Josef Suk 1874-1935

[Cato]

Just bought 3 CDs with a selection of Suk's orchestral works, conducted by Kirill Petrenko.
I'm quite curious. I've never heard Kirill Petrenko - actually he made very few recordings so far - and I've read somewhere he has been championing Suk's music for years.
Here with a Berlin Orchestra, of course, but not yet the famous one...

So...are they good?  Great?  Or something else?  0:)

[Scion7]

I'm quite curious. I've never heard Kirill Petrenko - actually he made very few recordings so far - and I've read somewhere he has been championing Suk's music for years.

Then he at least has good taste!  Excellent composer with a grandson who is one of the great 20th century violinists.

Please give an update as soon as you can on these . . .  I have tons of Supraphon recordings of Suk, among other labels.  A favorite.

[Daverz]

Then he at least has good taste!  Excellent composer with a grandson who is one of the great 20th century violinists.

Please give an update as soon as you can on these . . .  I have tons of Supraphon recordings of Suk, among other labels.  A favorite.

Petrenko's Asrael is excellent.  Even considering competition like Mackerras and Kubelik, this performance is very, very good.  Been a while since I listened to the disc with Ripening, though, and I don't have this A Summer's Tale.

[GioCar]

So...are they good?  Great?  Or something else?  0:)

Please give an update as soon as you can on these . . .

They are in my listening backlog. Hopefully I'll give them a spin in the weekend.

[Scion7]

You could be hit by a speeding micro-meteor before the weekend.
I vote you execute Emergency Overide Archimedes, and put them in the queue right now!

0:)

[GioCar]

You could be hit by a speeding micro-meteor before the weekend.
I vote you execute Emergency Overide Archimedes, and put them in the queue right now!

0:)

lol

More likely I could be shot in an ISIS terrorist attack 

[cilgwyn]

I just posted this in the "What are you listening to now" thread.

"I'm listening to Suk's Asrael Symphony. This is a good value for money set if you're on a budget and want to investigate the music of this composer. Big,epic,late romantic blockbusters with massive,noisy climaxes,and lots of wonderful quiet bits as well. Grreeeeat!!!! I've got his other blockbusters,Ripening,and Epilogue,lined up for when I've finished with these two!".

[cilgwyn]

I love the big,noisy,pulverising orchestral climaxes in these blockbusters. What not to like?!! Yeeeeeee-hoooooo!!

[Mirror Image]

I love the big,noisy,pulverising orchestral climaxes in these blockbusters. What not to like?!! Yeeeeeee-hoooooo!!

Asrael Symphony has been a work that hasn't done much for me. I'm not sure why this is the case as I'm quite a fan of 'tragic' symphonies, but there's just something missing here that I can't quite put my finger on. A Summer's Tale, on the other hand, I really enjoy. Fairy Tale is another feather in Suk's cap as far as I'm concerned.

[cilgwyn]

I can't help but agree,really. My initial exhilaration at some of the undoubted skill and imagination,not to mention the thunderous climaxes that I might have brained my parents with when I was a youngster ( if I'd known about it back then?) usually drains off towards the end. Some critics have compared the Asrael to Mahler. And as a fan of Mahler,that's the problem. It is an impressive piece of music. I can't really fault it;but there is something missing. If it wasn't all so skilfully put together I'd be able to put my finger on it more easily. It's even got a good tune. Probably the best bit in the work,with that aching,yearning theme in the strings. I find it quite memorable. Still,not everyone can be a Mahler! Yes,I prefer A Summers Tale,too. I think the Asrael is worth a listen now and again,though,if only to puzzle over and give my music system a noisy workout!!

[cilgwyn]

Ripening now. I prefer this to the Asrael;which reservations aside,I did actually enjoy!

[vandermolen]

I love 'Asrael' a deeply moving work. I reckon I have at least half a dozen recordings of it.

Let's think:

Pesek
Neuman
Talich
Kubelik
Svetlanov
Malaysian SO version (VG) (Flor)
Ashkenazy (VG)
Chandos recording (Belholavec)
Weller
Mackerrass (excellent)

That's ten off the top of my head.

[Mirror Image]

I love 'Asrael' a deeply moving work. I reckon I have at least half a dozen recordings of it.

Let's think:

Pesek
Neuman
Tallich
Kubelik
Svetlanov
Malaysian SO version (VG) (Flor)
Ashkenazy (VG)
Chandos recording (Belholavec)
Weller
Mackerras (excellent)

That's ten off the top of my head.

Belohlavek has recorded Asrael twice actually (also on Supraphon coupled with Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem).

[Daverz]

I love 'Asrael' a deeply moving work. I reckon I have at least half a dozen recordings of it.

Let's think:

Pesek
Neuman
Tallich
Kubelik
Svetlanov
Malaysian SO version (VG) (Flor)
Ashkenazy (VG)
Chandos recording (Belholavec)
Weller
Mackerrass (excellent)

That's ten off the top of my head.

A dark horse I really like is Petrenko with the Berlin Comic Opera Orchestra (the other Petrenko).  The other top choices would be Mackerras, Kubelik (difficult to find) and Talich.

Ugh, I see I'm just repeating what I wrote nearly a year ago.

[Daverz]

I can't help but agree,really. My initial exhilaration at some of the undoubted skill and imagination,not to mention the thunderous climaxes that I might have brained my parents with when I was a youngster ( if I'd known about it back then?) usually drains off towards the end. Some critics have compared the Asrael to Mahler. And as a fan of Mahler,that's the problem. It is an impressive piece of music. I can't really fault it;but there is something missing. If it wasn't all so skilfully put together I'd be able to put my finger on it more easily. It's even got a good tune. Probably the best bit in the work,with that aching,yearning theme in the strings. I find it quite memorable. Still,not everyone can be a Mahler! Yes,I prefer A Summers Tale,too. I think the Asrael is worth a listen now and again,though,if only to puzzle over and give my music system a noisy workout!!

Agree completely.  Though I treasure his music, Suk does not have the clarity, directness, and universality of Mahler, he's much more reticent.

[vandermolen]

Belohlavek has recorded Asrael twice actually (also on Supraphon coupled with Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem).

Yes, and I have both of them!

[vandermolen]

A dark horse I really like is Petrenko with the Berlin Comic Opera Orchestra (the other Petrenko).  The other top choices would be Mackerras, Kubelik (difficult to find) and Talich.

Ugh, I see I'm just repeating what I wrote nearly a year ago.

I have that one too.  Which makes twelve recordings including two by Belohlavek.
OCD 

[kyjo]

Though Suk's mature works such as Asrael and A Summer's Tale are often regarded as his masterpieces (for good reason, though I struggle a bit with them, especially the latter), I find his sunnier, earlier works to be more accessible and not without individuality. Recently, I discovered his wonderful Symphony no. 1 in E major and Fantastic Scherzo - both are wonderful, open-hearted works full of memorable themes (in particular, the lilting, slightly melancholy main theme of the latter is impossible to dislodge from the brain). Sure, one can hear the influence of Suk's beloved teacher, Dvorak, but Suk has a very personal lyricism all his own. His opus 1 Piano Quartet is also a superb work.

[vandermolen]

Though Suk's mature works such as Asrael and A Summer's Tale are often regarded as his masterpieces (for good reason, though I struggle a bit with them, especially the latter), I find his sunnier, earlier works to be more accessible and not without individuality. Recently, I discovered his wonderful Symphony no. 1 in E major and Fantastic Scherzo - both are wonderful, open-hearted works full of memorable themes (in particular, the lilting, slightly melancholy main theme of the latter is impossible to dislodge from the brain). Sure, one can hear the influence of Suk's beloved teacher, Dvorak, but Suk has a very personal lyricism all his own. His opus 1 Piano Quartet is also a superb work.

There is some great chamber works. My favourite orchestral works are 'Asrael', 'Fantastic Scherzo' and 'Prague'. Am not so keen on A Summer's Tale and Ripening. I like Meditation on an Old Czech Hymn which exists in chamber and orchestral versions.
I recall this as a great disc:

Also, a strong recommendation for this CD (£2.00 on Amazon UK!)

[SymphonicAddict]

Though Suk's mature works such as Asrael and A Summer's Tale are often regarded as his masterpieces (for good reason, though I struggle a bit with them, especially the latter), I find his sunnier, earlier works to be more accessible and not without individuality. Recently, I discovered his wonderful Symphony no. 1 in E major and Fantastic Scherzo - both are wonderful, open-hearted works full of memorable themes (in particular, the lilting, slightly melancholy main theme of the latter is impossible to dislodge from the brain). Sure, one can hear the influence of Suk's beloved teacher, Dvorak, but Suk has a very personal lyricism all his own. His opus 1 Piano Quartet is also a superb work.

I also have some slight problems with A Summer's Tale, but lately I've come to appreciate it much better. Asrael is definitely right up my alley. Another work I find utterly charming and effective of his is A Fairy's Tale (Raduz and Mahulena). There is plenty of magic throughout that score. As for chamber music, the Piano Quintet and Piano Trio are worth listening. The 2 string quartets are in another league, too introspective for my tase, rather in the vein of the Schmidt's string quartets.