Janáček (Leoš' Lair)

[Mirror Image]

John,

Bad news round 2. I listened to the disc at work this morning, and there is a good-to-excellent Sinfonietta (i-iv excellent, even reference versions, v just missing the mark) but the Glagolitic Mass is easily the least successful recording I've heard anywhere or by anybody. I am really, really disappointed.

I'll be assigned this CD for MusicWeb so I will explain in more detail, but suffice to say that there is about one passage per movement of unaccountably mushy tempo - even in the organ solo - and Timothy Bentch is nowhere near as good in the tenor solo as you'd expect from his amazing Mahler 8.

It should be noted that the headphones and streaming quality I listened to were REALLY REALLY BAD and that there is a decent chance I might like it better in full CD sound quality. But I did identify a few passages where the sound did not matter to my displeasure.

Thanks Brian, I'll be interested to read your full review once you've posted it. I'm not sure what thread I said this on, but I had come to the conclusion that at this juncture I doubt any performance will best MTT's. I have praised this recording for many months here and I'll continue to sing it's praises because I'm highly confident that there's no other performance that can top this one. There's something about MTT's phrasing and the amount of power he gets the orchestra to play with that makes it work for me. You definitely should try and track this recording down.

[Brian]

Thanks Brian, I'll be interested to read your full review once you've posted it.

Well, John, I listened a second time and my impression has reversed itself 178 degrees. My qualms now are that Timothy Bentch is still not an ideal tenor for the part and there is one chord in 'Veruju' which is a little soft-edged - but other than that, the "really really bad" sound quality I cited earlier was a main culprit. The choir is really up to its usual high standard, the clarity is marvelous (those muted trombones in 'Svet'!), the last 40 seconds of the organ solo absolutely catch fire, and even the "unaccountably mushy tempos" in spots make more sense now that I realize that they usually lead directly into Wit driving his forces forward like a pack of wolves. The 'Slava' has an especially exhilarating race to the finish line, and the first two minutes of 'Svet' are built, orchestrally and chorally, with a doomed chain-gang sense of burden that's really terrifying. Not a first choice, but not nearly a last choice.

As for the Sinfonietta, the final chord doesn't quite attack hard enough, and the first few notes are slightly too fast for me, but everything in between is perfection, and the acoustic really helps.

[Mirror Image]

Well, John, I listened a second time and my impression has reversed itself 178 degrees. My qualms now are that Timothy Bentch is still not an ideal tenor for the part and there is one chord in 'Veruju' which is a little soft-edged - but other than that, the "really really bad" sound quality I cited earlier was a main culprit. The choir is really up to its usual high standard, the clarity is marvelous (those muted trombones in 'Svet'!), the last 40 seconds of the organ solo absolutely catch fire, and even the "unaccountably mushy tempos" in spots make more sense now that I realize that they usually lead directly into Wit driving his forces forward like a pack of wolves. The 'Slava' has an especially exhilarating race to the finish line, and the first two minutes of 'Svet' are built, orchestrally and chorally, with a doomed chain-gang sense of burden that's really terrifying. Not a first choice, but not nearly a last choice.

As for the Sinfonietta, the final chord doesn't quite attack hard enough, and the first few notes are slightly too fast for me, but everything in between is perfection, and the acoustic really helps.

Interesting commentary. Thanks Brian. I'm guessing you still haven't heard MTT's recording yet?

[Brian]

Update: if I was a space alien, I'd give Antoni Wit's 'Taras Bulba' three thumbs up. The lower brass is spectacular in the first movement, the woodwind playing is phenomenal, and no conductor - not Mackerras, not Ancerl - makes a more satisfying ending... the last 2 minutes or so had always really bothered me, because they're so repetitive and kinda anticlimactic, but not in this account. Wit gets it. Real sense of achievement at the end of the piece; a great performance.

[Jake]

I will be living in Brno in a few weeks and while researching the musical history of the city I came across Janáček and subsequently, this thread. Almost all of the recordings mentioned here are now on my Amazon Wishlist but I'm still curious to hear a decent recording of the restored Glagolitic Mass. Has one surfaced, yet? Thanks all for this dazzling thread and for properly introducing me to Janáček!

[Jake]

In lieu of the "Unknown Janáček" discs by SUPRAPHON that were touted earlier in this thread (which now seem OOP and expensive) does anyone have any experience with this disc? I realize the accordion isn't exactly a harmonium, but it seems like an interesting approach anyway. That and I've had good luck with Winter & Winter before. Thanks all!

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[Brian]

I'm still curious to hear a decent recording of the restored Glagolitic Mass. Has one surfaced, yet?

Alas, no
The best is a DVD of a live concert with Charles Mackerras and the Czech Philharmonic. Mackerras also has a CD of the restored Mass, with a Danish orchestra, and it's acceptable but not really ideal. If you ever visit websites (newsgroups mainly) where people share radio broadcasts of live concerts, there is a quite good performance from the 2011 BBC Proms with Jiri Belohlavek conducting - the only blemish is a tenor who sounds kinda like an angry old lady.

[Mirror Image]

And of course Brian still hasn't heard MTT's Sinfonietta or Glagolitic Mass.

[Jake]

And of course Brian still hasn't heard MTT's Sinfonietta or Glagolitic Mass.

Well, you've convinced me to order it. Was astonishingly inexpensive, too. Can't wait to give it a listen. Thanks!

Thanks to Brian, too! I know of some of these sites but the ones I'm registered with turned up nothing. Ah well. The search continues!

[Mirror Image]

Well, you've convinced me to order it. Was astonishingly inexpensive, too. Can't wait to give it a listen. Thanks!

You're welcome, Jake. I've been annoying everybody with this recording for many, many months. I'm glad that somebody took a chance and trusts my judgment.

[TheGSMoeller]

You're welcome, Jake. I've been annoying everybody with this recording for many, many months. I'm glad that somebody took a chance and trusts my judgment.

It's not being annoying when you're right, John. 

[Karl Henning]

You're welcome, Jake. I've been annoying everybody with this recording for many, many months. I'm glad that somebody took a chance and trusts my judgment.

Even a stopped clock.... ; )

[Mirror Image]

It's not being annoying when you're right, John. 

I don't know if I'm right. Being right just doesn't feel right.

If you go back several pages, I get into a little squabble with a few members about the MTT recordings and why I preferred it to others, but at the end of the day we all have our favorites.

[Mirror Image]

Even a stopped clock.... ; )

[Brian]

And of course Brian still hasn't heard MTT's Sinfonietta or Glagolitic Mass.

In my defense, he did ask about the restored version of the score!

[Mirror Image]

In my defense, he did ask about the restored version of the score!

Yes, I know, but you've never answered the question I asked you back in November! In fact, you still haven't answered it!

[Karl Henning]

There is art in evading some questions! : )

[Mirror Image]

There is art in evading some questions! : )

Evidently.

[ggluek]

Hi Guys --

I'm relatively new to GMG, but not to Janacek, whose music I have been a fan of for 45 years -- long enough to have seen at least three revivals of interest in his music, each of which had more legs than the last.  Now I think he's made it into the standard repertoire, and is no longer a novelty.

I have owned and/or heard lots of recordings over the years, but wanted to mention one that earned a weird place in my heart.  MacKerras' first recorded attempt at bringing Janacek to English ears was a mid-1960s Sinfonietta, issued on the Golden Guinea series with what I presume was a pick-up band listed as the Pro Arte Orchestra.  I presume it was recorded late at night, after the players had come out of other concerts (and intervening bars), and they could barely essay music that was probably unfamiliar to many of them.  The performance was both absolutely harrowing, and altogether appropriate to the music.  It still sends shivers up and down my spine.  It's far from the be all and end all of Sinfoniettas, but it's elemental, and as such has a place in my heart.  Don't know if it's still available digitally.

cheers --
George

[Guido]

Sounds amazing. Could it be this one?

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