Karel Husa (1921 - 2016)

Started by Scion7, April 21, 2016, 07:16:52 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Cato

"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

Scion7

#21
Quote from: karlhenning on April 25, 2016, 06:12:52 AM
Ash sample thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul

YouTube has a live recording of the Evocations de Slovaquie for Clarinet/Viola/Cello (1951) transcribed for Flute/Viola/Cello:

La Montagne-La Nuit-La Danse
(Mountain-Night-Dance)

Kate Steinbeck, flute
Andrew Levin, viola
Elizabeth Austin, cello

Live concert recording, Asheville, NC
Keowee Chamber Music Festival 2001

When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

snyprrr

Has anyone heard that NewWorld disc with the Violin Sonata?




btw-

Listened again to the Hunsberger 'Prague'. Crackin crackin good stuff- for me, it's a PerfectPiece, I just wish the ending were a bit more barbaric. But, though it has e choes of perhapps Bartok, there is still something new and fresh here...

sorry, headache...

Scion7

#23
Yes, I have it.  It's a spikey, glissando-infused, modernistic sonata. Won't clear a room except for the most extreme musical-conservatives.     :)

Sonata for Violin & Piano
HUSA-Oliveira, Oei
I-II-Interlude-III
1973
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

snyprrr

Quote from: Scion7 on April 26, 2016, 07:17:23 PM
Yes, I have it.  It's a spikey, glissando-infused, modernistic sonata. Won't clear a room except for the most extreme musical-conservatives.     :)

Sonata for Violin & Piano
HUSA-Oliveira, Oei
I-II-Interlude-III
1973

Ah, you know me too well, haha!

Is it a proper recommends, or is there better Husa? Love 'Prague', SQs not so much. Must YouTube it...

Scion7

#25
Quote from: snyprrr on April 27, 2016, 08:41:53 AM
Is it a proper recommends, or is there better Husa? Love 'Prague', SQs not so much. Must YouTube it...

Do I recommend this sonata - yes.  I also strongly recommend anything he wrote with winds.
Or his Cello Concerto - or his Suite from The Trojan Women - or his two symphonies - etc.
I haven't heard anything I didn't like (yet.)

Go forth - and conquer new lands for your stereo. And if you find those standing in your way - for example, let's hypothetically use M.I. - well, you're  a sniper - you know what to do.   :P
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

snyprrr

Quote from: Scion7 on April 21, 2016, 07:16:52 AM
Czech composer born in Prague, August 7, 1921. He's ninety-five.  Husa studied the violin and piano because his parents wanted him to be able to enjoy music while pursuing the practical career of an engineer. He was already enrolled in engineering school when the Nazis took over Czechoslovakia and closed all the technical schools. Studied at the Prague Conservatory for four years beginning in 1941.  Studied in Paris with Honnegar.  His first string quartet garnered a great deal of fame in 1951.  His third string quartet won the Pulitzer Prize in 1969.  His Cello Concerto won the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition in 1993. He emigrated to America in 1954, and joined the faculty at Cornell.  Husa became a U.S. citizen in 1959. He won other various awards throughout his life, including the Czech Republic giving him the Gold Medal of Merit in 1995. He and his wife Simone (m. 1948) live in North Carolina, after living in Ithaca, NY for 40 years.  His modernist music has been described as "aggressive."


     Orchestral                                                                                      Chamber
==================                                                     ==========================
Concerto for Brass Quintet & Strings, 1971                                        Sonatina for Violin & Piano, Op.6
Overture for Large Orchestra, Op.3, 1944                                          3 Studies for Solo Clarinet, 2008
Sinfonietta for Chamber Orchestra, Op.4, 1944                                  Sonatina for Flute & Piano, 2003 (based on Op. 6)
4 Easy Pieces for Oboe, Trumpet, Percussion & Strings, 1952            Postcard from Home, for Alto Sax & Piano, 1997
Divertimento for Strings, 1948                                                        Suite for Viola & Piano, Op.5 1945
3 Frescoes for Orchestra, Op.7, 1947                                               2 Preludes for Flute, Clarinet & Bassoon, 1966
Concertino for Piano & Orchestra, Op.10, 1949                                  String Quartet No.1, Op.8 1948 
Portrait, for Strings, 1953                                                               String Quartet No.2, 1953
Symphony Nr.1, 1953                                                                    String Quartet No.3, 1968
4 Little Pieces for Strings, 1955                                                        Divertimento, brass quintet, 1968
Fantasies, 1956                                                                              String Quartet "0", 1943
Poème, Viola & Chamber Orchestra, 1959                                           Studies, percussion, 1968
Elégie et rondeau, alto sax, orch, 1961, arr. alto sax, piano                   Sonata for violin & piano, 1973
Mosaïques, 1961                                                                              Landscapes for Brass Quintet, 1977
Fresque, rev. 1963                                                                           3 Dance Sketches for Percussion, 1979
Serenade for Woodwind Quintet & Strings, 1963                                 Intradas and Interludes, 7 tpt, timp, 1980
Concerto for Brass Quintet, Strings & Piano, 1965                               Sonata à tre for violin, clarinet & piano, 1982
2 Sonnets from Michelangelo, 1971                                                   Recollections, Woodwind Quintet & Piano, 1982
Pastoral for Strings, 1979                                                                 Variations for Piano Quartet, 1984
Symphony No.2 'Reflections', 1983                                                    String Quartet No.4 'Poems', 1990
Symphonic Suite, 1984                                                                    5 Poems, woodwind quintet, 1994
Concerto for Orchestra, 1986                                                            Tubafest Celebration, for tuba quartet, 1992
Organ Concerto, 1987                                                                      Drum Ceremony for 5 Percussionists, 1976
Trumpet Concerto, 1987                                                      Cayuga Lake (Memories) for Woodwind & Brass Quartet, Piano & Percussion, 1991                                                                        Evocations de Slovaquie, for Viola, Flute & Cello, 1951
Overture, 'Youth', 1991                                                                                       
Cello Concerto, 1988
Celebración, 1997                                                                                          Wind Band
Violin Concerto, 1991                                                     ============================
                                                                                        Divertimento, brass, percussion, 1959
                                                                                       Concerto for alto sax & concert band, 1967
                                                                                       Concertino for Piano & Wind Ensemble
                                                                                        Music for Prague 1968, arr. orch, 1968
                                                                                         Concerto for Percussion & Wind Ensemble, 1970–71
                                                                                         Apotheosis of this Earth, 1971, arr. voices, orch, 1972
    Piano works                                                                 Concerto for 7 Trumpets & Percussion, 1973
=======================                                     Smetana Fanfare, 1984
Sonatina, 1943                                                                    Les couleurs fauves, 1994
Piano Sonata Nr.1, 1949                                                       Concerto for Winds, 1982
Piano Sonata Nr.2, 1975                                                       Al fresco, 1973
Elegie, 1957                                                                        Intradas and Interludes, 7 trumpets, percussion, 1980
8 Czech Duets for Piano 4-hands, 1955
Frammenti for Organ, 1987                                  Ballet
                                                                =====================
                                                                  The Steadfast Tin Soldier (H.C. Andersen), 1974
                                                                   Monodrama, orch, 1976, 
                                                                   The Trojan Women, orch, 1981

I liked the Concerto for Wind Ens. and the Concerto for percussion and Wind Ens.

And the "trumpet disc" with the Concertos.

Al Fresco

Apothe...
The Trojan W
Prague

Landscapes




It does seem whatever was written in that span




I thought the violin disc on YT had are real tight acoustic? I think it's the album...

snyprrr

Quote from: Scion7 on April 21, 2016, 07:16:52 AM
Czech composer born in Prague, August 7, 1921. He's ninety-five.  Husa studied the violin and piano because his parents wanted him to be able to enjoy music while pursuing the practical career of an engineer. He was already enrolled in engineering school when the Nazis took over Czechoslovakia and closed all the technical schools. Studied at the Prague Conservatory for four years beginning in 1941.  Studied in Paris with Honnegar.  His first string quartet garnered a great deal of fame in 1951.  His third string quartet won the Pulitzer Prize in 1969.  His Cello Concerto won the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition in 1993. He emigrated to America in 1954, and joined the faculty at Cornell.  Husa became a U.S. citizen in 1959. He won other various awards throughout his life, including the Czech Republic giving him the Gold Medal of Merit in 1995. He and his wife Simone (m. 1948) live in North Carolina, after living in Ithaca, NY for 40 years.  His modernist music has been described as "aggressive."


     Orchestral                                                                                      Chamber
==================                                                     ==========================
Concerto for Brass Quintet & Strings, 1971                                        Sonatina for Violin & Piano, Op.6
Overture for Large Orchestra, Op.3, 1944                                          3 Studies for Solo Clarinet, 2008
Sinfonietta for Chamber Orchestra, Op.4, 1944                                  Sonatina for Flute & Piano, 2003 (based on Op. 6)
4 Easy Pieces for Oboe, Trumpet, Percussion & Strings, 1952            Postcard from Home, for Alto Sax & Piano, 1997
Divertimento for Strings, 1948                                                        Suite for Viola & Piano, Op.5 1945
3 Frescoes for Orchestra, Op.7, 1947                                               2 Preludes for Flute, Clarinet & Bassoon, 1966
Concertino for Piano & Orchestra, Op.10, 1949                                  String Quartet No.1, Op.8 1948 
Portrait, for Strings, 1953                                                               String Quartet No.2, 1953
Symphony Nr.1, 1953                                                                    String Quartet No.3, 1968
4 Little Pieces for Strings, 1955                                                        Divertimento, brass quintet, 1968
Fantasies, 1956                                                                              String Quartet "0", 1943
Poème, Viola & Chamber Orchestra, 1959                                           Studies, percussion, 1968
Elégie et rondeau, alto sax, orch, 1961, arr. alto sax, piano                   Sonata for violin & piano, 1973
Mosaïques, 1961                                                                              Landscapes for Brass Quintet, 1977
Fresque, rev. 1963                                                                           3 Dance Sketches for Percussion, 1979
Serenade for Woodwind Quintet & Strings, 1963                                 Intradas and Interludes, 7 tpt, timp, 1980
Concerto for Brass Quintet, Strings & Piano, 1965                               Sonata à tre for violin, clarinet & piano, 1982
2 Sonnets from Michelangelo, 1971                                                   Recollections, Woodwind Quintet & Piano, 1982
Pastoral for Strings, 1979                                                                 Variations for Piano Quartet, 1984
Symphony No.2 'Reflections', 1983                                                    String Quartet No.4 'Poems', 1990
Symphonic Suite, 1984                                                                    5 Poems, woodwind quintet, 1994
Concerto for Orchestra, 1986                                                            Tubafest Celebration, for tuba quartet, 1992
Organ Concerto, 1987                                                                      Drum Ceremony for 5 Percussionists, 1976
Trumpet Concerto, 1987                                                      Cayuga Lake (Memories) for Woodwind & Brass Quartet, Piano & Percussion, 1991                                                                        Evocations de Slovaquie, for Viola, Flute & Cello, 1951
Overture, 'Youth', 1991                                                                                       
Cello Concerto, 1988
Celebración, 1997                                                                                          Wind Band
Violin Concerto, 1991                                                     ============================
                                                                                        Divertimento, brass, percussion, 1959
                                                                                       Concerto for alto sax & concert band, 1967
                                                                                       Concertino for Piano & Wind Ensemble
                                                                                        Music for Prague 1968, arr. orch, 1968
                                                                                         Concerto for Percussion & Wind Ensemble, 1970–71
                                                                                         Apotheosis of this Earth, 1971, arr. voices, orch, 1972
    Piano works                                                                 Concerto for 7 Trumpets & Percussion, 1973
=======================                                     Smetana Fanfare, 1984
Sonatina, 1943                                                                    Les couleurs fauves, 1994
Piano Sonata Nr.1, 1949                                                       Concerto for Winds, 1982
Piano Sonata Nr.2, 1975                                                       Al fresco, 1973
Elegie, 1957                                                                        Intradas and Interludes, 7 trumpets, percussion, 1980
8 Czech Duets for Piano 4-hands, 1955
Frammenti for Organ, 1987                                  Ballet
                                                                =====================
                                                                  The Steadfast Tin Soldier (H.C. Andersen), 1974
                                                                   Monodrama, orch, 1976, 
                                                                   The Trojan Women, orch, 1981

Well, job well done Scion... I just ordered the 'Apotheosis of the Earth' 2CD set, which has most of what I found appealing. Though Husa figures on a billion wind CDs, there is much much duplication, the same four minor pieces over and over. Seems his most popular work would be the 'Smetana Fanfare', along with 'Al Fresco'.

I didn't see but one other 'Apotheosis', maybe two. Many of the smaller pieces are shared by the Corporon 2CD, but the former seemed to have the better sound, et al...

Also interested in dem Trumpet Concertos...

Scion7

#28
Quote from: snyprrr on May 02, 2016, 04:04:38 PM
Also interested in dem Trumpet Concertos...

As well you should! 

Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra  (1987)  -- around the 14:20 mark, the imagery is of ... of ... the hounds of hell chasing the Planet of the Apes up the wrong tree ....

HUSA-Concerto for Trumpet & Wind Orchestra  (1973)  --  quiet, minimalist music until the last couple of movements
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

snyprrr

Quote from: Scion7 on May 03, 2016, 06:44:30 AM
As well you should! 

Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra  (1987)  -- around the 14:20 mark, the imagery is of ... of ... the hounds of hell chasing the Planet of the Apes up the wrong tree ....

HUSA-Concerto for Trumpet & Wind Orchestra  (1973)  --  quiet, minimalist music until the last couple of movements

I'm having trouble IDing your vampire pic- I'm guessing "Spanish, early 70s"????? MUST KNOW!!!

Scion7

#30
Quote from: snyprrr on May 03, 2016, 07:03:52 AM
I'm having trouble IDing your vampire pic- I'm guessing "Spanish, early 70s"????? MUST KNOW!!!

Nah, yesterday - I lifted it off of Florestan's dead, horror-filled stare from his drained-husk of a corpse.  As you know, a vampiress cannot be photographed - BUT! - the human eye - the retina - can retain images.  This was the last thing he saw before one of my brides - let's call her Miranijenska - made him pay for wandering onto the castle grounds at dusk . . .   The magic of forensics.
                                                                  . . . mu -
                                                                                 . . .  ha -
                                                                                                 . . . ha!   :P
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

snyprrr

Again, exploring the classic wind ensemble pieces of Husa has been quite a vigorous (re)discovery. The Concerto for Wind Ensemble, the Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble, and the (Concerto) for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble are so far the standout works, along with 'Prague' and 'Earth'. Excellent writing for winds and percussion out of this man.

snyprrr

Quote from: snyprrr on May 13, 2016, 09:44:46 AM
Again, exploring the classic wind ensemble pieces of Husa has been quite a vigorous (re)discovery. The Concerto for Wind Ensemble, the Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble, and the (Concerto) for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble are so far the standout works, along with 'Prague' and 'Earth'. Excellent writing for winds and percussion out of this man.

Husa, my favored discovery of 2016

relm1

So he hasn't written anything in decades?

Crudblud

He might have written stuff, he just doesn't appear to have published much. He died last month, perhaps in time his papers will come to the attention of modern music scholars or something.

Scion7

Thanks for the heads-up that he had died.
I updated the thread.
Missed the announcement, somehow.

He's published a decent chunk of material.
Perhaps more will make it out of the estate over time.
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Symphonic Addict

A week ago I was listening to his Symphony No. 1 and I thought it was a substantially impressive work. However, if that symphony proved to have interesting material and grab the attention, the three works on this CD are even better! Three features I found notable throughout these pieces: a striking use of the orchestra, the way he conjured up some gripping atmospheres and a sense of propulsive energy that will make you say: wow, that is thrilling! Anyone who has affinity with approachable 20th-century music will be in for a real treat.

One of my best discoveries of this year so far. I can't recommend this CD enough, it's that great!

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