Vitezslaw Novak (1870-1949)

Started by vandermolen, June 01, 2007, 07:44:07 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

vandermolen

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Daverz

#161
Quote from: kyjo on July 26, 2020, 07:29:25 PM
I haven't heard Nikotina yet, but I have heard his other ballet-pantomime Signorina Gioventu which was an absolutely stunning discovery of mine about a month ago:

[asin]B000003518[/asin]

All the adjectives you used to describe Nikotina could easily be used to describe Signorina Gioventu; this is enormously colorful, inventive, tuneful, and engrossing music. I loved every minute of it! I thought it was more melodically distinctive than, say, his tone poems, much as I enjoy those.

Both Nikotina and Signorina Gioventu are $2.49  for lossless downloads on Qobuz.  I usually spend more on a cup of coffee.


vandermolen

Quote from: Daverz on January 15, 2021, 04:37:15 PM
Both Nikotina and Signorina Gioventu are $2.49  for lossless downloads on Qobuz.  I usually spend more on a cup of coffee.
Great value!
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Roasted Swan

Quote from: vandermolen on January 16, 2021, 12:52:35 AM
Great value!

I opted for the more expensive (still under £4.00 per disc) higher-res downloads and they sound as good as I have ever heard these recordings.

J

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on August 03, 2020, 10:54:30 PM
Independently if both May and Autumn symphonies are or not top-drawer Novák I do want to hear them on performances and recordings that do do justice to them. What we have on YouTube regarding sound quality is frankly unbearable IMO. I prefer to wait the proper recordings to come, hopefully sooner than later (hey Naxos, Supraphon, Chandos, CPO, read this!) 🙏

As you may have seen posted by "JP" on the Unsung Composers website, Czech label Arco Diva apparently has plans to record these works, - timetable uncertain.

vandermolen

Quote from: J on March 27, 2021, 01:07:12 PM
As you may have seen posted by "JP" on the Unsung Composers website, Czech label Arco Diva apparently has plans to record these works, - timetable uncertain.
That's great news. I hope that we get a new recording of 'The Storm' one day.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

J

Quote from: vandermolen on March 27, 2021, 01:17:20 PM
That's great news. I hope that we get a new recording of 'The Storm' one day.

I'm at least open now to it being possible the works are more meritorious than the YouTube performances and recordings let on.

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: J on March 27, 2021, 01:07:12 PM
As you may have seen posted by "JP" on the Unsung Composers website, Czech label Arco Diva apparently has plans to record these works, - timetable uncertain.

I just checked it. Thanks for the info. According to those notes, they do look interested in recording those works, so I would think we'll have them the next year, or perhaps before. Who knows.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

vandermolen

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on March 28, 2021, 02:21:52 PM
I just checked it. Thanks for the info. According to those notes, they do look interested in recording those works, so I would think we'll have them the next year, or perhaps before. Who knows.
That's good news.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Symphonic Addict

Taken from the UCF:

QuoteGreetings 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."

"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."

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.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

vandermolen

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Symphonic Addict



Yesterday I was revisiting the magnificent Sonata Eroica for piano from this great double-CD. It's one of those cases where I say "why it's not better known!". It comprises two meaty movements featuring heroic themes (partly hence its title Eroica) and committed mastery. In the 2nd mov. it appears an "Arabian" motif that gives the piece a slight exotic flavour to it. Warmly recommended.

There is another recording where Radoslav Kvapil is the pianist, but it's not as good as this IMO.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

vandermolen

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on June 27, 2022, 03:35:52 PM


Yesterday I was revisiting the magnificent Sonata Eroica for piano from this great double-CD. It's one of those cases where I say "why it's not better known!". It comprises two meaty movements featuring heroic themes (partly hence its title Eroica) and committed mastery. In the 2nd mov. it appears an "Arabian" motif that gives the piece a slight exotic flavour to it. Warmly recommended.

There is another recording where Radoslav Kvapil is the pianist, but it's not as good as this IMO.
Oh, I have that set - must listen to it  ::)
Thanks Cesar.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

MusicTurner

#173
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on March 30, 2021, 04:24:50 PM
Taken from the UCF (...) Foerster (...) Novak (...)

Interesting and excellent ~almost ~news, thank you.

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: vandermolen on June 27, 2022, 10:35:00 PM
Oh, I have that set - must listen to it  ::)
Thanks Cesar.

I suspect you'll enjoy it, Jeffrey.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: MusicTurner on June 27, 2022, 11:06:52 PM
Interesting and excellent ~almost ~news, thank you.

Who knows when we will have these recordings...
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

vandermolen

#176
Thoroughly enjoying this new release (Volume 2) which just arrived.
The usual view is that Novak's greatest works were all composed in the early part of the 20th Century, however works like 'De Profundis' 1941 (recorded here) and The South Bohemian Suite (on the earlier Naxos release) (1937) challenge this view:

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: vandermolen on May 01, 2023, 11:28:18 AMThoroughly enjoying this new release (Volume 2) which just arrived.
The usual view is that Novak's greatest works were all composed in the early part of the 20th Century, however works like 'De Profundis' 1941 (recorded here) and The South Bohemian Suite (on the earlier Naxos release) (1937) challenge this view:


Neat!  I'll try and see if I can find a way to listen to them.  :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter