about him-- I didn't note the source, but it is not me.

Jaroslav Doubrava, born in Chrudim (Eastern Bohemia), died in Prague 2.10.1960. After having finished his studies he started his professional career as a secondary school teacher in several towns of the country, inclusive his native town. Concurrently, he studied the composition privately with Otakar Jeremiáš, the famous Prague composer (1936 – 40). Due to his successful composition effort the Czechoslovak Radio invited him as a musical editor in 1945. From 1955 up to his early death he worked as an independent composer. His civic and moral principles raised him to the position of artists, tolerated at best, but not favoured by state control. Nevertheless due to a temporary political thawing in the period of so-called "Prague Spring" he was awarded the price for creative work "in memoriam" in 1969.


He finished several compositions for stage performance: operas Midsummer Night's Dream (after W. Shakespeare), Christening of St Vladimir (unfinished), Ballad on Love (first night in the National Theatre in Prague, 1962), ballets: King Lavra and Don Quijote. He created further compositions: 3 symphonies, from 4th – unfinished- is performed its fragment (first part) titled The Autumn Pastoral, followed by number of chamber music - suites and sonatas (for violin and piano), as well as vocal music compositions (songs and choruses).

Doubrava's life and work are incorporated in the monograph "Composer in the Clench of Two Totalities" written by Jaromir Havlik (Akademie Muzickych umeni Praha, 2002).

QuoteMusic of  Jaroslav Doubrava...
Fragment "Autumn Pastorale" from unfinished Symphony 4
(Orchestra not known)
Vaclav Smetacek, conductor

The orchestra in question is the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, if the recording is taken from LP.

Can anybody pick out the orchestra and conductor of the Axman PC?  And is there anybody who can refer me to someplace I can look up the movement titles, or who has them by some chance?

Quote from: JimL on Friday 10 February 2012, 00:59Can anybody pick out the orchestra and conductor of the Axman PC? . . .

I can supply the first answer:

Pianist: František Rauch
Orchestra: Symfonický orchestr Českého rozhlasu (looks like Czech radio symphony orchestra)
Conductor: Josef Hrnčíř.

Love that Axman!  Want to get the movement titles so I can split and burn it.

I have posted the Symphony by Otomar Kvěch (born 25 May 1950) , Czech music composer and teacher, in the downloads section.


(http://atemporevue.cz/rozhovory/foto/gemrot2006cro_s1.jpg)



From Wikipedia, if memory serves me:

Kvěch was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia. His father was a sound engineer with Czechoslovak Radio, and later held technical jobs in various industrial companies. Kvěch's mother was shop-assistant.[1]

In 1955 he had his first lessons in piano. He prepared for three years for his entry exam to the Prague Conservatory, and graduated after studying composition with Jan Zdeněk Bartoš and organ with Joseph Kuban. After 1969 he studied composition at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts with Jiří Pauer and one semester with Emil Hlobil. After graduation he worked as an accompanist at the Opera National Theatre.

In 1972 he married Miluška Wagnerová, a fellow-student from his organ class, and had daughters Eva (b. 1974) and Martina (b. 1977).[1] In 1976 he returned from a yearlong national service in the Army Art Ensemble, and took a job as music director in Czechoslovak Radio. In 1980 he took a position as secretary of the Composers Union which allowed him better opportunities for composition.[2]

In 1990 political and social changes in his country forced Kvěch to return to a job at Czechoslovak Radio as programme manager and music editor. At the same time he began teaching music theory and composition at Prague Conservatory. In 2000 Kvěch's wife died, and three years later he married Dr. Jana Smékalová, long-time programme manager of Supraphon, and since 2000 employed at the Jewish Museum in Prague.[2]

As a composer, Kvěch adopted a number of technical elements (concepts of "colour") from "Musica Nova", and transplanted these into the "Classical" approach. Currently Kvěch is Head of the Department of Composition at the National Conservatory in Prague and teaches music analysis at the Academy of Music. He also works as a music editor at the Czech radio station Vltava.[1]

QuoteJiri Valek Symphony-Duoconcerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra
Hana Dvorakova, Stanislave Borgunia, pianos
Prague Symphony Orchestra
Libor Pesek, Conductor

This is actually Valek's Symphony No. 14, subtitled Symphony - Duo Concerto (out of a total of 19 symphonies).

Quote from: Latvian on Friday 10 February 2012, 18:56

QuoteJiri Valek Symphony-Duoconcerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra
Hana Dvorakova, Stanislave Borgunia, pianos
Prague Symphony Orchestra
Libor Pesek, Conductor

This is actually Valek's Symphony No. 14, subtitled Symphony - Duo Concerto (out of a total of 19 symphonies).

Thanks!  I'll update the description in the downloads.

Your flow of uploads is keeping me well busy downloading, copying, cataloguing, trying to listen.......... ;D ;D

Not all of the music by any means is particularly to my taste but you deserve a lot of thanks for going to the trouble you are in making so much unfamiliar music available and, specifically, can I thank you for the chance to-at last-hear a symphony by Jiri Valek, a work much more to my taste than....oh, never mind ;D The Valek symphony is splendidly grand and imposing and leaves me definitely wanting to hear more............ :)

Quote from: Dundonnell on Friday 10 February 2012, 21:25
Your flow of uploads is keeping me well busy downloading, copying, cataloguing, trying to listen.......... ;D ;D

Not all of the music by any means is particularly to my taste but you deserve a lot of thanks for going to the trouble you are in making so much unfamiliar music available and, specifically, can I thank you for the chance to-at last-hear a symphony by Jiri Valek, a work much more to my taste than....oh, never mind ;D The Valek symphony is splendidly grand and imposing and leaves me definitely wanting to hear more............ :)

To be honest, I haven't had much of a chance to listen to this material either, not that I'm complaining.

I still can't get past Doubrava's 3rd-- sort of like a marriage of Shostakovitch and Pettersson, rough in spots, but very powerful.  His hair style in the picture was downright creepy-- but I'm getting off topic.

Also, if you haven't guessed, I've had a little help from one Karl Miller, without whom I wouldn't be able to offer anything back to this group.  I still have about 10-15 discs to churn through-- more concerti coming up.

Yes, the Doubrava symphonies are indeed powerful pieces :)

No he's not.  That's Vaclav Valek, and he doesn't care for Jiri Valek's symphonies at all... and Vaclav's brother, Jiri, the flautist, isn't the same as Jiri Valek the composer!  At some point, the Czechs passed a law that no one could have more than two names.  REALLY helpful.
And downloads for the the Kvech Symphony and the 3-movement Valek work (also called Symphony #14 "Triomphale") are reversed.

[oleander: you must post replies like this in the appropriate thread in the Discussion board here, NOT in the Downloads board, which is only for posts and replies which have download links. Mark]

Sorry!  Thanks for the admonishment. :-[  I actually thought about moving it later, but I was too late. The Valek is a nice piece, I think -  one of his best.  Note that the "Jiri Valek" who is the featured flautist in the Supraphon recording of Jiri Valek's 6th Symphony is not the composer of the work!  Gahh.

Quote from: oleander55 on Saturday 11 February 2012, 02:55
No he's not.  That's Vaclav Valek, and he doesn't care for Jiri Valek's symphonies at all... and Vaclav's brother, Jiri, the flautist, isn't the same as Jiri Valek the composer!  At some point, the Czechs passed a law that no one could have more than two names.  REALLY helpful.
And downloads for the the Kvech Symphony and the 3-movement Valek work (also called Symphony #14 "Triomphale") are reversed.

[oleander: you must post replies like this in the appropriate thread in the Discussion board here, NOT in the Downloads board, which is only for posts and replies which have download links. Mark]

I'd like to remedy this, if you don't mind slowing down a bit.  Is the first paragraph talking about the photo?

And I'll check the downloads. Thanks.

That explains why I couldn't hear the two pianos in the Valek Symphony ::) I was beginning to smell a rat ;D

So....the Valek file was actually the Kvech and vice versa ???

In that case...I am extremely impressed by the Kvech, a bit less so by the Valek :)

Quote from: Dundonnell on Saturday 11 February 2012, 12:38
That explains why I couldn't hear the two pianos in the Valek Symphony ::) I was beginning to smell a rat ;D

So....the Valek file was actually the Kvech and vice versa ???

In that case...I am extremely impressed by the Kvech, a bit less so by the Valek :)

Ill check the source discs, and  see where the switch may have occurred.  Since I had tagged all of the MP3 files (compulsively, if you all haven't noticed) I will probably need to te-tag and upload--  I just don't want to swap the links and have the  files tagged wrong.

Sorry for the confusion.  Oleander- thanks for the correction! 

Confusion between Valek Symphony-Duoconcerto and Kvech Symphony:

I've looked into this-- the error was apparently on the source disc.  I agree with your suspicions about the two being switched, but I've asked Karl about the additonal info-- Tracks 1-2 have applause at the end, and 3-5 much more likely to have been ripped from an LP.  So I'm trying to get the conductors and orchestras straight before I re-release this.  I'll mark the downloads to reflect the current state of affairs

Sorry for the confusion. 

A word about Hurník's Leporelo for piano and chamber orchestra: what a fascinating but polished conglomeration of styles! There is even a snatch of a waltz in there somewhere. On the composer's web-site (http://www.hurnik.cz/hudba_otec.html) there are a few words which presumably would tell us something about what is going on:

"Pro malý orchestr. Starý pán najde odhozenou dětskou obrázkovou knížku. Dotkne se ho dojetí i stesk po dávné nevinnosti. Epizodicky se zde vyskytnou netradiční prvky, jako preferovaný klavír, metronom povýšený na hudební nástroj." - but I have not yet been able to get a translation.

I have update teh download entries for Jiri Valek Symphony 14 (two pianos) and Kvetch's Symphony. Both have re-uploaded files with the most accurate data I can provide.   Anything you downloading before Feb 12, 2012 is suspect.

Sorry for the confusion-- my source disk was labeled incorrectly, and Karl has confirmed the error..  Karl thanks all of you for bringing this to his attention-- he can now update HIS collection.

Quote from: Sydney Grew on Sunday 12 February 2012, 08:31. . . a few words which presumably would tell us something about what is going on:

"Pro malý orchestr. Starý pán najde odhozenou dětskou obrázkovou knížku. Dotkne se ho dojetí i stesk po dávné nevinnosti. Epizodicky se zde vyskytnou netradiční prvky, jako preferovaný klavír, metronom povýšený na hudební nástroj." - but I have not yet been able to get a translation.

A member has to-day very kindly drawn my attention to an automatic translator which is able to provide quite a good idea of the meaning:

"For small orchestra. Old man finds a discarded children's picture book. Touches him emotion and nostalgia for the old innocence. Episodically, there are non-traditional elements, such as the favourite [?] piano, and the metronome promoted to musical instrument."

I've posted Erwin Schulhoff's epic choral work, The Communist Manifesto, in the downloads section.

There are some very powerful passages in it.

Schulhoff is definitely one of the more tragic unsung composers.  I am VERY fond of his concerto for piano and small orchestra-- I have the commercial versions of his symphonies 2&5, and I need to listen to them again.

Wikipedia Entry and Photos

Erwin Schulhoff
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Erwin Schulhoff (8 June 1894 – 18 August 1942) was a Czech composer and pianist.

Life
Born in Prague of Jewish-German origin, Schulhoff was one of the brightest figures in a generation of European musicians whose successful careers were prematurely terminated by the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany. Despite making important contributions to the development of European classical music during the early 20th century, their works have largely languished in obscurity, including Schulhoff's.

In his youth, Schulhoff studied composition and piano in Prague, Vienna, Leipzig and Cologne, where his teachers included Claude Debussy, Max Reger and Willi Thern, among others. He was one of the first classical composers in Europe to find inspiration in the rhythms of jazz music.[citation needed] Schulhoff also embraced the avant-garde influence of Dadaism in his performance and writing after World War I.

(http://www.classical-composers.org/img/schulhoff2.jpg)
Schulhoff occasionally performed as a pianist in the Osvobozené divadlo in Prague.[1] He also toured Germany, France and England as a celebrated keyboard virtuoso.

In the 1930s, Schulhoff ran into mounting personal and professional difficulties. Because of his Jewish descent and his radical politics, he and his works were blacklisted as "degenerate" by the Nazi regime. He could no longer give recitals in Germany, nor could his works be performed publicly.

His Communist sympathies, which became increasingly visible in his works, also brought him trouble in Czechoslovakia. In 1932 he composed a musical version of The Communist Manifesto (Op. 82). Taking refuge in Prague, Schulhoff found employment as a radio pianist, but earned barely enough to cover the cost of everyday essentials. When the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia in 1939, he had to perform under a pseudonym. In 1941, the Soviet Union approved his petition for citizenship, but he was arrested and imprisoned before he could leave Czechoslovakia.

In June 1941, Schulhoff was deported to the Wülzburg concentration camp, near Weißenburg, Bavaria. He died on 18 August 1942 from tuberculosis.[2]

Musical style
Schulhoff went through a number of distinct stylistic periods. His early works exhibit the influence of composers from the preceding generation, including Debussy, Scriabin, and Richard Strauss. Later, during his Dadaist phase, Schulhoff composed a number of pieces with absurdist elements; notable among these is "In futurum" (from the Fünf Pittoresken for piano) -- a completely silent piece made up entirely of rests that anticipates John Cage's 4′33″ by over thirty years.[3] (Schulhoff's work is itself predated by Alphonse Allais's Funeral March for the Obsequies of a Deaf Man, written in 1897; unlike Allais's and Cage's pieces, however, Schulhoff's composition is notated in great rhythmic detail, and employs bizarre time signatures and intricate, though silent, rhythmic patterns.)

Schulhoff's third style period dates from approximately 1923 to 1932. These were his most prolific years as a composer,[4] and the pieces composed during these years are generally the most frequently performed of Schulhoff's works. Examples include the String Quartet No. 1 and Five Pieces for String Quartet, which integrate modernist vocabulary, neoclassical elements, jazz, and dance rhythms from a variety of sources and cultures.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Schulhoff_Mayerova_1931.jpg/220px-Schulhoff_Mayerova_1931.jpg)

The final period of his career was dedicated to pieces classifiable as socialist realism, with Communist ideology frequently in the foreground.

In general Schulhoff's music remains connected to Western tonality, though—like Prokofiev, among others—the fundamentally triadic conception of his music is often embellished by passages of intense dissonance. Other features characteristic of Schulhoff's compositional style are use of modal and quartal harmonies, dance rhythms, and a comparatively free approach to form. Also important to Schulhoff was the work of the Second Viennese School, though Schulhoff never adopted twelve-tone serialism as a compositional tool.[5]

Quote from: jowcol on Friday 10 February 2012, 17:50I have also changed the picture to  what should be  Jiri Valek the composer,  not Jiri Valek the conductor or Jiri Valek the exotic dancer.  It this one is in error, please send me a link.

Looks like a composer to me.  Most decidedly does not look like an exotic dancer! ;D

Many thanks to sydneygrew for the addition of an important choral piece by Novak-the Cantata "The Wedding Shift" of 1912-13, not, I think, on cd.

If it's anything like Novak's The Storm, it should be most enjoyable (provided it's also decent sound quality....)

Zdenek Fibich's Cantata 'A springtime tale' or 'Jarni Romance' op. 23 is currently available for download in the Czech Musik Folder. However, the same Vajnar recording has been reissued by Supraphon on CD:
http://www.amazon.com/Fibich-Z/dp/B00000352I?SubscriptionId=AKIAJ5K7PY4I6TJRVFLQ&tag=httpwwwcrimco-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00000352I (http://www.amazon.com/Fibich-Z/dp/B00000352I?SubscriptionId=AKIAJ5K7PY4I6TJRVFLQ&tag=httpwwwcrimco-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00000352I)

Here are some more infos about Lidl's third Symphony :

(http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/f50d988b54e72dfd718d0afb93e3ea62f19e11a65025dcda8a4d22e19d5112215g.jpg)

QuoteZdenek Fibich's Cantata 'A springtime tale' or 'Jarni Romance' op. 23 is currently available for download in the Czech Musik Folder. However, the same Vajnar recording has been reissued by Supraphon on CD:

Thanks BC, I'll delete it.

[But it seems to have disappeared already]

Quote from: Sicmu on Wednesday 22 February 2012, 14:38
Here are some more infos about Lidl's third Symphony . . .

Many thanks to member Sicmu for that information - I had thought it was a Scottish tune, but now I see it is something rather different.

I think the work by Ivo Blaha Cyclorama may actually be called Cet Amour for speaker, woodwind instruments and tape from 1975 - only from what I can see in his worklists!
thanks for all the downloads

Steve walker

Sorry about my post. I now know that the work by ivo Blaha is indeed Cyclorama  for Orchestra from 2005, so please delete if if you like!!

Quote from: jowcol on Sunday 12 February 2012, 19:51
I have updated the download entries for Jiri Valek Symphony 14 (two pianos) and Kvech's Symphony. Both have re-uploaded files with the most accurate data I can provide.   Anything you downloading before Feb 12, 2012 is suspect.

Sorry for the confusion-- my source disk was labeled incorrectly, and Karl has confirmed the error..  Karl thanks all of you for bringing this to his attention-- he can now update HIS collection.

Concerning Kvěch's Symphony, it seems to be the Second (chronologically speaking). The First (1971) is for organ and orchestra, as well as the Fifth (Čtyři roční období, Four Seasons, 2001). The Second (1982) is in E flat as is this one. The so-called Third (1987) is for string quartet and orchestra. The so-called Fourth (1984) is in D. In addition, there is a sinfonietta for violin and string orchestre (Transformace, Transformation, 1976).

Can't quite make out the names of the performers as announced by the lady aanouncer of the Jirak Violin Sonata.
Please let me know what they are if you had better luck.
Thanks.

Thanks for uploading the Jirak Violin Sonata. I could not quite make out  the names of the performers as announced by the Czech radio lady. If you had better luck, please tell me who the performers are.
Thanks.

Quote from: miklos on Wednesday 21 March 2012, 11:04
Thanks for uploading the Jirak Violin Sonata. I could not quite make out  the names of the performers as announced by the Czech radio lady. If you had better luck, please tell me who the performers are.
Thanks.

I already did so for myself quite a while ago, so here you are: it is played by Ivan Ženatý (violin) and Jaromír Klepáč (piano).

Many thanks for the Dobiáš! . . . Not quite in the style I was expecting, but most interesting.

I also think Dobiáš's Sonata is a very fine piece, powerful, remindable and very well composed. I don't think I gave it a listen before, so I also have to thank you for reminding me of the piece, Sydney!

Please: Does anybody know the orchestra/conductor of the First Symphony of Luboš Fišer?
Thanks!!

Quote from: gabriel on Monday 26 March 2012, 01:56
Please: Does anybody know the orchestra/conductor of the First Symphony of Luboš Fišer?
Thanks!!

Here you are:
Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra / Vladimír Válek

Thank you, Holger!

You are welcome Bill, the first was recorded on LP but I don't have it. You are right, the second is also called "Day of Victory".

The Stalingrad cantata - many thanks!

And Dobiáš S 2 again - that's nice - un embarras du choix - thank you!

Thx to Latvian for the Dobias Sinfonietta, this interesting work was new to me. I have two more works by this composer on LP's I never played, this thread will give me the opportunity to transfer and upload them within a few weeks :

(http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d1fd/a8pr1r4f1a6w6yd5g.jpg) 

(http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/42c8/kgumcvk7blvcfeb5g.jpg)

I downloaded all the Hanuš pieces provided by allison and managed to find out some more about works and performers. Here are the data, including the previously unidentified symphony (it's his Fourth, which I also have in a different recording) and some corrections regarding the spelling of names:

Jan Hanuš (1915–2004)

"Aristophanic Variations on Eternal Peace" for Small Orchestra and Concertant Piano Op. 105a (1987)
Josef Růžička, Piano / Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra Olomouc / Mario Klemens

"Petr a Lucie", Symphonic Fantasy after "Pierre et Luce" by Romain Rolland Op. 35 (1955)
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava / Josef Hrnčíř

Symphony No. 4, Op. 49 (1960)
Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra / Jan Chalupecký

Symphony No. 1 in E Major, Op. 12 "Dolorosa" on the Stabat Mater with Alto Solo (1941/42, revised in 1988/89)
Karolína Berková, Mezzo Soprano / Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra / Marek Valášek

Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 38 "The World's Truth" (1956/57)
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Karel Ančerl

Symphony No. 7, Op. 116 "The Keys of Kingdom" on Latin Sacred Texts for Orchestra, Choir, Soprano and Baritone Solo (1989/90)
Regina Renzová (Soprano), Ivan Kusnjer (Baritone) / Kühn Mixed Choir / Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra / Vladimír Válek
(Note: Performer information is not complete as the end is missing in the audio file, but it was enough for allowing a Google search which revealed the missing parts)

"The Secret Trumpeter", Overture on the Theme by Walt Whitman for Solo Trumpet and Orchestra Op. 53 (1961)
Marek Zvolánek, Trumpet / Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra / Stanislav Bogunia

"Three Fragments of the Apocalypse", Concerto for Piano and Orchestra Op. 125 (1998/99)
Daniel Wiesner, Piano / Philharmonic Orchestra Hradec Králové / Andreas Sebastian Weiser

Many thanks to allison for a big batch of Jan Hanus uploads and to Holger for the additional information :)

Massive thanks too, Amphissa, for at last making it possible to listen to one of my favourite works of all time Miloslav Kabelac's Mystery of Time in a modern recording :) The Ancerl recording is a great performance but it is over half a century old. To hear this gripping, powerful, terrifying work in modern sound is just fantastic ;D :)

Yes, I also really like the Mystery of Time piece. When I saw your thread on Czech symphonists in the Composers forum, you mentioned this work and I remembered that I had this recording. I had not listened to it for awhile. It is a really fine work. Thanks for reminding me of it.

I wish I had some of the other works you mentioned, but my collection of broadcasts just doesn't seem to include many pieces by them.

Thanks, Holger for the clarifications, needed them for my own records, too! Best, A

I love the Kabelac "Mystery of Time" and the new performance is spectacular.  Wish we could get a new performance of the wonderful 4th symphony...thanks to all for the wonderful Czech things this past day or two.  Malito

More thanks for the Mystery of Time upload.  That work as been on my list to check out for quite a while, and .  And to have it waiting for me after returning from a vacation to the Czech Republic was icing on the cake!

Quote from: jowcol on Tuesday 10 April 2012, 14:48
More thanks for the Mystery of Time upload.  That work as been on my list to check out for quite a while, and .  And to have it waiting for me after returning from a vacation to the Czech Republic was icing on the cake!

I was wondering where you had disappeared to ;D

Hope you enjoyed your vacation :) Delighted to know that there are others who either love or were looking forward to hearing 'Mystery of Time' :)

Great thanks to Holger for making the Hanus Symphony No.6 available :)

Atsushi,

Welcome though your download of the Jan Hanus "Petr a Lucie" certainly is the same piece in the same performance was uploaded by allison on Monday ;D

The "Symphony for Large Orchestra" by Jan Hanus that Allison posted is his fourth. I could not make out the announcement either, but I have a Karel Ancerl performance, and it turned out to be the same music but in considerably better sound.

  Ooh.... I was overlooked them, Thanks!

That's very useful Sydney, thanks.

Indeed, thanks Sydney.
If you had to pick out three symphonies, which would you recommend me to download?

Excellent work, Sydney :)  A much-needed exercise :)

Many thanks to Sicmu for his addition of the Jan Hanus Symphony No.5-the one previously missing link in the complete Hanus symphonic output :)

Thanks for the Vladimir Sommer Violin Concerto, Sydney :)

Obviously you do not understand Czech and are therefore unable to provide details of performers for your many, wonderful downloads from Czech Radio. I don't understand Czech either  :(  but I wonder if there is anybody else on this forum who does and could perhaps help ???

I don't understand Czech either but managed to find out the performers nevertheless:

Vladimír Sommer (1921–1997)
Violin Concerto in G Minor (1950)
Václav Snítil, Violin / Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Václav Neumann

Thanks, Holger :)

That work is released on a CD btw...

here you can order it:
http://www.musica.cz/cdshop/index~2.htm (http://www.musica.cz/cdshop/index~2.htm)

Quote from: Sydney Grew on Monday 16 April 2012, 14:48
Er . . . is it played by the same people? (I can't find the performers on that link.) If it is please let me know and I will zap it. (The only place I usually check is the Amazon site.)

When it comes to works for violin and orchestra a quick view on my website is always useful I think...

http://www.violinconcerto.de/database.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=2299&sobi2Id=14153 (http://www.violinconcerto.de/database.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=2299&sobi2Id=14153)

Best,
Tobias

Hi Elroel,

thanks for your various Burian uploads. Could you provide performer details for all of them? That would be a great help.

Best,
Holger

For anyone enjoying, as I am, the Hanus uploads (for which, as for all the other lovely music, much thanks !), found on You Tube today his terrific organ & harp concerto. Probably a commercial recording, so not about to appear here, but certainly extends my appreciation of the composer.

Thanks for those Burian pieces. Very nice work.

Oh....the second .rar file for the Podesva Symphony No.6 posted by Elroel is broken and the contents cannot be extracted :(

[This has subsequently proved not to be the problem and so this post should be ignored. The issue was that the upload was in multi-part RAR format which is unpacked by opening just the first RAR file. Mark]

Colin,
that's no problem. I think Elroel used a splitting program to keep file size small. It works in such a way that you have to download both files and then only extract the first one. It then merges the contents automatically. So you need to download both files but they are not intended to be extracted separately, all you need to do is extracting the first one. I think things are allright the way they are. I already downloaded the files and everything is fine with me. :)

So the Symphony is 20 minutes long in total :(

Yes, it should be, also according to the Czech MIC:
http://www.musica.cz/skladatele.php?id_skladatele=194 (http://www.musica.cz/skladatele.php?id_skladatele=194)
Actually that's nothing unusual, e.g. look at the Ceremuga symphonies jowcol shared a while ago: all between 20 and 30 minutes. One tendency among the composers of Eastern Europe and the USSR (at least from some point of time on) was to keep things comparatively short (though it doesn't count for any symphony, of course).

Thanks, Holger :)

I am really sorry but I fear that the recording of the Kalabis Symphony No.3 posted by Elroel was reissued on a Panton cd (which I have in my possession) :(

This LP is now available from eMusic :
http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/album/czech-philharmonic-orchestra/lukas-matej-bagatelles-for-symphonic-orchestra-symphony-no-5/12522271/: (http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/album/czech-philharmonic-orchestra/lukas-matej-bagatelles-for-symphonic-orchestra-symphony-no-5/12522271/:)

Quote from: MikeW on Friday 04 May 2012, 16:24
Zdeněk Lukáš (1928-2007) - Bagatelles for Orchestra Op.150 (1980)

from Panton LP that also included Matěj - Symphony No.5

1. Bagatela solenne
2. Bagatela cantabile
3. Bagatela di danza

Quote from: Sicmu on Friday 04 May 2012, 17:49

This LP is now available from eMusic :

Typical. It took me 15 years to locate the LP and now it's issued digitally in a country I can't buy from. Another Supraphon marketing success!

Recently, SG contributed a Martinu item to the Czech folder. I had previously contributed one of his less familiar pieces.

I have a number of Martinu broadcast recordings, but have not uploaded them, because I was not sure whether Martinu is really unsung. To me, he falls in that midland territory with Saint Saens. They get played in concert in Europe, not so much in the U.S.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you want more Martinu? Or is he too "known"?

Martinu is the most well-known and well-disseminated member of L'Ecole de Paris, but a good amount of his many works are still 'unsung.' Supraphon has been pretty exhaustive in putting out at least a single recording of each and every work, but I'd be happy if you posted anything rare of his.

Thank you very much, Elroel, for the upload of Ivo Jirásek´s  Symphony "Mother Hope". Sorry, the links are "deleted or invalid".

Jirasek - Symphony 'Mother Hope'

I just deleted the files.
I don't know why the links didn't work. Maybe I'll give it a new try some day.

Tomorrow?

Quote from: Greg K on Sunday 06 May 2012, 21:18
Tomorrow?

Thanks!

Since other downloads of music by Eugen Suchon are located in the Slovak Music Downloads should the recent addition by Elroel of the Suchon Cantata not be better placed there than in the Czech Downloads ???

Yes, I think so and I have moved it there. Thanks, Colin.

Ahh..Elroel:

Problems with latest uploads I am afraid:

(1) The two links provided for the Sestak symmphony are exactly the same. If two links are required to open the .rar files then a different link will presumably be needed.

(2) There is no link provided for the Matej symphony.

(3) The link to the Kohoutek is "invalid".

Faulty links[/size]

Hi all,

Colin  found some missing and faulty links. I just changed these:

Sesták: Symphony Nº 3
Kohoutek: Panteon
Matej: Symphony Nº 3

My mouse didn't work properly when I klicked and pasted. I had to say good by to the thing.
(And of course I didn't check them).
Sorry for the inconvenience.

Colin: I'll make it up to you by a couple of new uploads soon, O.K.?

Do not be concerned :)  These things happen :)

I know, from personal experience last year,  how enthusiastic one can be to upload music for others to listen to and in one's enthusiasm sometimes mistakes get made. If they can be put right that is all that matters :)

Quote from: Dundonnell on Tuesday 08 May 2012, 18:22The link to the Kohoutek is "invalid".

And is sitting in a wheelchair up in the attic.  ;D

As good a place as any to express to 'Elroel' my thanks for the phenomenal work he is uploading for us recently, joining the wonderful music presented by so many other members.
Much of this Eastern European magic is dragging me well past my previous 'comfort zone' of (at the latest !) 1950, and particularly some of the cantatas are destined for much playing over the years.
Thanks so much to you - and to all on the site for all I've 'learned' in a short time with you.

Elroel,

thanks once again for your various uploads. This is much appreciated. However, in case of the Rychlík Serenade you forgot to include the link...

Edit: Problem has been fixed, thanks!

I created a link to Rychlík this afternoon.

I was uploading as well as listening to another work and .... forgot that I uploadad without the link.
Age must be working, or  ....the music did its work.

Sorry! sorry!

Elroel

  No problem. Many thanks for your uploads of great Czech and Slovak musics ;)

I am listening to the Bohac.Very nice,some Bergian influences.A biographical detail:he passed away in 2006.

I've posted  two works from another Panton Album
From the collection of Karl Miller...

Zdenek Sestak, Concerto #2 for Violin and Orchestra (1985)
"Jan houslista" -- which may mean "John the Violinist"

(http://www.brightcecilia.net/gallery2/d/4165-2/Zdenek+Sestak.jpg)

Antonin Novak, Violin
Prague Symphony Orchestra , Otakar Trhlik, Cond.
Source LP-- Panton 81 0843
From the collection of Karl Miller

I was unable to find a CD release- please correct me if I'm mistaken.

Arnost Parsch Poem- Concerto for Cimbalom and Orch.

As a hammered dulcimer player, I can't resist a work for Cimbalom.  This work is somewhat edgy in a central European way--  more modern than modernist, if that makes sense.

Helena Cervenkova, Cymbalom
Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra of Olomouc
Jamir Nohejk(Parsch) conductor


LP Source:  Panton 81 0843 -- I've not found a CD version of the same performance.

From the collection of Karl Miller



I haven't found much about Parsch , except this picture which as labeled as him. Naturally, anyone who writes for Cimbalom deserves a bigger picture.
(http://www.brightcecilia.net/gallery2/d/3610-2/Arnost+Parsch.jpg)

The Sestak Violin Concerto file is "invalid" according to Mediafire :(

Thanks Colin-- I've fixed the typo....

For some time now, I've been feeling guilty about downloading so much wonderful stuff without contributing anything, so today, I gave it a shot.  I appears that I may have gotten the hang of it.  I've added some Czech works... a trio of Ostrava-related works... including what is probably Kubin's "Ma Vlast" about his hometown. 

Here are the notes for the Palenicek Concerto - copied from the album:

Josef Palenicek wrote his Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra in 1952 directly after the tragic death of K. Biebl, the prominent Czech poet, and constitutes the latter's generalized and monumentalized portrait.  A flow of energy and a drama of questions and angry replies, provoked by the news of Bieble's death, dominate the 1st movement, and the warm second subject features the tune of a song which Palenicek wrote to Biebl's verse at wartime.  The 2nd movement is an intimate portrait of the poet: we see him dance, with a gesture of shy and sorrowful gentleness, a slow waltz, interspersed with two robust rondo-type Tempo di presto intermezzo movements.  This already indicates the style of the finale, which reminds us of the necessity to overcome negation by means of an increasingly clear flood of vigorous melody and rhythm (with a striking touch of Czech folk polka intonation).  The portrait features of the concerto's previous movements return to merge with the stream of rejuvenated elan vita.

I tell you... if that concerto isn't a masterpiece I'm stone deaf!

Elroel....the links for the Barta Piano Concerto take one to the Raichl work.

Not sure whether Elroel follows this topic (his great uploads must keep him busy enough), but just for the record and for others interested, Miroslav Raichl, who sadly passed away in 1998, composed a second "Symfonietta" for chamber orchestra in 1984.

Very many thanks Atsushi for the Brendl and Zamrzla uploads. I really appreciate the trouble to which you've gone. Both my recordings were marred by defects.

Atsushi yes, many thanks for these. ZAMRZLA's Symphonic Suite for Large Orchestra is particularly splendid!  :) :)

I am amazed that these composers are so completely unsung!

I'll second that.  A lovely piece, Atsushi.  Thanks so much.

Jerry

Wow - Rudolf Zamrzla take a bow; that's as spectacular as I've downloaded for a good while ! Many thanks !

Quote from: cjvinthechair on Friday 01 June 2012, 12:21
Wow - Rudolf Zamrzla take a bow; that's as spectacular as I've downloaded for a good while ! Many thanks !

+1. Just coming to the end of it now.  This is a keeper

 
  You are welcome , all  :)   
  But I must apologize to all.  I failed to record first day program. My record player stopped at  in the middle of last movement by Blodek's symphony ???
I hope someone recorded this program, and will upload in board.

A symphony by Kittl? I have been very curious about his music. A.S., I must thank you again... (or if I haven't done so before, then it's overdue that I do!!!!)

Tried to download the Matej Sinfonia Dramatica  (Symphony No 3) shows as locked. Also the Valek Symphony no.12. can someone unlock these, thanks in advance. C

Many thanks, Atsushi, for uploading the Kittl Symphony No.2. I had only ever read about this work - apparently known as the Jagdsymphonie (Hunting Symphony). It's a very entertaining work with its use of brass suggesting a hunt - certainly a piece that ought to have received a commercial recording by now.

The first two movements of Blodek's flute concerto in E major (uploaded back in November) are Allegro and Adagio (see RISM (http://opac.rism.info/search?documentid=551002533) entry, with incipits of all three movements but no tempo heading- just 2/4 - for the piano reduction.) (Oh- I see- the tempi were already posted - Risoluto-Allegro / Adagio / Molto allegro - Vivace. Hrm. Now I wonder if that's the same piece - *goes to listen*... oops.)

Apparently not- the Blodek concerto uploaded is in D, the one on RISM (well, not on RISM. It's held at Národní knihovna České republiky, Praha . RISM is a database.) is in E. How curious... I wonder if the E major one is complete, a second (or earlier) concerto? Sorry, carry on. (Should delete or move this comment. Erf. Sorry... :( )

Can you get the tempo indication for the Blodek Symphony's Scherzo movement as well?  If you would be so kind, that is...

RISM doesn't list it, but I can try other legal means. Please ignore the ...er... not going there.
Kittl's symphony no.2 op.9 (movements also via RISM, entry for a pf4h reduction and another for the full score- btw they also list his (first?) symphony in D minor) is
#(Introduction) : Andante - Beginn der Jagd: Allegro agitato
#Jagdrühe: Andante
#Gelage: Scherzo vivace (2 trios)
#Finale. Schluss der Jagd. Allegro con fuoco.
I gather it dates from 1837.
According to APF (http://www2.rozhlas.cz/archivy/index.php?HLEDPO=330186) this recording dates from 1991.
(For some reason APF is no more specific about the Scherzo of the Blodek than "Scherzo"- twice. Sometimes by the way neither is the composer- just writing "Minuet" or "Scherzo" - especially after conductors took a more modern role and exerted more uniform interpretation, I am guessing.)

I've uploaded Frank Cooper's hugely enjoyable performance of Dreyschock's Konzertstück for Piano & Orchestra. I made this LP transfer a few years ago; the sound is a little brittle and the Nürnberg orchestra sound undernourished here and there but Frank Cooper's performance is very persuasive. The Konzertstück is for me a much more convincing composition than Dreyschock's vapid Piano Concerto (coupled with Kullack's in Hyperion's RPC series). Anyone who enjoys piano pyrotechnics from the first half of the 19th century will revel in this work which, amidst the fireworks, is haunted by a lovely cantabile melody that I guarantee will stick in your memory - as it has in mine for getting on for forty years!

Just to fill out the details for Kovarovic's very attractive Piano Concerto which Atsushi uploaded a few days ago, they are:

Karel KOVAROVIC (1862-1920)

Piano Concerto in F Minor op.6 (1887)
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Rondo con variazioni

Sorry, Jim, I can't establish a tempo indication for the third movement.

  Mark, Thank you for your supporting about Blodek :)

I just wish there were some place I could email or somehow contact where the score is kept so someone can look up the information and send it back to me.  FIMIC was very helpful when it came to the finale of Linko's PC 2.

Assuming that you mean the Kovarovic Piano Concerto, Jim, I have no idea where a copy of the score/manuscript is held. WorldCat throws up around 50 listings for his scores in Czech libraries, but not the Piano Concerto.

Even the scherzo from the Blodek symphony.  BTW, I have the whole thing (Blodek) in pretty good sound.  Was that original upload deleted?

No, my original recording is here (http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,1401.msg22430.html#msg22430), but Atsushi's recent recording has very much better sound.

Hrm. Looking into ALEPH (http://aleph.nkp.cz/), I see a lot of listings for Kovařovic's music including an opera Psohlavci and several others. No koncert, klavírni koncert, concert, ...

Hrm. SIUE gives it the opus number 6 and the date 1887. Starting point, there- let me see...
(Josef Srb's more contemporary - 1894 - publication Dějiny hudby v Čechách a na Moravě gives it the date 1888. Neither gives a date of publication. That latter might be based on date of premiere, date of publication or communication with the still alive composer, aught I know.)

Tried downloading Valek's Symphonies no.7 missing, 10,11 & 12 are locked, can someone look at these, thanks in advance.

dschfan repeats his remarks in the previous post. Can anyone help, please?

I have just tried to download these files (again).

The Symphony No.7 link is indeed 'dead' but the other three symphonies are downloading perfectly for me (each is in two .rar files, both of which have to be downloaded and then the first file extracted).

All four symphonies were provided by Elroel. I could upload my copies but I am reluctant to do so when the original poster is still an active member of this site ::)

Quote from: Mark Thomas on Wednesday 06 June 2012, 09:17
Anyone who enjoys piano pyrotechnics from the first half of the 19th century will revel in this work which, amidst the fireworks, is haunted by a lovely cantabile melody that I guarantee will stick in your memory - as it has in mine for getting on for forty years!

Probably my favourite short work for piano and orchestra, so immense thanks for this as I have not got the equipment or brains to transfer LP to MP3.

My forearms would feel better after 5 sets with Nadal than they have after attempts to play this. Respect to Frank Cooper for managing to play this, but I feel he could have had a tadge more fury.

Miles better than the concerto and crying out for a modern recording with a pianist with technique to burn. I doubt there are many that could do it justice.

Thal

Thanks to sydneygrew for his ongoing work in indexing the Czech uploads to this site :)

From personal experience I know how much work is involved in this ;D

Tried to download Valek's 10, 11 & 12 getting "Archive is corrupt or has an unknown format" on all.I reloaded Hamster no change, but works with other downloads o.k. Any help or advice would greatly be appreciated, thanks in advance.

To upload my copies of these files I would have to switch to Mediafire Pro (each file is very large) which is not free.

Can I suggest that you send the original poster-Elroel- a pm ???

Valek Symphonies 10 - 11 - 12

I got a message that the files to this symphonies couldn't be downloaded.
I tried to downl them to myself: Nºs 10 and 11 came down smoothly. No 12 gave an error.

When I looked into Nº 10, I found much longer links than the originals.

I tried to downl Hoddinott's Violin Cto 2 from Dundonnels post and got the message 'Invalid or Deleted'
When Dundonnell tried to downl the cto it came smoothly , he told me.
When retrying I was presented the same message as before: 'Invalid or Deleted'

I made new links to all the above mentioned symphonies and could downl them all right.

Anyone any ideas what went wrong?

Elroel

Quote from: Elroel on Friday 15 June 2012, 08:16
Valek Symphonies 10 - 11 - 12

I made new links to all the above mentioned symphonies and could downl them all right.

Could you list those links here please?

Thanks!

The new Valek links are in the Downloads section (Czech folder).

Thanks to BerlinExpat for the upload of Weinberger's Wallenstein. It's in a recognisably tougher idiom than Schwanda, but the composer obviously never lost the ability to write memorable melodic material. In this he often seems to me to be nearer to Korngold than, say, Schreker, Zemlinsky or Braunfels.

I echo the thanks for this great rarity :)

Yes indeed... a million thanks to Colin ( Berlinexpat) and Lukas for their efforts in bringing Weinberger's wonderful Wallenstein to the website!

I will, I just have to find where it is.

Quote from: Elroel on Sunday 24 June 2012, 15:42
Vladimir Sommer (1921-1999) -  Vocal Symphony (version in the English language).

In this folder this symphony was already posted in its original, Czech, form. This magnificent work is beautiful and horrible -text- at the same time. A very intens piece of music. For non Czechs, I believe the English version goes even deeper. So I offer you this version here..

RCA released the lp in 1971, with the LSO, the Ambrosian Singers, the mezzo Nancy Williams and Peter Ustinov as the narrator.
RCA Red Seal LSB 4029. (This was a re-issue of RCA LSC 3181).

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?7aw1tps8fnm11q5 (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?7aw1tps8fnm11q5)

The original version is recorded several times, but the English version didn't reach the cd', as I could see.

Is there any possibility you could post the other two compositions from that LP?
Klusák: First Invention
Fiŝer: 15 Prints After Dűrer's "Apocalypse"

The Axman Symphony No. 5 "Dithyrambic" dates from 1936.

The Kalik Peace Symphony which is, I think, his Symphony No.1 (rather than Symphony No.2), dates from 1926-27.

Quite right!  I was looking right at the album and typed "2" instead of "1." And the dates on the Kalik are as listed on the back.  Sorry for the omission!

Fiser: 15 Pages & Klusák: Invence I
Jasthill asked for the two other works from this lp. I had to make sure(?) that they weren't made available on cd. I thought I had seen at least 15 Pages somewhere.
As you already might have found out: in the meantime they were posted in the Czech folder

I'm sorry I didn't respond quicker, but I was very busy with other things and also been away for a few days.
Greetz

Elroel

I have replaced the links for the Kalik Peace Symphony and the Jirak 5th Symphony with new ones.  I discovered that I had a cartridge dying on me (a Grace F9E) and had to redigitize them to clean up the distortion. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I've not had this happen before!  :-[ the new links require an extra download step for some reason... but... anyway... :P

  MVS, Thank you , Fine sound :) :)

Is there anybody who speaks Czech (or at least understands it) who can get the performer information from Jeremias' Spring Overture?

Actually, I got the conductor, Stanislav Bogunia, and the opus number (9).  I just need the orchestra.  I think it's the Czech (or Czechoslovak) RSO.  Is there anything more or different?

Surely there MUST be somebody well versed enough in Czech (or other Slavic tongues) to answer my query!

Well, you'd think so, wouldn't you!  I'd like for him/her to listen to the introduction to the Matej Symphony #1...  Every bit of information I have on Matej lists his first symphony (1953-55) as being for Soloists, Choir, and large Orchestra.  Not what I hear on the upload.  Also see if it says that the last movement was inspired by Spike Jones! ;D ;D ;D ;D

(What a great piece!)

Hey, I think I did a pretty good job tracking down the information I have based on nothing more than a sharp ear for languages and my trusty internet.  I'm still not sure if the name of the orchestra is just Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, or if there is a city name attached to it as well.  It could be that the announcer is saying "The Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra is performing under the direction of Stanislav Bogunia" or "The Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra of Such-and-such is conducted by Stanislav Bogunia".  I just want to know for sure.

Quote from: JimL on Saturday 07 July 2012, 01:12. . . I'm still not sure if the name of the orchestra is just Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, or if there is a city name attached to it as well.  It could be that the announcer is saying . . .  "The Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra of Such-and-such is conducted by Stanislav Bogunia".  . . .

Top marks! The "of such-and-such" part is "v Praze" (pronounced "fpraze") - meaning "of or in Prague."

Quote from: MVS on Friday 06 July 2012, 21:50. . . Every bit of information I have on Matej lists his first symphony (1953-55) as being for Soloists, Choir, and large Orchestra.  Not what I hear on the upload.  Also see if it says that the last movement was inspired by Spike Jones! . . .

Here is all I have:

Olomouc is a city in Moravia, and it was thence that the broadcast came.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olomouc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olomouc)

The orchestra was the Janáček Philharmonic of Ostrava under Eduard Fischer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrava_Philharmonic_Orchestra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrava_Philharmonic_Orchestra)

I see there that it recently presented the première of Rachmaninoff's Fifth Pianoforte Concerto!

According to Grove's Dictionary (which mentions no chorus) "Matej's music draws on Moravian folk melody." But having said that, I do see the resemblance!!! Did Mr. Jones have a Moravian background by any chance?

Regarding MVS' recent upload of Rudolf Karel's Symphony "Renaissance", I can assure everyone that was never on a Panton LP or any other commercial recording. The source is a Czech radio broadcast which has been around for many years. It's well worth hearing, so thanks for uploading MVS.
Just wanted put in my proverbial 5c worth.

Quote from: Sydney Grew on Saturday 07 July 2012, 02:25

Quote from: JimL on Saturday 07 July 2012, 01:12. . . I'm still not sure if the name of the orchestra is just Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, or if there is a city name attached to it as well.  It could be that the announcer is saying . . .  "The Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra of Such-and-such is conducted by Stanislav Bogunia".  . . .

Top marks! The "of such-and-such" part is "v Praze" (pronounced "fpraze") - meaning "of or in Prague."

;D  Thanks, Sydney Grew!  I can now put "Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, Prague" in my performer field and my editing is complete!

Elroel,

thanks for Trojan's Špalíček music. However, the second link appears to be wrong as it leads to Miloš Vacek's Poem for the Fallen Heroes. Could you correct that?

Symphony by Pavel Blatny (1984)
(http://www.musica.cz/skladatele/nahledy/blatny_20100126100050_6.jpg)

Prague Symphony Orchestra
Vladimir Valek, Conductor
Private recording of a live performance

From the collection of Karl Miller

I've sorry I've not been able to dig up more about Blatny-- maybe some of you can, but he's one of these more recent composers that studied serialism and then moved to a much simpler (and emotionally satisfying) idiom.  He's dabbled, at one time or another with Neoclassicism, Jazz, Rock, serialism, and neoromanticism.

I'd consider this to be a very melodic and approachable work, barring some occasional unexpected jumps that make more sense the second time around. And  unlike the products of  some "polystylists" , this work seems to hold together well. The Third movement is one of those classic elegaic, yet brooding, third movements that a Shostakovich or Myaskovsky would write, and I've been listening several times. Anyway--  your mileage may vary, but here is some more  about Blatny:
(Who is not to be confused with the Chess Champion of the same name)



Biography

Pavel Blatny hails from a musical family (his father, composer Josef Blatny studied with Leos Janacek). Having graduated from the Brno University (Musicology) and Conservatory, where he studied piano, conducting and composition, he started to study composition with Pavel Borkovec. The studies accented Blatny's inclination to neoclassicism which prefigured his first compositional period. It is characterized by Blatny's admiration for Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Martinu; he absorbed their artistic legacy and remelted it into an individual expression, featuring, among other things, independent application of two differing sound layers, which alternate in the course of the composition as two interlocutors (it is also denoted "the dialogue principle").

At the end of the '50s the neoclassical period was replaced by composer's interest in contemporary compositional techniques. Pavel Blatny was one of the first Czech explorers in twelve-tone system composition, but he was also one of the first who realized its limits and shortcomings. His individual way of composition arose from the effort to relax the rigor of dodecaphonic combustion and it is characterized by the aspiration to achieve a synthesis of the rational composition system and the spontaneity of direct musical expression, a synthesis of classical music and jazz, often described as "the third stream". Of all his compositions of this character, Concerto for Jazz Orchestra and 0:10:30 for symphony orchestra are especially notable. Thanks to that creative concept, Pavel Blatny's name gained quick popularity at home and abroad. He appeared in eighth place in the American jazz critics' charts for Down Beat magazine in 1966, in 1967 in fifth place, although he has never been a jazz musician per se.

In his third stream works Pavel Blatny was above all seeking a way to the listener. As in the course of the '60s it was becoming ever more apparent that compositions respecting the tonal feeling are most comprehensible to listeners, Blatny returned to tonality (for the first time in the composition called D-E-F-G-A-H-C in 1967). His third stream works underwent a specific development; while at the beginning of the '60s we could characterize it as an amalgamation of approaches used then by New Music and jazz, at the end of the '60s and in the '70s we must speak of a synthesis of jazz and neoclassical or neorenaissance elements.

At the beginning of the '80s Blatny's composition style developped from the third stream to classical genres, tonality, trim form, deliberately archaizing and simplified expression. This period began with The Willow, a cantata setting of K. J. Erben's popular poem which was awarded in 1981 the Czech Composers and Concert Artists' Union Prize, then followed the symphonic movement Bells and another two Erbenian cantatas Christmas Eve and The Noonday Witch.

Importation and comprehensibility of contemporary music has been Pavel Blatny's aim in his creative endeavor so far. Spontaneous response to his extensive works (more than 500 compositions) that widespread and encompasses almost all kinds of music is a testimony to the success of his endeavor.

The synthesis of New music, jazz from the sixties, and the rock innovations by his son Marek (Confrontation, Play, Meditation) is characteristic for Pavel Blatny's more recent works which he wrote in the 1990s and in the first decade of the 21th century. Some of his late works are also inspired by his own earlier compositions (Erbeniade), and even by the works of his father Josef Blatny (Luhačovice Melancholy and others). Above all it is the method of polystylism which triumphs in his late works, e.g. Antivariation on the timbre of Antonin Dvořák, lately An Old Chant.

Symphony 3 by Oldrich Flosman
(http://www.brightcecilia.net/gallery2/d/5603-2/Oldrich+Flosman.jpg)

Kuhn Female Chorus; Pavel Kuhn, Cond.
Prague Symphony Orchestra
Valdimir Valek, Conductor (1987)

Source LP:  Panton 81071

From the collection of Karl Miller


I've not been able to find out much about Flosman, other than the picture and a blurb that said he was popular during the communist era.  I would say that this work reminds me of the sound world of Vaughan Williams's 6th and 7th symphonies, which you can take as a recommendation or a warning.

Symphony #3 for Mixed Chorus and Orchestra by Vaclav Felix, 1986
(http://www.brightcecilia.net/gallery2/d/5260-2/Vaclav+Felix.jpg)

Prague Radio Chourus, Pavel Kuhn, Cond.
Prague Radio Symphony Orch.
Jiri Malat, Conductor

Source: PANTON 8110 839 (LP) (1988)

From the collection of Karl Miller

For those of you who may wish to collect more 3rd Symphonies by Czech Composers with chorus, this may be your lucky day.  This one is by Vaclav Felix, was written about the same time, but I would say it was "brighter" than the Flosman (although I've been preferring the Flosman).  I don't have trained ears, but in a lot of ways this sounds like it could have been written much earlier. It  is an expansive and approachable work to me, and definitely uplifting at the end.

I found just a little about Felix on Music Web, to wit:

VÁCLAV FELIX
(b. 1928, CZECH)
Born in Prague. He studied piano, violoncello, musical theory and composition privately as a teenager before passing a graduation course at the Prague Conservatory that enabled him to go on to study composition at the Faculty of Music of the Prague Academy of Performing Arts with of Pavel Bořkovec and Václav Dobiaš. He completed his studies with musical theoretician Karel Janeček. He worked as a music editor, as Secretary of the Union of Czechosfovak Composers and taught at the Faculty of Music of the Prague Academy of Performing Arts. His catalogue includes operas as well as orchestral and other works of various genres. His later Symphonies are: Nos. 4 "Solemn" (1987) and 5 for Chamber Orchestra (1987).

Thank you for Petrzelka -- I am listening to the Sinfonietta.
I have collected quite a bit of his piano music over the last few years. It is rather good too, mostly.

Is the Sinfonietta a one-movement, nearly six-minute-long piece? That's all I got on the download, but the music - for some reason - sounds like the first movement of a bigger piece ...

Yow!! That's not Petrzelka at all!  It's the Chlubna Comedy Overture!  I'll get this straightened out this evening!  Sorry!

There!  The real Petrzelka Sinfonietta has been uploaded and the name of the other work has been corrected.  The Chlubna follows the Petrzelka on the record and when I split the file, I got the names reversed!  :-[  So - THANKS, Isokani!! ;)

Quote from: MVS on Wednesday 18 July 2012, 23:16
Yow!! That's not Petrzelka at all!  It's the Chlubna Comedy Overture!  I'll get this straightened out this evening!  Sorry!

Ah - Oswald Chlubna! I think a Suk pupil. Have his Nocturne cycle of pf pieces...

Thanks for this. I look forward to the real Petrzelka now. All best

Re:  Karel's Revolution Overture. I delayed putting this one on here because I figured that most people would already have it.  If you don't, I recommend it, not only for its considerable musical interest, but also because of its relevance to Karel's eventual fate.  I don't suppose that this single work resulted in Karel's arrest and murder, but it certainly must have attracted more unwelcome attention than a say, Smiling Happy Hitler Overture, or Gestapo Dances would have.

By the way, back in the 70's, if you wrote to Supraphon or Panton and expressed an interest in some of their contemporary composers, they'd send you the records, along with little pamplets about the composers - originally free (!) but later with a "pro-forma invoice" - usually for a pittance.  That's where I got so many contemporary Czech works...  Now, it might take as long as a year for them to get them to you, but it added a certain  sense of anticipation to checking the mail - often for months on end.

Looking forward to hearing Karel's symphonic works. One of his chamber works is @IMSLP; I finished listening to it today- it's a _big_ string quartet possibly written before the first WW but published after it - and I quite liked it. Thanks for posting them.

Hi everybody,

This moment I corrected the 2nd link to Trojan's Spalicek.

Sorry for this mistake. 'Thick finger work' i guess: took the next file form the folder


Sorry

Elroel

A Small Bunch of Flowers to the Monument on the Mamay Tumulus: Symphonic Fantasy by Josef Matej
(http://www.brightcecilia.net/gallery2/d/3991-2/Josef+Matej.jpg)

Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra of Olomouc
Jaromir Nohejl, conductor
Source LP:  Panton 810839

From the collection of Karl Miller

Very brief wikipedia entry about Matej:

Matej, Josef
Matej, Josef, Czech composer; b. Brusperk, Feb. 19, 1922; d. there, March 28, 1992. He learned to play the trombone from his father. He studied composition with Hlobil at the Prague Cons. (1942–47) and fodky and Janecek at the Prague Academy of Musical Arts (1947–51). His early works are characterized by folksong inflections of the Lachian region of his birth. After 1960 he introduced into his works some coloristic oriental elements; also made discreet use of dodecaphonic techniques.