Favorite Czech composers.

[schnittkease]

I´d like to hear some characterizations of the earlier quartets, what style they express.

Funny you say that because (to my knowledge) Hába first started experimenting with microtonality in his second quartet (1920)! So I suppose the first is his only true "early" quartet ―that is, of course, if one is talking stylistically. Time-wise, I would draw the line at String Quartet No. 5 (1923). Hába didn't write a sixth until 27 years later, in 1950.

[Turner]

Funny you say that because (to my knowledge) Hába first started experimenting with microtonality in his second quartet (1920)! So I suppose the first is his only truly "early" quartet.

I know very little about his biography & stylistic development, but as you say, when looking at website sources, it seems to that he very quickly absorbed quarter-tone inspiration, cf. for example
http://www.tonalsoft.com/monzo/haba/haba-worklist.aspx

I didn´t know there was Violin Concerto and a Viola Concerto too.

[Rons_talking]

Let us not forget the recently deceased composer, Karel Husa. He wrote some nice stuff.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I think I actually have a favourite Czech composer!

Miroslav Srnka

whose music is really very cool!

[Maestro267]

At the moment, I'd probably say Josef Suk, followed by Dvorak, Smetana and Janacek.

[Rinaldo]

I think I actually have a favourite Czech composer!

Miroslav Srnka

whose music is really very cool!

And he's a cool, modest guy to boot. Check out his recent opera South Pole if you haven't already:

https://www.youtube.com/v/dYWx7rw4tbw

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

And he's a cool, modest guy to boot. Check out his recent opera South Pole if you haven't already:

https://www.youtube.com/v/dYWx7rw4tbw

Ah this, my girlfriend has been lucky enough to have seen this and she is extremely enthusiastic about it

[Cato]

Are any of you familiar with the music of Alois Hába (1893-1973)? I recently ordered his complete string quartets. Hába experimented with microtonality throughout his life, so his generous output of 16 string quartets seems right up my alley.



I will definitely post what I think when the CD arrives.

I didn´t know all his string quartets had been recorded now, very interesting. I´d like to hear some characterizations of the earlier quartets, what style they express.

Haba was certainly an ambitious and original composer, and the music is not only about quarter- and microtones, there are some romantic traits as well.

There´s a 3-CD box from Suprahon with orchestral works, including the symphonic fantasy "Life´s Way", that was promoted by Scherchen, and a big half-hour work for piano and orchestra, plus chamber works etc.
His opera "The Mother" has also received a fair amount of attention in Czech music life & was recorded many years ago.

This is what I´ve got:

CD  Haba:"New Land", Opera Ouverture op.47 ()/Konicek,FilmSO/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913

LP   Haba:"Life´s Way" op. 46 (1934)/Kosler,CzPO/pant 79 8110 0005
CD  Haba:"Life´s Way" op.46 (1934/Konicek,FilmSO/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"Symphonic Fantasia" f.Piano & Orch. Op.8 ()/Koula,Konicek,FilmSO/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913

CD  Haba:"1.Nonet, Fantasia" op.40 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
LP   Haba:"1.Nonet, Fantasia" op.40 ()/Czech9/sup mono dv 5991

CD  Haba:"11.String Quartet" op.87 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
LP   Haba:"11.String Quartet" op.87 ()/Novak4/sup mono dv 5991
CD  Haba:"12.String Quartet" op.90 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
LP   Haba:"12.String Quartet" op.90 ()/Novak4/sup mono dv 5991
LP   Haba:"13.String Quartet, Astronaut-" op.92 ()/Novak4/sup mono dv 5991
LP   Haba:"14.String Quartet", in quarter tones op.94 (1963)/Suk4/pant 74 11 0364
CD  Haba:"15.String Quartet" op.95 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"16.String Quartet" op.98 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
LP   Haba:"16.String Quartet", i fifth-tones op.98 (1967)/Suk47pant 74 11 0364

CD  Haba:"Quartet for 4 Bassoons" op.74 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"Quartet for 4 Trombones" op.72 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"Suite for Bass Clarinet & Piano nr.1" op.24 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"Suite for Bas Clarinet & Piano" op.100 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
LP   Haba:"Suite for Bass-Clarinet & Piano" op.100 ()/Horak,Kovarnova/pant 74 11 0364

LP   Haba:"Fantasia for Solo-Violin" op.9a (1922-23)/Novak/pant 74 11 0364
CD  Haba:"Suite for Solo Cello" op.81a ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"Partita for Solo Saxophone" op.99 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"Suite for Quarter-Tone Piano" op.88 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"Sonata for Quarter-Tone Piano" op.62 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913
CD  Haba:"Suite for Dulcimer Solo" op.91 ()/Solister/sup 3cd 11 1865 2913

Haba has been an all-around fave for decades!

Jan Kalliwoda has not yet been mentioned: his symphonies and violin concertinos and other works are not to be missed!

[asin]B000GQL8OA[/asin]

[SymphonicAddict]

Dvorák, Martinu, Suk, Janácek, Smetana, Fibich and Novak (Vitezslav). Lately the last one is getting much attention from me. I've listened to In the Tatras Mountain and Eternal Longing (Pesek, Royal Liverpool P.O.), it's a sadly underrated composer. I wish his symphonies were recorded with a decent quality. I've heard some fragments of old recordings but they are terrible, lots of noise (and in mono I think). Fortunately his tone poems are in good performances (including Pan).

[vandermolen]

Dvorák, Martinu, Suk, Janácek, Smetana, Fibich and Novak (Vitezslav). Lately the last one is getting much attention from me. I've listened to In the Tatras Mountain and Eternal Longing (Pesek, Royal Liverpool P.O.), it's a sadly underrated composer. I wish his symphonies were recorded with a decent quality. I've heard some fragments of old recordings but they are terrible, lots of noise (and in mono I think). Fortunately his tone poems are in good performances (including Pan).

Totally agree with you. Novak is one of the most underrated composers of all.
His masterpiece - The Storm I think although I like everything I've heard from him.

[Rinaldo]

Novák is not my cup of tea but the fact that he's almost unknown in his home country is a shame. The first I heard of him was here on GMG!

I'd wager the influence of this asshole played a role in Novák's modern obscurity.

When Nejedlý's music reviews for Prague's daily newspapers grew distasteful in their anti-Conservatory bias, he and his followers were precipitously banned from publication, forcing the group to found their own journal, Smetana, which ran for sixteen years, 1910–1927. From this vantage point Nejedlý launched the so-called "Dvořák Affair" (1911–1914), in which he sought to attack the legacy of the great composer; any contemporary artists who sided against him (especially the 31 musicians who signed a public petition in 1912) became the focus of fierce personal attacks. Beginning with Vítězslav Novák in 1913, Nejedlý sought to end the careers of composers who did not conform to his pro-Smetana views of modern tradition and social responsibility: other notable targets included Josef Suk.

[SymphonicAddict]

Totally agree with you. Novak is one of the most underrated composers of all.
His masterpiece - The Storm I think although I like everything I've heard from him.

You have mentioned it sometimes before when you can, I'm curious to hear it!

Novák is not my cup of tea but the fact that he's almost unknown in his home country is a shame. The first I heard of him was here on GMG!

I'd wager the influence of this asshole played a role in Novák's modern obscurity.

It is a pity that promising composers were forgotten (not to say censored) because of such annoying critics.

[Rinaldo]

It is a pity that promising composers were forgotten (not to say censored) because of such annoying critics.

Yeah. After the communists took over in 1948, Nejedlý became the regime's pet and left a huge imprint on the Czech cultural scene. But the recent revival of Kabeláč makes me hopeful that other important names, Novák's included, could be introduced back into the national ouevre.

[Florestan]

I'd wager the influence of this asshole played a role in Novák's modern obscurity.

The Communists—Inheritors of the Grand Progressive Tradition of the Czech Nation

Yeah, right! Substitute Romanian for Czech and you have a Romanian piece of propaganda with the same title. Bullshit on stilts.

TD, top 5

Krommer
Mysliveček
Dvořák
Fibich
Martinů

[vandermolen]

You have mentioned it sometimes before when you can, I'm curious to hear it!

There are two recordings, both on Supraphon. We could do with a new one. I wish that Chandos would record it. It is a long orchestral and choral work so may be too expensive to record.

[SymphonicAddict]

There are two recordings, both on Supraphon. We could do with a new one. I wish that Chandos would record it. It is a long orchestral and choral work so may be too expensive to record.

You're right. One of them is in mono audio (along with the Dvorak's Spectre's Bride) (I don't like mono recordings), therefore I'm going to get the another one soon I hope.

[Robert101]

Novák is not my cup of tea but the fact that he's almost unknown in his home country is a shame. The first I heard of him was here on GMG!

I'd wager the influence of this asshole played a role in Novák's modern obscurity.

I love Novak and despise such critics!

[vandermolen]

Yeah. After the communists took over in 1948, Nejedlý became the regime's pet and left a huge imprint on the Czech cultural scene. But the recent revival of Kabeláč makes me hopeful that other important names, Novák's included, could be introduced back into the national ouevre.

Kabelac's 'Mystery of Time' was a wonderful discovery for me thanks to GMG Forum. His 5th Symphony is another work I like and also Kalabis's moving and powerful Symphony 2 'Sinfonia Pacis' - this one thanks to High Steeet Kensington Record Library - a favourite haunt of my youth (who needs pop concerts etc)  .