Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915–1940)

[Rinaldo]

This year marks the centenary of her birth, so let's have a tombstone of a thread dedicated to one of the greatest talents that wasn't allowed to flourish.



Not familiar with Kaprálová? She was a student (and muse) of Martinů and the musical language shows, although I'll never stop wondering where it could develop if Kaprálová enjoyed a full life. Aside from being a prodigious talent, she was also an up-and-coming conductor, conducting her own graduation work, the Piano Concerto, when she was twenty, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra three years later in 1938.

https://www.youtube.com/v/3FBV3fnZGIM

https://www.youtube.com/v/EbvM-D8TJBw

https://www.youtube.com/v/i1Ekcngn-2c

The Kapralova Society maintains the composer's legacy.

Nice summary from Telegraph
Martinů, Kaprálová, and the musical symbolism (.pdf)

[Rinaldo]

(..and right after I shared the Appassionata on my facebook wall, a friend of mine casually mentioned Kaprálová was actually her grand-aunt. The world is SMALL!)

[vers la flamme]

Bump for a composer I've just discovered.

I heard this composer's name mentioned in a thread on another board recently (I believe the topic was "Most attractive female composers/performers"). Shortly after, I was watching the TV show Mozart in the Jungle and her music was featured heavily in season 3 after one of the characters realizes that she has an eerie resemblance to the composer and starts dressing like her and singing her songs (albeit poorly, with a kind of cabaret affectation, that doesn't really do the music justice). Anyway I found the story of her life fascinating and decided to check out some of her music. She was quite prolific considering her short life—she died at my age, 25.

I got this on Qobuz:



Sounds good to me. I'm excited to spend more time with her music. Seems she spent much of her time writing songs.

Anyone else listening to Kaprálová? I know there are some Czech music aficionados here.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I love this recording of her orchestral works. Elegant, cute and lively music. The Naxos disc will be released on June 25.

[Roasted Swan]

I love this recording of her orchestral works. Elegant, cute and lively music. The Naxos disc will be released on June 25.

I only discovered her recently via the "April Preludes" on this fine disc



14 different composers all very well performed.  BUT the Kapralova is the stand-out work.  Clearly a genuinely prodigious talent and one of the great "what-might-have-beens..."

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I only discovered her recently via the "April Preludes" on this fine disc



14 different composers all very well performed.  BUT the Kapralova is the stand-out work.  Clearly a genuinely prodigious talent and one of the great "what-might-have-beens..."

I will look for recordings of her piano works since I know only few of them. I like her piano concerto. I will check out this album as well!