Czech Symphonists post 1900.

[MikeW]

Zdeněk Lukáš (1928-2007), a particular collecting focus of mine, produced seven symphonies between 1960 and 2000, plus a number of symphonic suites, symfoniettas, works for string orchestra, symphonic poems and so on amongst hundreds of other large scale works. Three of the symphonies feature a vocalist or chorus.

I do not know of any recordings of any of the symphonies even in the LP-era. In fact the only orchestral work I know that did get recorded was the 1980 Bagatelles through which I first encountered him. There is a CD Symphonic Works rendered by the Czech Army Central Band, but as you'd guess, this Sinfonia Brevis, Op.265 (1995) is for concert band.

The discography on his official (posthumous) website is far from complete even for recent recordings. Most recent disks focus on his choral, band and chamber output, especially with respect to harp and viola repertoire.

[eschiss1]

APF does list three concertos by Lukáš - his piano concerto, his saxophone concerto grosso, and his horn concerto (op.223) - as having received archive recordings, in 1992, 1997, and 1989. Hrm. Also the concerto grosso with strings op.36 in 1984, the violin concerto in 1989, the concerto op.348 for violin and strings recorded in 2008, clarinet concerto in 1999. (Also two quartets at least- nos. 2 and 5. Don't know if those were recorded commercially, will check the website.)

[MikeW]

I have most of the CD-recorded concerto works, but as this is a symphony thread I didn't list them. As you can see from his list of works from the linked wiki article he already has a huge number of symphonic and orchestral works without adding the ~50 concertante!

[Dundonnell]

It might be worth pointing out that of the 22 Czech symphonies I identified back in February as having been previously issued on LP,  nine have now been uploaded through the generosity of others, and particularly, recently, Elroel and MVS.

The nine are Jan Hanus Nos. 5 and 6; Ivor Jirasek "Mother Hope", Jaromir Podesva Nos.6 and 8; and Jiri Valek Nos. 7, 11, 12 and 13.

Still outstanding therefore are Jindrich Feld Nos. 1 and 2; Jan Kapr No. 7; Isa Krejci Nos. 1, 3 and 4; Jaromir Podesva Nos. 3, 4 and 7; Jiri Valek Nos. 5, 6, 8 and  9 ....if anybody has any of these

[Dundonnell]

Jiri Valek's Symphonies Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 9 have now been added to the site Thanks, MVS

According to Mike Herman's discography the Valek Symphony No.5 "Guernica" was on a Supraphon set of LPS 110 1601 and No. 8 "Hic sunt homines" for soprano and orchestra was on a Supraphon LP 110 1569(coupled with No. 9).

[Dundonnell]

......and now Valek's 5th and 8th symphonies have joined the others

Many thanks, MVS

(Thirteen Czech symphonies down, just nine to go )

[Dundonnell]

The recent generous additions of Jindrich Feld's Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 and Jan Kapr's Symphony No.7 means that the list of Czech Symphonies written post-1900 and originally identified as having been issued on LP has now shrunk from 22 to a mere six

The outstanding six are:

Isa Krejci Symphonies Nos. 1 (1954-55: Panton 810830-1 from 1988), 3 (1961-63: Panton 8110 0476 from 1985) and 4 (1961-66: Panton 040 9999 from 1967 or in the coupling with No.3 from 1985)  and Jaromir Podesva's Symphonies Nos. 3  "Culmination-The Pearl at the Bottom" (1966: Panton 040 9996 from 1967), 4 "Sinfonia da Camera" (1967: Supraphon 1110 3399 from 1984) and 7 "In memoriam J.P. jun."(1982-83: Supraphon 1119 3666 from 1984).

(Source: Mike Herman's invaluable Discography).

The Podesva Symphony No.4 should be possible since it was coupled with the Jiri Valkek Symphony No.13 which we had uploaded previously

Krejci was a neo-classicist whose music has an obvious appeal., Podesva, possibly a trifle more modern but still essentially a tonalist composer.

(I shall cross-post this to Download Requests).