Fibich: The Fall of Arkun

[chill319]

@mikehopf: I believe Rilke's Vigilien was published in 1913, so the name would seem to be coincidental.

[scottevan]

According to Operacast, Saturday afternoon (1:30 pm Eastern) the Czech radio station Vltava will broadcast "The Fall of Arcona" in its entirety.

Zdenek Fibich: Fall Arkuna. Opera in a prologue and three acts on a libretto by Agnes Schulz. Cast: Gunar (George Sulženko), Helga (Dana Burešová) Absalon (Roman Janál) Dargun (David Szendiuch), Margit (Elizabeth Poláčková) Radan (Eva Urbanova), Dolen (David Nykl), Jaroměř (Ales Briscein ) Rutan (Valentin Prolat). Opera Choir of the National Theatre in Prague, choirmaster Paul Vanek, and the National Theatre Orchestra in Prague, conducted by John Fiore. Recorded October 2014;  radio premiere of the first complete recording of the work.

The excerpts from 1952 broadcast when this thread began didn't endear me to the work, but I look forward to a re-evaluation. And a world premiere, at that!

[BerlinExpat]

It's actually this evening, 19:30 CET, so I'll record it. Can someone else therefore record the Georg Schumann at 21:30 CET on Deutschland Radio Kultur?

[Aragion]

I'l try to record Georg Schumann concert (if I don't forget about it).

[eschiss1]

Isn't that one coming out on CD soon enough anyway though???...

[BerlinExpat]

I've heard nothing about a CD release, but of course there could well be one. There was nothing in the progamme at the time to suggest a radio recording, let alone a CD.
I've recorded it and so long as it's got no fall outs I'll post it tomorrow.

[mikehopf]

Some confusion here between the Fibich opera and the Schumann symphony. Which one is coming out on CD and/or which has been recorded?

That's the problem with changing topics mid-stream.

[BerlinExpat]

I guess eschiss1 means the Georg Schumann. It's recorded but who knows when CPO will publish it. There are several things the public was led to believe would be published by CPO and we're still waiting. A prime example is Pfitzner's Die Rose von Liebesgarten from 2008. At least in the meantime we can enjoy the recordings from radio that forum members generously make available. All excellent stop gaps!

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for uploading your recording of Pád Arkuna, BerlinExpat.

[adriano]

In September I have just bought in Bratislava's only classical left over CD shop "Hippodamia's" first part: "The Courtship of Pelops", but still have to listen to it...

[Gareth Vaughan]

Good luck, Adriano! I'm afraid I found it very boring when I heard it some years ago. I listened with a friend who had bought it in a closing down sale for a very small sum. Neither of us was impressed and I think he subsequently got rid of his copy (probably sold it on Amazon!). However...

[adriano]

I tried this very evening, Gareth, but you are right. Just could stand some 20 minutes - and the CD landed already in a box of give-aways to a second-hand seller :-)

[scottevan]

Thanks for uploading your recording of Pád Arkuna, BerlinExpat.

I do echo that; after hearing the work in its entirety I'm *much*  more impressed. This version of the overture, for instance, was I think the best I've heard. (Heard directly after the Prologue in this version.) On the evidence of the music and the plot synopsis (provided with the upload) there's some real dramatic shading to the characters, including the villains. The plot (family secrets set against turbulent times) was compelling enough that, given a good staging and performance, I think it could hold the stage.

For the record   I did give "Hippodamia" a listen after I heard via this forum that it was available. Yes, it is a very long slog through a practically extinct art form, but I was not at all disappointed by some of the purely orchestral sections, and there were a couple of ensembles that are among Fibich's best. I admit, I did a lot of skipping through the words, but this is exactly one of those occasions for which that skip button was made...