Newsletter 68 — July 2004 (Summary)

  Page last updated Apr 10 2005

This Newsletter is produced with the generous financial support of the Czech Foreign Ministry.

This is a summary of Newsletter No. 68. The full text—which for this issue runs to 36 pages of A4-size text and graphics—has been mailed to all members of the Dvořák Society in the United Kingdom and around the world.

Contents

Regular items

Items special to this issue

Editorial

We are celebrating the 30th anniversary of our foundation. For this issue, the editorial space of the Newsletter is given over to a facsimile of a congratulatory letter received from the Czech Dvořák Society.

All contributions to the Newsletter are welcome. For the next issue—No. 69 October 2004—the editorial deadline is 10th September 2004.

Announcements

Every issue of the Newsletter includes announcements on a wide variety of topics. This is an extremely valuable service to Members, because the announcements are by no means limited to those of the Society. The organisations using our pages in this way are truly international. Those in Newsletter 68 are summarised below.

The Dvořák Society Annual Dinner 2004 will take place on Saturday 25th September at Green’s Hotel, Edinburgh. Before the meal, Graham Melville-Mason, will give a talk about the recent Dvořák and Janáček anniversary commemorations in Prague and how the respective places of the two composers in Czech musical life have changed in the 20th century. Following this, Tim Paxton and musician-colleagues will give a performance of Dvořák’s String Quartet in C major Op. 61.

The Chester Summer Music Festival (17th July – 7th August) includes a concert to given by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in Chester Cathedral, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 21st July: the programme includes Dvořák’s Te Deum. The concert will be preceded by a Members’ buffet. Other festivals with a Czech flavour are the Ryedale Festival (16th July – 1st August) in North Yorkshire and the Lake District Summer Music International Festival and Summer School (31st July – 14th August) at various venues in Cumbria.

Awards to Supraphon for the Škampa Quartet CD of the Smetana Quartets (SU 3740-2 131): these were made by Harmonie magazine at a presentation on 6th May 2004 at St Agnes Convent, Prague for Best Chamber music recording in 2003 and Best CD production by a Czech label in 2003.

Arco Diva Management tells us that architects Vladimír Krátký and Jiři Pelcl were awarded two prizes in the Society of Czech Architects’ Grand Prix 2004 for their reconstruction of Gustav Mahler’s birthplace in Kalistě.

Jana Nováková (violin) and Václav Vonášek (bassoon) of the Prague Music Academy were awarded first prize in the Ensemble section of the Anglo-Czechoslovak Trust competition in London in June.

International Organ Festival Olomouc: the 36th Festival will be held between 6th and 20th September.

The ninth Strings of Autumn Festival will be taking place in Prague between 23rd September and 4th December (more information on http//www.strunypodzimu.cz).

Shawn: short & sharp: News from the Secretary (Shawn Pullman)

The Secretary, Shawn Pullman, contributes a regular short report concentrating mainly on the administration of the Society (including Society trips). His contribution to Newsletter No. 68 is summarised below.

Annual General Meeting Roundup
Our 2004 Annual General Meeting—held this year at the Leamington Festival of Czech Music—attracted perhaps the largest gathering of members at such an event for some time.

Future of Secretary’s position
At the AGM, Shawn announced his intention to stand-down as Honorary Secretary after 17 years in the role. This had not been an easy decision, but given the current strength of the Society there could not be a better time for me to move to one side for another to take over and guide us into the next league.

Bratislava & Prague
It is Shawn’s intention to continue organising visits to the Czech Republic and Slovakia for the foreseeable future. One possibility is the Bratislava Autumn Festival. One of the difficulties in organising our trips is in finding suitable accommodation which does not offer more than we need (that is, expensive) nor less than is necessary. We have formed an excellent relationship with hotels in Brno and Bratislava, but Prague has offered a somewhat mixed bag. A guest house in Prague 4, Podolí district, offers comfortable accommodation and a good location for the centre of the city.

Our Chairman reports: by Graham Melville-Mason

Each issue of the Newsletter includes a report from the Chairman, either dealing with matters of particular importance to the Society or with particularly interesting information drawing on his many contacts with the world of Czech and Slovak music. His contribution to Newsletter No. 68 is summarised below.

Věra Johnová celebrates 90 wonderful years
On 8th August our senior and much loved Vice President, Věra Johnová celebrates her 90th birthday with her family at Příbram. The daughter of Antonín Dvořák’s last daughter, Aloisie, Mrs Johnová was born in 1914, ten years after the death of her grandfather but has strong memories of her grandmother. Many of our members have had the great pleasure of meeting her over the years and of hearing her recount vividly so many aspects of the family history from her personal memories.

Josef Suk is 75 years young
Our Patron, Josef Suk celebrates his birthday on the same day as his aunt, Věra Johnová, 8th. August. Anyone who heard his concert of the complete violin and piano works of his grandfather (with Marián Lapšanský) at the Prague Spring Festival this year will have witnessed playing of the highest order and in the great Bohemian violin school tradition, with supreme musicianship and interpretative insight.

Vlasta Slavická
It is with regret that we report the death on 24th May 2004 at the age of 93, of Mrs Vlasta Slavická, widow of Klement Slavický and mother of Milan. She was the daughter of Kamil Vorborský who was one of Dvořák’s last pupils. Active until near the end of her long life, she was a noted music teacher and a former member of the Czech Madrigal Choir. Earlier, she was well known as one of the earliest women announcers on Czech Radio and she showed great courage at the time of the assassination of Reichsprotektor Heydrich.

Antonín Dvořák—sa vie, son oeuvre
This new volume in French—written by one of our newer members, Annie Thirion of Brussels—is a substantial book of 362 pages, with a number of apposite illustrations, as well as a list of works (some with a short commentary) and substantial bibliography of the main sources consulted. It can be obtained for 30 euros plus postage from:

Office International de Librairie s.a.,
Avenue de la Couronne, 330,
1050 BRUXELLES, BELGIUM
Tel: 0032 2 643 35 31/Fax: 0032 2 643 35 35.

Boosey and Hawkes take over Tempo Prague music publishing
The music publishing interests of Tempo Prague have been acquired by Boosey and Hawkes Ltd. Among composers, some of whose works are included, are Pavel Haas, Hans Krása, Zdeněk Lukáš and Bohuslav Martinů. Important scores now available from Boosey and Hawkes include Haas: Study for Strings and Symphony (completed by Zdeněk Zouhar), Krása: Brundibár, Lukáš: Piano Concerto No. 3 and Martinů: Czech Rhapsody (for baritone, chorus and orchestra).

Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 Fine new edition of the facsimile of the autograph score
To mark the centenary of the death of Dvořák, Tomáš Kirschner (himself a member of the horn section of the Prague Symphony (FOK) Orchestra) with his small but high quality publishing firm of Thomas Music Publishing Prague, has published a new facsimile edition using more modern photographic reproduction techniques, resulting in a score much closer to the original in every respect. The whole edition is beautifully bound and presented in a red slipcase, produced to a very high standard. It includes Jarmil Burghauser’s original text corrected, revised and brought up to date by Milan Kuna, with an essay by Markéta Hallová, plus the twelve photographs mainly taken from the first of Dvořák’s American Sketchbooks. The text is in Czech, English and German. The published price is 300 euros but while we were in Prague at the time of the launch of this edition, Tomáš Kirschner generously offered copies to our members at a 30% discount plus postage.

Advance Notice of a Memorial Concert for Vilém Tauský
Brenda Rayson informs us that the date has now been set for a Memorial Concert. It is Saturday, 5th March 2005 at 7.30 p.m. The venue will be the United Reform Church Hall in Widmore Road, Bromley.

On the occasion of the Society’s 30th Anniversary
Graham Melville-Mason has received not only the letter of Congratulations from the Dvořák Society in Prague, printed on the front page of this Newsletter, but also letters from Míla Smetáčková of the Czech Music Society and from Markéta Hallová director of the Czech Museum of Music.

Sir Charles Mackerras has been our President for 25 years!
In view of our Thirtieth Anniversary it is interesting to read of the Fifth Anniversary of the Society twenty-five years ago. It was at this point that Sir Charles Mackerras became our President. So we have another cause for celebration! We appreciate also the additional support given by Lady Judy Mackerras.

Music News from Slovakia: by Graham Melville-Mason

After a lull in information from Bratislava, it was good to return there with the Dvořák Society visit this May and to see our friends at the Hudobné Centrum and at the Slovenský hudobný fond again. We were made most welcome by Olga Smetanová and Peter Zagar at the Centre and by Miloš Kocián, Ivan Valenta and Agi Zólyomiová at the Hudobný fond, while the whole visit was coordinated for us by our Vice-President, Miloš Jurkovič. Being brought up-to-date with Slovak music activities was both interesting and rewarding for many of us and the recent absence of information through Hudobný Život should be corrected in the future so that we may resume the regular feature on Slovak music in the Society’s Newsletter. A feature of recent issues of Hudobný Život has been the articles on the latest information and works of Slovak composers—the April issue carrying an article on Jozef Podprocký’s String Quartet No. 2 (Op. 21) and the May issue including one on Hanuš Domanský’s Fragment Sonata for piano. We learn also that the composer Robert Gašparík (b.1961) and his family are currently living in London and that a performance of his Maska a láska (Op. 46) for violin and strings will be given by the London Contemporary Music Group.

Among the interesting newer recording releases are—

B.E.S.T.
BE 0002 Schneider-Trnavský: Missa pastoralis / Graduale Benedicta / Offertorium Laetentur (Pastorková / Šurin / Slovak P.O. / Režucha)
Diskant
DK 0052 Suchoň: String Quartet No. 2 / Ravel (Moyzes Quartet)
DK 0069 Godár / Zeljenka / Steinecker / Albrecht / Krajči / Kupkovič / Iršai / Kolkovič: Slovak ‘Cello Music’ (Slavík / Podhoranský / Dugovič)
Hudobný fond
SF 0004 Malovec / Kolman / Kupkovič / Zagar / Burlas / Matej (Veni)
SF 0031 Piaček: Urban Songs (Bondy /Požoň Sentimentál)
SF 0032 Bokes: Preludes and Fugues / Piano Sonatas Nos.2 & 4 Zamborský / Palovič / Varínska)
SF 0033 Berger: Konvergencie I, II & III, Transgressus I (Jablokov / Telecký / Podhoránský / Experimental Studio Radio Bratislava)
SF 0034 Parík: Musica da Camera (Sokol / Slávik / Jurkovič / Zamborský / Luptáčik Moyzes Quartet)
SF 0036 Bázlik: Preludes for piano (Buranovský)
SF 0037 Sixta: String Quartet No1 / Solo for piano / Recitative for cello / Trio for clarinet, cello and piano / Piano Sonata / Etude for harpsichord / Trio for clarinets (Valent/Gašpar/Šesták/Lupták/Škuta/Šebesta)
Musica Art
790023 Matej: Music for two / Musica aeterna / Video / Two Lullabies (Veni)
Opera Operta
OF 0002 Burlas / Zagar / Matej / Piaček (Opera Operta Ensemble)
Radio Bratislava
RB 0078 Malovec: Chamber Symphony / Quasi una Sonata for organ / Symphony No. 2 (Hanzelová / Slovak RSO / Lenárd/Vach)
Slovart SR 0042 ‘Music from Trenčín’ (Musica Aeterna / Zajíček)
SR 0044 Lejava / Čekovská / Parík / Vajo / Bokes / Bachratá / Szeghyová

The Ramblings of a Traveller—The 2004 Dvořák Society Visit to Bratislava & Prague

Member Pat Rey provides a diary of the Society’s 2004 trip to Bratislava and Prague.

Day 1—After a flight to Prague, the party travelled by coach to the floating hotel “Botel Gracia” in Bratislava. That evening they visited the Slovak National Theatre (Slovenské Národné Divadlo) for performances of Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and The Wooden Prince.
Day 2—free time to wander at will. In the evening, dinner in the company of the Society’s Slovakian Vice-President, Miloš Jurkovič at the Modra gula (Blue Ball) restaurant with other Slovak friends and members.
Day 3—the group travelled by coach into Austria, to Eisenstadt, with its Haydn connections. They visited the church of St Nikolaus and the Esterházy Palace (where they had a well-guided tour including the splendid Opera House). Afterwards they stopped in the village where Joseph and Michael Haydn were born.
Day 4—on the final day in Slovakia the group had an interesting visit to The Music Foundation, followed by free time.
Day 4—after a coach journey to Prague, some of the group attended a performance of Dvořák’s Dimitrij at the State (Státní) opera. Others chose to go to a concert including Dvořák’s 4th Symphony.
Day 5—a performance at the Rudolfinum of Jan Dismas Zelenka’s oratorio Sub olea pacis et palma virtutis.
Day 6—buffet lunch whilst cruising on the Vltava in the company of many Czech members and friends: the group were also joined by the British conductor Richard Hickox and his family. Later that day there was a visit to the Národní Divadlo for a performance of Janáček’s The Excursions of Mr Brouček conducted by the Society’s President, Sir Charles Mackerras.
Day 6—a coach trip to the village of Tři Studně for The Ceremony of the Opening of the Wells. After lunch in the local hostelry’s Martinů Room, there was a performance Martinů’s music, played by young people from the Brno Music Conservatoire, opened the event, and then children of all ages from many groups performed traditional country dances.
Day 7—to Křečovice, the birthplace of Josef Suk, where a ceremony was being held to mark the composer’s death on 29th May 1935. The group then journeyed to Příbram, where we were joined by Antonín Dvořák III, Dvořák’s grandson and then to Dvořák’s villa “Vysoká”. The tour finished with a visit to the Kaunic Chateau, originally the home of Dvořák’s sister-in-law, Josefina.
Day 8—a visit to Dvořák’s birthplace at Nelahozeves, followed by lunch at Zlonice and the Antonín Dvořák Memorial Museum, where Zdenka Kuklová spoke about Dvořák’s time as a pupil of Antonín Liehmann. The very interesting Liehmann house, behind the museum, was also visited. In the evening the group attended Richard Hickox’s concert, where he conducted the Prague Symphony Orchestra in performances of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto and 1st Symphony “The Bells of Zlonice”.
Days 9, 10 & 11—the group enjoyed time on their own followed by evening concerts. These included the mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, accompanied by Malcolm Martineau, performing a recital at the Rudolfinum of songs by Koželuh, Novák, Schulhoff, Debussy, Poulenc and Wolf. The group’s final concert was in the Smetana Hall of the Obecní dům, where the Czech Philharmonic were conducted by Zdeněk Mácal in Dvořák’s Festival March, Opus 54, The Wood Dove, Opus 110 and Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”.
[See also Peter’s Pages for Concert Reviews.]

Martinů Review: compiled by Greg Terian

Greg Terian is a specialist in the music of Martinů. He contributes an article to each issue. That for Newsletter 68 is summarised below.

Leamington Festival
The first UK performance of Martinů’s Sokol Fanfare was given in rousing style by the Fine Arts Brass Ensemble at the start of their lunchtime concert at the Leamington Festival on Sunday, 9th May. Interestingly, the composer’s own piano transcription of the Fanfare does have more of a feel of Martinů about it, perhaps due to the distinctive chording which he employed—see Newsletter 67. Also included in the programme was the world première of Sylvie Bodorová’s Five Pictures from Emperor Rudolph’s Prague which was composed for the Ensemble. Antonín Tučapský’s Music for Brass Quintet was also performed. The afternoon recital which followed included works by contemporary Czech and British composers.

Matoušek in England
In early May, Bohuslav Matoušek brought his ‘Martinů crusade’ to England. In an afternoon recital at Leamington on Sunday 2nd May, as part of a programme primarily celebrating the Dvořák and Janáček anniversaries, he managed to include two works by Martinů, the Czech Rhapsody and the Third Violin Sonata, in which he was accompanied by Lada Valešová. This was followed by an evening recital at St John’s Smith Square, London on 11th May, sponsored by Smith Square and the Friends of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Our Member Vanda Procházka, who is the Friends’ Manager, was the guiding light behind this event. She had arranged for the soloists to appear on Sean Rafferty’s ‘In Tune’ programme on BBC Radio 3 the day before the concert when a movement from the 3rd Sonata was performed. In the studio a movement from the Dumky Trio was also performed in which David Cohen, principal cello of the Philharmonia, made up the trio.

Matoušek has just recorded the beautiful but rarely heard Martinů Concerto for Piano, Violin and Orchestra with the Czech Philharmonic under Christopher Hogwood. The future of the complete series of concerto recordings is by no means assured given the financial difficulties at the Martinů Foundation and the reluctance of Supraphon to proceed with the project without a major financial backer.

Supraphon, Bernáthová and the Concertino for Piano and Orchestra
It was long thought that the Concertino for Piano and Orchestra dating from 1938 had been given its world première by Líza Fuchsová at a Promenade Concert in London in 1948: but in fact Fuchsová had in fact given the première in Bratislava the year before. In 1967 the Concertino was recorded for Supraphon by Eva Bernáthová. She gave many concert performances of the work both in Europe and elsewhere. In Britain she performed it with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Constantin Silvestri and at the Brighton Festival with the Czech Philharmonic under Václav Neumann. Bernáthová has lived in London for many years and although long retired she remains a staunch advocate of the work. It is really time that Supraphon reissued it. The Concertino was to have been performed at this year’s Martinů Festival in Prague but, disappointingly, due to the difficulties alluded to elsewhere, the projected performance has been scrapped.

Martinů at Great Barrington 1946
Louis Lane—former conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra— was a member of the Martinů composition class at the Berkshire School of Music in 1946. Recently Mr Lane wrote to Greg giving his recollections of that ill-fated event. The text of this fascinating letter—which sheds much interesting light on the composer’s skills as a teacher— is given in Greg’s article.)

Martinů Festival 2004
This year’s Festival will open with the annual competition for young musicians which in 2004 will be devoted to String Quartets and Piano Trios. The Festival proper will open on 6th December with a concert entitled ‘Hommage to Viktor Kalabis’. The following day will feature a concert to be given by the laureats of the 2003 competition. On 8th December the artists will include the Smetana Piano Trio and the soprano Olga Černá. The Festival will conclude with a pair of duplicate concerts by the Czech Philharmonic to be directed this year by Claus Peter Flor.Because of financial constraints Festival programmes beyond 2004 will be severely curtailed. The Martinů Foundation’s income has apparently been affected by greatly diminished rates of interest now available in the Czech Republic (apparently of the order of only 1%).

Wexford
The recording of Mirandolina issued by Supraphon has reached the shops and has received some deservedly favourable reviews. Past Wexford performances are now appearing on a variety of recording labels. Among the latest is a Weinberger Švanda on Marco Polo. The 2004 Festival will include Foerster’s Eva and Braunfels’ Prinzessin Brambilla.

Kubelík
The Rafael Kubelík compilation in the EMI/IMG series of Great Conductors of the 20th Century has now been released. It contains the first ever recording of the Martinů Fourth Symphony which was made by Kubelík and the Czech Philharmonic in 1948. This two disc album also contains other Kubelík rarities performed with different orchestras as selected by Patrick Lambert.

Proms 2004
Martinů’s Double Concerto is to be performed at the Proms in London’s Royal Albert Hall by the Prague Philharmonia under Jiří Bělohlávek on 21st July. Andrew Davies, on 21st July, will conduct The Frescoes with the BBC Symphony Orchestra: and La Revue de Cuisine is also to be performed at a lunchtime chamber Prom on 6th September. Martinů has done quite well this year on the coat tails of the Dvořák and Janáček commemorations.

D-Day
The 70th anniversary of D-Day received extensive broadcasting time on most UK radio and TV channels, but Radio 3 were apparently not aware of the significance of D-Day in relation to Martinů’s Third Symphony.

The Lorna Corner

Lorna makes a characteristically wide-ranging contribution to the Newsletter.

Smetana’s Litomyšl International Opera Festival
The 46th such festival took place between 17th and 27th June and opened with a performance of The Brandenburgers of Bohemia performed by the Janáček Opera Ensemble of the National Theatre in Brno. The closing concert, Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass, given in the castle courtyard, was performed by the Prague Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Philharmonic Choir conducted by Petr Altrichter. Sandwiched between these events was Dvořák’s Dimitrij performed by Prague State Opera, two concerts devoted to the works of Petr Eben, and two devoted to Dvořák, including his Piano Concerto played by Garrick Ohlsson.

“Don’t be afraid … classical music”
So read the headline on the front cover of the programme for the Hot Strings cycle of concerts being held in the Mirror Chapel of Klementinum in Prague, between April and December. It features quartets only, including the Stamic Quartet, the Penguin Quartet and other ensembles. (Lorna gives some further details.)

Pešek in Hong Kong
During June, Libor Pešek was invited back to give several concerts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, including some Czech works.

Festival news
The 36th International Organ Festival Olomouc will be held between 6th and 20th September. Performances will be taking place in St Mauritz’s Church. (Lorna gives some details about the Engler organ to be used.) The ninth Strings of Autumn Festival will be taking place in Prague between 23rd September and 4th December. At this year’s Lucerne Festival there will be four performances of Viktor Ullmann’s The Kaiser from Atlantis in the music theatre, Lucerne, on 5th, 7th, 12th and 16th September. There is a strong Czech and Slovak input in this year’s Ravenna Festival (July) in their Homàge to Leoš Janáček. The 14th Prague Autumn Music Festival will be held between 12th September and 1st October and will include two concerts by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

Complete Czech Programme opens Prague Symphony Orchestra Season
The opening concerts on 8th and 9th September will be conducted by Jiří Bělohlávek. The programme: Dvořák’s Scherzo capriccioso, Josef Suk’s Pohádka, and Janáček’s Sinfonietta.

Peter’s Pages

Peter Herbert is a Dvořák Society member based in the north-west of England. In this issue of the Newsletter he revives, after a short gap, his practice of writing a quarterly article on a wide range of matters.

Leamington 2004

Peter heard 12 concerts at this year’s Leamington Festival and found most of them to be of a very high standard. A large number of Society members had attended. For those unable to do so, he gives a taste of what they missed.

April 30th, Panocha Quartet and pianist Marián Lapšanský—it was hard to imagine a better start to a Festival than their performances of František Richter’s Quartet in C Op. 5 no.1, Janáček’s String Quartet no.1 “Kreutzer Sonata” (relying here for its effect on the players’ perfect attention to detail and nuance rather than an overtly earthy Moravian accent or an over-dramatic approach) and Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 2 in A.

1st May, lunchtime concert by the Guarneri Trio Prague—Dvořák’s Piano Trio in B flat Op. 21 and the Dumky Trio.

1st May, afternoon concert by Marián Lapšanský—playing an instrument that was rather powerful for the Pump Room, the artist nevertheless made a very strong case for the composer Vítězslav Novák with his performance of Songs of a Winter Night and was equally good in Dvořák’s American Suite. Less successful on this occasion were Dvořák’s Poetic Moods (only one of the pieces was performed) and Janáček’s Sonata I.X.1905 “From the Street” the closing selection from Fibich’s Moods, Impressions and Reminiscences: these all suffered from over-loudness.

1st May, evening concert by the Royal Leamington Spa Bach choir, the Oxford University Press Choir and the Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra—this performance of Dvořák’s Requiem Mass by essentially amateur forces (professional reinforcements) was conducted by Janet Lincé and, despite variable soloists, had exactly the right spirit. Among the singers, the star of the evening was the Slovak mezzo soprano, Eva Gajarová.

2nd May, lunchtime concert by Jana Nováková (violin), Václav Vonášek (bassoon) and Petr Novák (piano)—a little gem of an event. The works performed were Rondo for bassoon and piano by Zdeněk Lukáš, Variations and Rondo by Kalivoda, a Concertino by Jan Pelikán, the world première of Antonín Tučapský’s Due Pezzi (in the composer’s presence) and Paganini’s Duetto Concertante No. 3 in D.

2nd May, afternoon concert was shared by violinist Bohuslav Matoušek and pianist Lada Valešová—enthusiastic and vigorous performances of the Czech Rhapsody by Martinů, Z domoviny by Smetana, Two Romantic Pieces (from Op. 75) by Dvořák and the Third Violin Sonata of Martinů.
This concert was followed by a Society Social.

2nd May, evening concert was given by the Panocha Quartet with Jan Jíša (viola)—outstanding performances of Dvořák’s Terzetto, the String Quartet No. 2 in G by Fibich and Dvořák’s String Quintet in E flat Op. 97.

3rd May, morning organ recital by Anne Page—given in All Saints Church, Bedřich Wiedermann’s Impetuoso gave a rousing start but the two Adagios by Janáček fell somewhat flat, being not overly-inspired compositions. Rather more inspired were the items selected from Jaromír Weinberger’s Six Preludes (Bible Poems), one section from Petr Eben’s Faust, a rather dull organ arrangement of various Dvořák works— the Largo from the New World Symphony, the 7th Humoresque and the 8th Slavonic Dance—and the Toccata by Jiří Ropek. The concert had some longuers but the playing was superb.

3rd May, lunchtime concert by violinist Jana Nováková and her pianist brother Petr—magnificent performances of Dvořák’s Violin Sonata, Janáček’s Violin Sonata and Dvořák’s Mazurek Op. 49.

3rd May, afternoon concert by Eva Garajová accompanied by Marián Lapšanský—a recital of Dvořák songs: two of the songs from In Folk Tone, The Gypsy Songs, the Four Songs Op. 82 and the Biblical Songs. The performances were dramatic or delicate as necessary. This singer is a revelation.

3rd May, evening concert by the Guarneri Trio Prague—it would have been hard to imagine these finer performances of the selected pieces. the Dvořák Piano Trio in g minor Op. 26 and Piano Trio in f minor Op. 65, Pohádka by Janáček and Josef Suk’s Elegie Op. 23.

4th May, lunchtime concert by the Martinů Quartet with Anne Page—a poor rendition of Dvořák’s Bagatelles, with a piano substituted for the harmonium due to tuning difficulties in relation to the strings. However, the harmonium in question was used to perform some pieces from On an Overgrown Path. The final work was Dvořák’s String Quartet in G Op. 106 in a slightly stale sounding performance.

Concerts during the Society Tour 2004 Bratislava and Prague

Peter found the concerts that he attended variable in quality. For him, the highlights were Bartók in Bratislava and Brouček and Magdalena Kožená in Prague, with a very special mention for The Opening of the Wells in Tři Studně.

Bartók in Bratislava—at the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava, for a double bill of Bartók’s ballet The Wooden Prince and his opera Bluebeard’s Castle. Contrary to the expectations of some of the party, the music was a complete thrill, superbly performed by the Opera Orchestra and conducted by Péter Oberfrank. The dancing was brilliant and, in the opera, the singing and acting of Juraj Peter as Bluebeard and Jolana Fogašová was excellent. The ‘modern’ productions were effective.

Dvořák’s Dimitrij, May 26th—a bitterly disappointing evening at the State Opera in Prague. Badly conducted by František Preisler, with bad orchestral playing and some poor singing, there were also mechanical problems with the needlessly complicated set. The one item of pure gold in the whole night was Richard Novák as the Patriarch.

Zelenka, May 27th—Zelenka’s 1723 coronation piece Melodrama of St. Wenceslas (Sub olea pacis et palma virtutis conspicua regia Bohemiae Corona) in the Rudolfinum. It was conducted by Marek Štryncl whose forces included Musica Florea and Musica Aeterna, the choir Boni Pueri (from Hradec Králové) and Nancy Argenta. The performance was perfect and received with great enthusiasm by the audience.

Janáček’s The Excursions of Mr Brouček (Výlety páně Broučkovy), May 28th—at the National Theatre (the same production that our members heard at Brno in January). This production could not have been a greater contrast to Dimitrij on May 26th, even though it had even more revolving sections of stage: it served the action superbly. The part of Brouček could have been written for the singer Jan Vacík, so perfectly did he fit the role. Sir Charles Mackerras conducted received the rapturous applause at the end but what spirit he had brought into the work. This evening was unalloyed joy from beginning to end.

Tři Studně, May 29th—in the woods around the Vitulka Spring, named after the composer Vítězslava Kaprálová, young stars of the Brno Conservatory gave a lovely performance of Martinů’s Otvírání studánek (The Opening of the Wells). Several groups of schoolchildren of all ages, most ably supported by older musicians, then delighted all by performing traditional dances and ceremonies.

Josef Suk, May 30th—due to the party’s late arrival at Křečovice this event, for the most part, was heard from the two doorways of the venue. Josef Suk, mezzo Jana Sýkorová and organist Aleš Bárta performing works by Dvořák, Suk and Otilie Suková. This was a very intimate and very ‘Czech’ event. Suk still has all the magic of a great violinist and he had very good support from the two other participants. The items performed were snatches from larger works, by and large: a movement from Dvořák’s Sonatina, a couple of songs, an arrangement of the Largo from the New World Symphony, for example. Perhaps more special was the Ukolébavka (Lullaby) of Dvořák’s daughter, Otilie, and rare outings for Dvořák’s Ave Maria and Ave maris stella. There is a special magic in places such as this; the closeness one feels to both performers and composers adds a frisson to the event that cannot be reproduced in any concert hall.

The Bells of Zlonice, May 31st—Dvořák’s First symphony at the Smetana Hall, performed by the Prague Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Hickox in a hugely enjoyable performance taken at a vigorous pace, and largely successful in papering over the work’s obvious joins. The performance in the second half of the evening of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto was not such a happy event. The American soloist Kurt Hikkanen played accurately but with no sense of inner meaning and the flow of the orchestra rather tended to echo the soloist. This was not a good evening on balance.

Magdalena Kožená, June 2nd— there was definitely one encore too many but what a performer and what a performance! There were songs by Leopold Koželuh, Vítězslav Novák’s Pohádka srdce (Fairytale of the Heart), two sets of songs by Erwin Schulhoff, and pieces by Debussy, Poulenc and Wolf. A simply breathtaking concert.

Closing concert, June 3rd by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra—something of a disappointment, this concert showed that the Czech Philharmonic still has a long way to go to regain its last glory days but it also showed that they are already improving fast in many areas. Their Principal Conductor, Zdeněk Mácal, clearly relishes the task, but the orchestra needs some fresh strength in all departments. Although the first two items in the concert—Dvořák’s Festival March and Holoubek (The Wood Dove)—were very good (and moving in the case of Holoubek), the closing New World Symphony was given a disappointingly work-a-day performance with no fresh insight at all.

Concerts in the UK

The Škampa Quartet in Lancaster, March 18th 2004—the programme consisted of the K. 546 Adagio and Fugue in C minor by Mozart, Martinů’s String Quartet No. 7, Suk’s Meditation on the Old Czech Hymn St. Wenceslas and Smetana’s 2nd String Quartet. This concert was a perfect gem of an event, all the more pleasurable for being at Lancaster University just five miles away from home. I hope the Škampa return here soon because they made a great impression on their audience.

The Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 19th May 2004—Libor Pešek with Jiří Bárta playing in the Dvořák Cello Concerto was too good a chance to miss. The Bartered Bride Overture got the show off to a rousing start and we then heard a very heartfelt performance of the Cello Concerto. The second half consisted of a performance of Holst’s Planets and jolly well done it was too!

Mark Todd Reports on his Latest Visit to the Czech Republic

Member Mark Todd’s visit to the Czech Republic in April and May 2004 coincided with the hundredth anniversary of Dvořák’s death and the country’s accession to the European Union (both on May 1st).

Dvořák Anniversary Concerts in Prague

The Dvořák anniversary was celebrated on May 2nd by a series of five concerts by different Czech artists and orchestras in different Prague venues. Mark attended three of the concerts: the ‘National Dvořák’ in Žofín at 2.00; the ‘International Dvořák’ in the Rudolfinum at 7.00; and the ‘Intimate Dvořák’ at 9.00 in the Martinů Hall.

Žofín—the Prague Philharmonia, under conductor Zbyňek Müller, gave spruce and beautifully played performances of the Polonaise, Prague Waltzes and Czech Suite, and with violinist František Novotný of the Romance and Mazurek. The only disappointing point was the small size of the audience.

Rudolfinum—a capacity audience heard the Czech Philharmonic under Jiří Bělohlávek play the Symphony ‘From the New World’ and then the Cello Concerto with cellist Jiří Bárta. These were both warm and generous performances.

Martinů Hall—The final concert concentrated on works with four consecutive Opus Numbers, 98 to 101. The lynchpin pianist Radoslav Kvapil. The other artists taking part were Ivan Ženatý, violin, and Roman Janál, baritone. Kvapil’s performances of the American Suite Op. 98 and a selection from the Humoresques, Op. 101 may not have been the most note-perfect renderings he has given. Nevertheless, his distinctive feel for where the important line lies and for bringing out the melodies sensitively but without distortion of their natural shape conveys the essence of the music. Ženatý’s performance of the Sonatina Op 100 deployed his strong and beautiful tone and precise unexaggerated phrasing to put this only apparently simple work across without condescension. In a selection from the Biblical Songs, Op 99 Janál was in magnificently clear voice and his straightforward interpretation went to the heart of the songs. Kvapil’s playing with his colleagues was much more than just an ‘accompaniment’.

Other Concerts

Martinů Quartet, April 29, in the Národní dům, Ústí nad Labem—Enthusiastic and idiomatic performances of the Janáček Second Quartet, Dvořák’s Quartet Op 51 and Martinů’s ‘Concerto da Camera’ Quartet.

Akademičtí komorní sólisté, April 29, in the Martinů Hall, Prague (rehearsal for evening concert only)—Mark attended the final rehearsal of this concert before returning to Ústí for the evening concert (above) by the Martinů Quartet! Under conductor Martin Turnovský these senior students at AMU played Schubert’s Entracte No 2 from ‘Rosamunde’, Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 23 with soloist Ivan Moravec. These were beautifully judged interpretations from Turnovský, with scrupulous, limpid and controlled playing by Ivan Moravec and a high standard of playing and musicality from the young orchestra.

Prague Philharmonia, April 30, in the theatre at Kladno— a concert including Mendelssohn’s ‘Reformation’ Symphony, soundly and sensibly directed by Zbyňek Müller and with beautiful playing.

Recorded Performances of Czech Music made in Britain during the 20th Century

Mark gave an illustrated talk in the British Centre at Ústí about recorded performances of Czech Music made in Britain during the 20th century and was keen to include some performances conducted by Vilém Tauský. In chosing to include Dvořák’s Song to the Moon from Rusalka where Tauský directed the accompaniment for Joan Hammond, Mark was very interested to discover that Joan Hammond—according to the CD booklet note—had sung three roles for the Ústí opera in 1938. The archives in Ústí, on a very quick check, revealed no reference to her presence there: but her autobiography confirmed that she had a contract to go to Ústí without making it clear whether she ever sang there.

Vilém Tauský in Manchester, by Peter Okell

Although Vilém Tauský achieved fame at the helm of the high profile BBC Concert Orchestra, with tours abroad and appearances at the Proms and the Edinburgh Festival, it was in Manchester, in the 1950s, mainly at the BBC that he did some of his most important and interesting work. This included the first British performances of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, the rediscovered missing First Symphony of Dvořák, Suk’s early E flat and Asrael Symphonies, and Novák’s Symphonic Poem, Eternal Longing. This article gives some background information about Tauský’s early career in Britain.

Live Performance Reviews

Each issue of the Newsletter includes reports of live performances. The reviews in Newsletter No. 68 are summarised below.

Dvořák’s Vanda at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London, March 2004
Report by Bill Marsden
Conducted by Charles Peebles, this performance of Vanda was yet another of many fine initiatives by London’s University College Opera Group. Apart from some reservations about the staging, costumes and a shaky start in the orchestra, the evening was a success.

Dvořák’s Saint Ludmila, Leeds 22nd May 2004
Report by Vera Marsden
Saint Ludmila, even to Dvořák lovers, can be justifiably criticised for including too much musically unproductive repetition. In this performance there were cuts in addition to the omission of optional numbers. One cannot argue with the principle but some good music was lost in the implementation. However, the musicians delivered a performance of blazing intensity. Gianandrea Noseda conducting the forces of the BBC Philharmonic and the Leeds and Sheffield Choral Societies. Sally Matthews (soprano), Susan Bickley (mezzo), James Gilchrist (tenor), and Neal Davis bass were the admirable soloists.

Iva Fleischhansová plays Vaňhal (and Janovický) at Děčín, 3rd May 2004
Report by Zuzana Pončová, Director of the Music Department, State Science Library, Ústí
The Děčín Symphony Orchestra, an amateur orchestra now in its 42nd year, played a programme of Tomášek, Vaňhal and Novák at its spring concert conducted by Pavel Baxa in Děčín on 3rd May. The virtuoso interest between Václav Jan Tomášek’s Symphony in C and Vítězslav Novák’s Slovácko Suite, Op. 32, was provided by Jan Křtitel Vaňhal’s Violin Concerto in G (W II b: G3), with Iva Fleischhansová as soloist, and with cadenzas composed by Karel Janovický. Everyone admired the faultless and dedicated performance of the soloist.

Membership News: from Tony Pook

The Membership Secretary reports that thirteen new members have enrolled during the last quarter (all in the U.K.).

Requests for Help

Patrick Howat wishes to know if any member or reader can provide more than the bare bones of Dvořák’s interest in railways.

Mark Todd wishes to know if anyone has information that would enable him to determine whether the singer Joan Hammond sang at the Opera in Ústi nad Labem (Aussig) in 1938 (see his item above).

From the Editor’s Postbag (and e-mail)

Patrick Lambert writes in response to Ivan Štraus’s letter in Newsletter 67 about nationalism and its effect on the result of music competitions.

David Cohen writes about concerts he has heard recently, either live or broadcast, including a piano recital by Ivan Moravec of works by Janáček, Smetana and Suk.

Gordon Wainwright writes in appreciation of the Society’s recent visit to Bratislava and Prague (22nd May – 5th June).

Record Service Report: by Bill Marsden

Members of the Dvořák Society find the Record Service—run by Bill Marsden—a very economic and convenient way of buying recordings, including those hard to find items on small labels. A certain amount of stock is maintained by Bill, whilst other recordings are ordered. Each quarter, his report gives information about current news items about records and the industry, and includes the current stock list. The report in Newsletter 68 is summarised below.

Distribution News
This part of the report deals with the changes in record distribution companies and the effect on the labels that the Record Service can supply. Sanctuary Classics (including ASV recordings) and Andante have changed distributors. Not all Capriccio CDs are released in the UK, but these and certain other labels without a UK distributor can be obtained by the Society’s Record Service from Germany. The Service can also now obtain cut-price Brilliant Classics recordings from their British distributor, Regis.

New Releases
Among the new releases are three box sets of Dvořák recordings from Warner Classics (mostly previously on the Teldec label)—Late Symphonies/Overtures/Symphonic Poems (5CDs); Concertos/Orchestral Works/Requiem (6CDs); and Chamber Music (6CDs). The 6CD sets should cost less than £17 through the Record Service, and the 5CD set less than £15. Decca have issued a 5 CD set of Janáček’s piano, chamber, choral and orchestral music, taken from their back catalogue. Jana Nováková has two promotional CDs of live recordings from the Wigmore Hall of works by Schubert, Dvořák (Violin Sonata), Szymanowsky, Mozart, Janáček and Prokofiev.

Dvořák Society Stock List
The first part of the list comprises the Society’s normal “trading” stock; and this itself is divided into post-1830 and pre-1830 sections (the date classifications are approximate). The post-1830 section lists 83 recordings. The composers include Bittová, Brahms, Dvořák, Eben, Goldscheider, Hurník, Janáček, Karel, Klein, Korngold, Korte, Martinů, Moyzes (M & A), Řezníček, Schulhoff, Slavický, Suk, Ullmann and Ysaÿe.

There are 58 issues listed in the pre-1830 section. The composers include Bach, Beethoven, Benda (F), Benda (J), Biber, Demantius, Dusík, Gluck, Hummel, Koželuh (J), Koželuh (L), Kramář, Michna, Mozart, Mysliveček, Pichl, Rejcha, Rössler, Schmelzer, Schubert, Stamic (J), Stamic (K), Vaňhal, Vranický and Zelenka.

Members have donated 21 CDs and these are in the second part of the list. Composers include Benda (J), Debussy, Dvořák, Gemrot, Hummel, Husa, Kvěch, Loudová, Martinů, Michna, Mozart, Prokofiev, Ravel, Richter, Tchaikovsky, Smetana and Vivaldi.

Short Reviews of Recordings: by Members

Seven CDs are reviewed by society members in this issue—

CDs

Schulhoff: Landschaften, Op. 26; Menschheit, Op. 28; Der Bürger aus Edelmann
Performed by: Soffel, Rische, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, Albrecht
Orfeo C 056031 A
Reviewer: David Barton

Gounod / Massenet / Thomas / Boieldieu Verdi: ‘French Arias’
Performed by: Magdalena Kožená, Musiciens du Louvre Choir, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Marc Minkowski
DG 474 214-2
Reviewer: Bill Marsden

Schulhoff: 3 Mood Pictures; Ravel: 3 Chansons Madecasses; Shostakovich: 5 Satires; Respighi: Il Tramonto; Britten: A Charm of Lullabies
Performed by: Magdalena Kožená, Henschel Quartet, Martineau (piano), Bárta (cello), Edmund-Davies (flute)
DG 471 581-2
Reviewer: Bill Marsden

Dvořák: Songs, Opp. 2, 7, 55, 73, 82, 83 + Krásnohorská Songs
Performed by: Bernarda Fink, Roger Vignoles
Harmonia Mundi HMC 901824
Reviewer: Bill Marsden

Hummel: Amusement, Op. 108; Violin Sonatas Opp. 5/2 and 14; Monferina Variations Op. 54
Performed by: Triangulus
Meridian CDE 84439
Reviewer: Bill Marsden

Korngold: The Piano Music
Performed by: Martin Jones, Richard McMahon
Nimbus NI 5705/8
Reviewer: Bill Marsden

Korngold: Die Tote Stadt
Performed by: Cunitz. Friedrich, Kusche, Benningsen, Braun, Bavarian Radio Chorus and Orchestra, Fritz Lehmann
Walhall WLCD 0004 (2 CDs)
Reviewer: Bill Marsden

Record News from Prague: by Graham Melville-Mason

Graham Melville-Mason’s regular report of record news includes both new recordings and reissues.

The report, which is not limited to Czech and Slovak labels (although as one would expect, issues from Supraphon tend to dominate), is a valuable source of information to members about releases which might otherwise be overlooked, particularly those on small labels. The full Newsletter available to members gives details of composers, artists and disc numbers. In Newsletter 68 there is information about 8 releases on Supraphon and others on the Antiphona, Arco Diva, Cavalli, Gnosis, Gramofonové závody (GZ), Lotos, New World, Pražský smíšný sbor, Radioservis, RKM, Rosa, Studio Matouš, Vira and Vixen labels.

CDs of Czech and Slovak Music on Non-Czech/Slovak Labels

For members, this regular item is a valuable supplement to Record News from Prague. There is no room in a summary to list all 55 of the releases—on labels ranging from Accent to Warner Classics— noted in this edition of the full member’s Newsletter 68.

Library Report: by Vera Marsden

This section of the Newsletter regularly keeps Members up to date on additions to the Dvořák Society’s large library of recordings, scores, videos, books and other publications.

25 years ago …

This regular item briefly recalls the issues and events of concern to Dvořák Society members a quarter of a century ago.

Czech Music, The Journal of the Dvořák Society, Vol. 5, No. 3, of July 1979, contained an interesting article on Josef Suk by Sir Cecil Parrott and an article by Adrienne Simpson to mark the 300th anniversary of the birth of Jan Dismas Zelenka. Sir Charles Mackerras was about to replace to Antal Dorati as President.

Diary

The regular Diary section of the Newsletter gives details of performances and other events that are scheduled for the next few months. The Diary is in two parts, British and Overseas. This issue lists 116 British and 73 Overseas events. Events range all the way from large-scale opera and symphonic performances to solo recitals, taking in such diverse activities as touring choirs, chamber music and study weekends.   www.dvorak-society.org