V. Novak & J.B. Foerster: Recording plans

[JP]

Greetings one and all. My enquiries with the Arco Diva label has yielded some interesting advance heads-up news on their upcoming plans to record the full orchestral repertoire of JBF as well as V. Novak's major orchestral and symphonic works.  Quoting directly (in italics) from Mr Jiri Stilec's (the director of Arco Diva Prague) reply to my correspondences which read as follows:

"I will reply you step by step, we are on the way to Ostrava, where we will complete the first CD of the complete of Orchestral Works by J.B. Foerster. Our aim is to complete all his orchestral compositions - on first place Symphonies 1 - 5 and of course also other compositions, also these that are still in Czech Museum of Music. Next step after Symphony No 1 by J.B.F. which will be recorded next week in Ostrava will be Symphony No 2 / probably recorded in Olmütz."

Closing bars of the main thematic reprise and chorale from JBF Symphony No.1 < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngsm1fQExsA >

"We will continue with Vitezslav Novak vol. 2 - we will record in Ostrava De profundis, Slovacko Suite and world premiere recording of Two Valachian Dances for Orchestra. We are ready to go on with other compositions, not these that were already recorded for Naxos, but there are still plenty of them, also Autumn and May Symphony."

Concluding apotheosis section of De Profundis orchestral piece < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7t6cGH1oXE >

Do note the impressive entry of the organ's resounding chords blending in unison with the full blared fortissimo playing of the orchestra.

Excerpted ending segment of the sprightly melodic Dymák movement in a premiere recording of the orchestrated rendition of the Valachian dances which was originally a piano composition. < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X8l7ajZkIA >

Meantime, I'm awaiting more news and updates from Arco Diva on the ongoing progress status of their current spate of recording projects and eventual rollout of CD products to convey to you all over the next several weeks and months. 

Best wishes to everyone for the upcoming Easter Holidays, JP. 

[Alan Howe]

Very good news. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Revilod]

Very good news indeed....especially the Autumn and May symphonies which badly need a CD recording.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I heartily agree. They are major works.

[JP]

Here's yet another new preview of the "Tender Lovers" movement from the latest "Slovak Suite" op.32 entry featured on Arco Diva's YouTube Channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fApx0xgp-xo

I was remarking in one of my preceding correspondences with Jiri Štilec that when Marek Štilec gets down to record the Slovak Suite as he has apparently done with a larger ensemble this time around (which he incidentally conducted at last year's Prague Mahler festival concert), he should incorporate the ever essential organ instrumental component in the CD recording of the first movement "At Church" (V Kostele). This appears to have been noticeably absent in the scaled down chamber orchestra version chosen for the concert festival performance (58:00 - 65:58).   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh77ZDCzC-I

Let's hope we get to hear the indispensable bellows and reverberations of the organ's richly sonorous harmonic backing when the recording of V. Novak Vol.2 is eventually issued, all the more inexcusable I suppose with the full array of organ pipes juxtaposed alongside the orchestra.

[jasthill]

Well speaking of the organ in the Slovak Suite - I. Kostele (In the Church) - Karel Šejna with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra on an old Supraphon lets the organ rip, as does Libor Pešek and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in his Novák series from the 90's. Šejna's clocks in at about 7:30 and Pešek's at 9:00 so I'm not sure if a difference in editions is the reason.  Some of those Slovak composers found a nice way to incorporate the organ in their works re: Janáček Tarus Bulba - I. The Death of Andrei; Foester; et. al.

[JP]

Frantisek Vajnar's spaciously expansive plus full bodied interpretation of the first movement (and the whole suite in general) from a Supraphon issued recording dating back to the mid-1980s is notable too for the lush backing and lustrous playing of the Czech Philharmonic's strings section. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8jrfy42xiw

[JP]

Hi everyone, Naxos' follow-up Vol.2 release of Novak works under the Maestro Stilec's ongoing anthological survey is soon to be out next month with the orchestrated version of the Wallachian Dances being the key premiere recording highlights. 

https://www.naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=8.574369

https://www.naxos.com/MainSite/BlurbsReviews/?itemcode=8.574369&catnum=574369&filetype=AboutThisRecording&language=English

All good wishes to one and all for the onset of springtide.