Zelenka's Zenith

[Octave]

Freshly pressed:



(picture link)

Didn't have time to check it out yet but the generous excerpt sounds enticing.

Has anyone heard this?  Rinaldo posted this a year ago, and I've just become interested in Zelenka beyond the very few recordings I've heard so far.  I had a chance to listen to Luks' disc with the REQUIEM and was much impressed.  I wonder if I need this newer one (above) as well?

[SonicMan46]

Well, I've been a Zelenka fan for a while and have 7 discs of his orchestral & chamber works (which I'll play this weekend!) (shown below for those interested) - NOW, I do not have any of his vocal compositions which I would like to correct soon!  So, will be following this thread closely for recommendations - Dave

   

[HIPster]

Just ordered this one and am very excited for it to land next week!

[asin]B00000442N[/asin]

I've heard many wonderful things about this recording (and the Giorano Bruno stamp of approval elevates it to almost legendary status). . .

Dave, enjoy your listening this weekend!

[Rinaldo]

Good timing! A premiere recording of Gaude laetare was just released by Ensemble Inégal. Haven't heard it yet but the sample sure makes me want to.

As for recommendations, Missa votiva is a must. Zelenka at his most, um, Zelenkian. This record is the staple of my musical library:

[asin]B001AS6A9G[/asin]

[Rinaldo]

Has anyone heard this?  Rinaldo posted this a year ago, and I've just become interested in Zelenka beyond the very few recordings I've heard so far.  I had a chance to listen to Luks' disc with the REQUIEM and was much impressed.  I wonder if I need this newer one (above) as well?

If you enjoy Luks and his ensemble, it's a safe bet. I bought it a few months ago and while I didn't find the music itself THAT interesting, I also didn't invest that much time in it, as my enthusiasm for the composer cooled down for a while.

[Octave]

Thanks for the reply, Rinaldo, and for the MISSA VOTIVA recommendation.

[Que]

Good timing! A premiere recording of Gaude laetare was just released by Ensemble Inégal. Haven't heard it yet but the sample sure makes me want to.

As for recommendations, Missa votiva is a must. Zelenka at his most, um, Zelenkian. This record is the staple of my musical library:

[asin]B001AS6A9G[/asin]

Seconded!

Q

[HIPster]

Has anyone heard this?  Looks splendid:

[asin]B0072IVGSI[/asin]

[Que]

Has anyone heard yet?

[asin]B008OE555Y[/asin]

The coronation of Charles VI as Czech king in Prague was the event of 1723. Besides the Imperial Kapellmeister J. J. Fux's monumental opera Costanza e Fortezza, the greatest attention was paid to the melodrama Sub olea pacis, created by Fux's pupil Jan Dismas Zelenka, who at the time had been double-bassist in the Dresden court orchestra for more than a decade. In a succession of allegories, the composer guides us through the history of the Czech lands and evidences the genealogically founded title of the Habsburg royal couple to the crown of Bohemia, as well as their reign's benefit for the Czech people. Owing to its quality, the music clearly eclipses this encomiastic work's other components. Zelenka ingeniously works with instrumentation and frequently makes effective use of obbligato solo instruments (including the chalumeau). Over 150 performers appeared in the play, among them the thirteen-year-old František Benda. The performance at the Jesuit Klementinum met with a tremendous response among the noble audience and the royal couple alike, while the Jesuits sold over 4,000 (!) printed librettos. The work's most recent and similarly spectacular staging was at Prague Castle in 2000, performed by leading Czech and other European ensembles. This critically acclaimed recording was made on that very occasion.

Q

[HenselFlaeder]

I only have the old Archiv set of the Sonatas, but they are truly some of the GREATEST musical compositons I know. Zelenka gets it right.

[The new erato]

Has anyone heard yet?

[asin]B008OE555Y[/asin]

The coronation of Charles VI as Czech king in Prague was the event of 1723. Besides the Imperial Kapellmeister J. J. Fux's monumental opera Costanza e Fortezza, the greatest attention was paid to the melodrama Sub olea pacis, created by Fux's pupil Jan Dismas Zelenka, who at the time had been double-bassist in the Dresden court orchestra for more than a decade. In a succession of allegories, the composer guides us through the history of the Czech lands and evidences the genealogically founded title of the Habsburg royal couple to the crown of Bohemia, as well as their reign's benefit for the Czech people. Owing to its quality, the music clearly eclipses this encomiastic work's other components. Zelenka ingeniously works with instrumentation and frequently makes effective use of obbligato solo instruments (including the chalumeau). Over 150 performers appeared in the play, among them the thirteen-year-old František Benda. The performance at the Jesuit Klementinum met with a tremendous response among the noble audience and the royal couple alike, while the Jesuits sold over 4,000 (!) printed librettos. The work's most recent and similarly spectacular staging was at Prague Castle in 2000, performed by leading Czech and other European ensembles. This critically acclaimed recording was made on that very occasion.

Q

This is a reissue of this:

[asin]B00005N8EE[/asin]

somewhat confusingly under another title. I didn't notice that, so now I have both   , and in any case, it isn't major Zelenka. PM me Your address, and I'll send you the older Version.

[jlaurson]

Ionarts-at-Large: Zelenka to fall in Love with at the Konzerthaus

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2014/01/ionarts-at-large-zelenka-to-fall-in.html

[Rinaldo]

Ionarts-at-Large: Zelenka to fall in Love with at the Konzerthaus

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2014/01/ionarts-at-large-zelenka-to-fall-in.html

Wonderful to see Zelenka's (and C1704's!) fame spreading!

New CD coming up, by the way. Both are premiere recordings, should be available soon.

[Que]

What a wonderful rabbit hole you've fallen down into. The Supraphon Zelenka series is glorious, and so is a '90s Helios disc.

+1.
And Dombrecht's De Profundis, Miserere, Requiem disc is great.

Add the Nibiru series, also by Czech forces.

Agreed on all points! Let me add Zig-Zag Répertoire and an ongoing the series on Accent, all by Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale under Václav Luks.

There is a whole Zelenka revival!

This sequence of posts constitutes a really nice shopping list for anyone looking for nice Zelenka recordings,  I think.

Q

[Karl Henning]

I knew the risks 

[Karl Henning]

As for recommendations, Missa votiva is a must. Zelenka at his most, um, Zelenkian. This record is the staple of my musical library:

[asin]B001AS6A9G[/asin]

This piece ranks high among Boston Musical Events I Regret Having Had to Miss, as (I believe) the Cantata Singers presented this a couple of seasons ago.  I've pulled the trigger on a copy, and patiently await its arrival.

[Cato]

How curious!  The local classical station played an instrumental piece (a Capriccio ?)  by Jan Dismas Zelenka just yesterday: the announcer lamented the lack of biographical information on the composer.

[North Star]

This piece ranks high among Boston Musical Events I Regret Having Had to Miss, as (I believe) the Cantata Singers presented this a couple of seasons ago.  I've pulled the trigger on a copy, and patiently await its arrival.

You fool! You should be impatient! 

[Rinaldo]

Listened to the Missa Omnium Sanctorum again and had to share the moment I've been looking for since hearing it live three years ago.

My favourite part though comes soon after with the Benedictus, which has a sublime but captivating string writing going against a sombre solo voice. Hearing it live was mesmerizing.

https://www.youtube.com/v/xdeNbMxVvYY

[jlaurson]

Listened to the Missa Omnium Sanctorum again and had to share the moment I've been looking for since hearing it live three years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/v/xdeNbMxVvYY

That *is* absolutely terrific, indeed!