I have been playing through the four volumes of Fibich orchestral music so far released by Naxos (yes, I know there have been mentions of these elsewhere at UC!) - and what I have noticed in general is how much more adventurous the composer is in his non-symphonic works. I suppose this isn't altogether a surprise, but it does make for something of a schizophrenic listen (in a good way). Has anyone else had the same reaction?
I have a two-CD set (Supraphon, historical recordings of 1950-61) with Fibich's 3 Symphonies and two symphonic poems, none of the Naxos volumes conducted by Stilec. Must have to re-listen... Mine are conducted by Karel Sejna, whom I admire very much; he was a protégé of Vaclav Talich and his recordings with music by Smetana were particularly praised. Must re-listen... Suppose the alternative version on Orfeo of Symphony No. 2 conducted by Gerd Albrecht could be interesting too... Incidentally, I am very fond of the Overture to "Sarka", as simple as this piece may be, but it has a haunting theme :-) The complete recording conducted by Jan Stych is superb! I also have "The Bride of Messina"...
I have the Orfeo CD of Symphony No.3 under Albrecht on order (it's currently cheap at jpc.de); I don't think Albrecht recorded No.2 - am I wrong?
You are right, Alan, sometimes my memory goes wrong :-)
Symphonies 2 and 3 were also recorded by Waldhans and Belohlavek. How is the Chandos recording of the three Symphonies under Järvi?
I'd say Järvi is very good, but perhaps a little 'efficient'. I'm seeking a bit more Czech character...
I've also just listened to the four volumes, which seem more and more likely all were are going to get, which is a pity. The performances are pretty good for the most part, if a little scrappy in the faster sections, Fibich was a master orchestrator, so the Czech National Symphony Orchestra struggle to do justice to his scoring at times. But it's nice to have some obscure/rare pieces like Othello and Zaboj, Slavoj a Ludek in clear and stereo sound, all decently played. With the exception of the 3rd Symphony(which I think is his masterpiece) you get all the major works in these four volumes. If anyone is interested Gerd Albrecht does a fine account of the 3rd Symphony on Orfeo along with some of the finer tones poems: Toman and the wood nymph and The Tempest. Yes, indeed Jarvi is quite good in the symphonies which don't really require a Czech touch because the composer wasn't really a nationalistic like his two compatriots, he only flirts with it here and there. That set is very recommended.
There's a huge conversation still to take place on this site about Fibich's music. His tunes and orchestration are superb, his output vast across the musical genres and his life story is fascinating.
Couldn't agree more Paul. Here's a nice little fact :Fibich was considered the 'Son' in a Holy Trinity of Czech music in which Smetana was the 'Father' and Dvorák the 'Holy Spirit'
There's a huge conversation still to take place on this site about Fibich's music.
I do agree, although he hasn't been entirely ignored, with over 40 items popping up in a general search.
Personally, I'm wondering what a 'huge' conversation would be about. I can imagine a moderate-sized conversation, though - so what have I missed?
Dvorak was 9 when Fibich was born, so erm, maybe [spiritual] younger brother? Cousin?... (Smetana wasn't that old when Dvorak was born, either...)
Now Suk as son in a triad, that makes some sense...
(Tangentially, my real problem with these "Trinities" is you begin to imagine Czech classical music _really_ rather than figuratively started with Smetana, and forget to look into his predecessors and contemporaries.)
As to Fibich, not trying to deny there's a lot of his music I want to hear more of (even moreso the 2 string quartets and other chamber works, the dramatic and other vocal works, etc. some of which I barely know at all).
(Unfortunately even though his 3 symphonies were all published by 1906 by Urbánek (1883, 1893, 1906) afaik, IMSLP doesn't have 'em yet :) ) (The 1906 publication listed by Worldcat is a reduction; don't know when the 3rd symphony was first published in full score. MPH Höflich has them all in full score, I think, and their prefaces -may- have that publication information- or may not, I don't know. (I've acquired a mildly dorky interest in publication-history-ish things, pay no mind :D ) Listening to the 2nd quartet just now, it's quite nice, a fact that doesn't surprise.))
Personally, I'm wondering what a 'huge' conversation would be about. I can imagine a moderate-sized conversation, though - so what have I missed?
Er, well, good question! Over to you Paul and Kevin... ;D
I could provide information from Grove Online written by the late great John Tyrell(expert on czech matters) of course I would need permission from these boards to post it.
Wouldn't be OK if you copied and posted the relevant passages and included an attribution and link to the original material?
Well, Grove online is subscription based so I can't provide a link, all I could do is quote from the article.
I'm sure an attributed excerpt would be OK.
From Grove Music Online - Authors: JOHN TYRRELL/JUDITH A. MABARY
QuoteWhile historians have often distinguished Fibich from Smetana and Dvořák because he seems less 'Czech', it should be noted that all three were significantly influenced by foreign models and all were, to some extent, followers of Wagner in their concern with programmatic content and their devotion to opera. But it was perhaps Fibich, more than his contemporaries, who proved to be the most tenacious in the search for extramusical inspirations and convincing means of translating them to music...
QuoteBroader aspects of Fibich's style can be related to three lines of development. Springtime subject matter and moods in his early music, culminating in the cantata Jarní romance ('A Springtime Tale', 1880–81), the tone poem Vesna ('Spring', 1881) and the F major Symphony (1877–83), stem from a love of nature formed during his youth and cherished throughout his life. He exhibits a fondness for the ballad and its melancholy, fearful and fatalistic moods, particularly in the works based on Erben's texts – the concert melodramas Štědrý den ('Christmas Day', 1875) and Vodník ('The Water Goblin', 1883) – and in the tone poem Toman and the Wood Nymph. In his operas this tendency is characterized by the prominent 'fate' themes that run from Bukovín (1870–71) to The Fall of Arkona (1898–9). A more intimate mode of expression was awakened by his liaison with Anežka Schulzová, resulting in the piano diary Moods, Impressions and Reminiscences (1892–9), which describes minute details of their relationship, as well as a series of female-centred operas, including Šárka, his most successful, to a libretto by Schulzová.
QuoteThe three completed symphonies of Fibich's maturity were written over a period of 20 years, interspersed among the operas: no.1 in F, op.17 (1877–83), no.2 in E, op.38 (1892–3) and no.3 in E minor, op.53 (1898). Nos.2 and 3 belong to the period of Fibich's attraction to Schulzová. In fact, a central theme of the second movement of the Third Symphony comes from the piano diary. Ostensibly all three symphonies are conventional four-movement works, observing the formalities of sonata form in their outer movements. Fibich's melodic gifts are evident in the variety of themes in the expositions. His inventive craftsmanship is likewise apparent in the monothematic treatment of the first movement of no.2 in E, the first Czech cyclic symphony. Perhaps the most compelling first movement is found in the E minor symphony, however, where a persistent ostinato figure provides the tension that propels the movement forward...
Thanks so much for these fascinating excerpts.
My pleasure. Here's a final quote(the grove article is very long)
QuoteAfter Smetana and Dvořák he was the most prominent Czech composer of the second half of the 19th century, notably of operas and orchestral and piano music. His concert and stage melodramas were some of the most ambitious and effective ever written and prompted other Czech composers to write in the same genre, thus creating a sizable and unique repertory for Czech music. Among his compositional strengths were lucid portrayals of the dramatic, particularly apparent in the symphonic poems and concert overtures, a command of miniature forms reminiscent of Schumann and a gift for producing effective melodic lines that range from the straightforward and aggressive to the strikingly poignant.
I always find the 3rd Symphony's opening movement (picked out in the third quote above) a particularly memorable and satisfying piece.
Yep, I agree. The 3rd symphony has been described as being from darkness(opening movement) into light(finale)