Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

[Mirror Image]

Why not? The more interpretations of these marvellous & still underrated (in the concert hall) symphonies,the better! As to Bryden Thomson. He's actually another favourite conductor;but while I admire his enterprise & enthusiasm in recording an integral cycle,I think he  was better in Bax and Nielsen. But his cycle is certainly well worth having.
Nice to see Supraphon brought back those wierd heads!!!!!

I guess you're right. It's almost a luxury that there are many Martinu symphony cycles available: Neumann, Thomson, Jarvi, Belohlavek, Fagen, and Valek.

For me, I think Thomson is one of the greatest RVW conductors I've heard. His cycle of symphonies along with various concerti and orchestral works are just outstanding. Thomson was just a fantastic conductor and he was such a strong advocate for British music. We have to thank him for bringing so much lesser known music to the public's attention. Outside of his RVW cycle, I really enjoyed his Ireland, Walton, Elgar, and Arnold recordings too. I haven't heard his Nielsen performances yet, but maybe some day.

[cilgwyn]

Agreed,sadly missed,vastly underrated (except here!),up there with the best  & if you like Bax,like me,I think it's awful that Chandos have deleted his cycle in favour of Handley's magnificent,but somewhat overrated cycle.....shame on them! *(I really DO prefer Thomson's approach & I know his Bax cycle has some other admirers here).
His Nielsen is superb!
But enough......,after all,this is a Martinu thread!

*although,in all fairness,they ARE available as downloads! But still!!!

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Anyway, Belohlavek has a new set of Martinu symphonies out with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, which I have bought, but haven't listened to yet.

Hey, me too! But reviews have been almost uniformly outstanding. I'm saving them for the weekend; will try to post a review.

[vandermolen]

I guess you're right. It's almost a luxury that there are many Martinu symphony cycles available: Neumann, Thomson, Jarvi, Belohlavek, Fagen, and Valek.

For me, I think Thomson is one of the greatest RVW conductors I've heard. His cycle of symphonies along with various concerti and orchestral works are just outstanding. Thomson was just a fantastic conductor and he was such a strong advocate for British music. We have to thank him for bringing so much lesser known music to the public's attention. Outside of his RVW cycle, I really enjoyed his Ireland, Walton, Elgar, and Arnold recordings too. I haven't heard his Nielsen performances yet, but maybe some day.

Agree about the Martinu, Bax and VW cycle - very underrated.

[Lisztianwagner]

Martinu is a great composer, but a very uneven one because he composed so much music. For the symphonies, IMHO it's hard to beat Neumann:



Unfortunately, for the Piano Concertos there's not much to choose from, but this set will the fit the bill rather nicely:

Those recordings sound quite good, I will certainly have a look at them, thank you John. 
I know there's also a version of the symphonies by Jarvi & Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, which seems to be brilliant as well; I think I may take both them into account.

[Mirror Image]

Agreed,sadly missed,vastly underrated (except here!),up there with the best  & if you like Bax,like me,I think it's awful that Chandos have deleted his cycle in favour of Handley's magnificent,but somewhat overrated cycle.....shame on them! *(I really DO prefer Thomson's approach & I know his Bax cycle has some other admirers here).
His Nielsen is superb!
But enough......,after all,this is a Martinu thread!

*although,in all fairness,they ARE available as downloads! But still!!!

Yeah, to me, it makes no sense that Chandos deleted the Thomson/Bax symphony cycle. I was pretty lucky a couple of years I bought one used.

[Mirror Image]

Those recordings sound quite good, I will certainly have a look at them, thank you John. 
I know there's also a version of the symphonies by Jarvi & Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, which seems to be brilliant as well; I think I may take both them into account.

You're welcome, Ilaria. I own every Martinu symphony cycle available. So far Neumann comes out clearly in the lead. I think his pacing, attention to the dynamics of the music, and just the emotion he puts into the music makes his set an essential one for me. The Jarvi is good, but the Neumann is better and the Czech Philharmonic are better suited, IMHO, for this music than the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Neumann has a long history with Czech music and I think that sense of history shows in these performances. He clearly understood Martinu's idiom better than most.

[Lisztianwagner]

You're welcome, Ilaria. I own every Martinu symphony cycle available. So far Neumann comes out clearly in the lead. I think his pacing, attention to the dynamics of the music, and just the emotion he puts into the music makes his set an essential one for me. The Jarvi is good, but the Neumann is better and the Czech Philharmonic are better suited, IMHO, for this music than the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Neumann has a long history with Czech music and I think that sense of history shows in these performances. He clearly understood Martinu's idiom better than most.

Sounds great In this case I will certainly turn my attention to Neumann's cycle.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Review, as promised: Symphonies 1-3

I've now listened to the first 3 symphonies in the new Belohlavek/BBCSO cycle, on Onyx.

So far, there is one particular area where this set stands out above other Martinu recordings I've heard. There is a wealth of detail to be heard that often gets submerged due to poor recording, mushy playing, or other factors. While I don't have scores handy to refer to, it sounds like all of what Martinu wrote is coming through here. It's a bit X-ray-like; I'm hearing details I didn't know were there. In particular, the percussion and characteristic orchestral piano register very sharply.

All the performances are live, and I think they benefit from that. They're a bit tighter and more dramatic than I've heard from Belohlavek's other recordings. The 3rd Symphony, the most intense of the first 3, certainly benefits from this; in particular, its opening movement is much more gripping than in Belohlavek's generally admirable CzPO recording. The BBCSO plays very well throughout, and it's great to hear a top-flight non-Czech orchestra tackle these works.

On the other hand, the performances aren't perfect. The first movement of the 1st Symphony could use a bit more energy, and there are certain matters of articulation and atmosphere that I like to hear done differently. So far, and based on only a first hearing, I think this set is more a supplement for existing recordings than a replacement for them. But for nothing else than the amount of detail that comes through and the added intensity of live performance, I can recommend this set highly.

On to 4-6 soon.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Review, continued: Symphonies 4-6

OK, I've heard the whole set now.

No surprises from the 4th Symphony: it's very like Belohlavek's previous conception of this piece, from his CzPO recording of a few years ago. That's a superb performance, and so is this one, with the added clarity of detail and live-concert vigor I noted above. In particular, the finale really sizzles.

The 5th is the strangest performance in the set. It's generally very fast, and comes out sounding neo-classical, rather like Hindemith. Very different from the Ancerl recording which is my reference. It'll take me a while to digest this one; I can't really say if I like it yet. But the conception is interesting for sure.

The 6th is quite wonderful, bursting with surreality and bringing out all the dreamlike, kaleidoscopic, slightly creepy feel of the piece. The many layers of detail really tell in this complex, multi-layered score.

Overall, I think the standout performances in this set are 3 and 6. But the whole cycle can be recommended, even if you've already got versions of the Martinu symphonies you're happy with. These are good enough and different enough to justify the investment.

[not edward]

Thanks for the comments on the BBCSO/Belohlavek. Did you have his CzPO 5th and 6th?

I hope Supraphon does still complete his CzPO cycle--1 & 2 are the symphonies I've been waiting to hear a competitive alternative to the admirable Neumann in.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Thanks for the comments on the BBCSO/Belohlavek. Did you have his CzPO 5th and 6th?

Haven't heard that one. I only saw one or two reviews of it, and they weren't as enthusiastic as for the 3/4.

a competitive alternative to the admirable Neumann in.

I think if Neumann is a reference cycle for someone, they should look into this new cycle, because it's like an opposite but equally valid view of the music. Belohlavek is more percussive, driven, and modernistic whereas Neumann is more leisurely and Dvorak-like. That's my overall impression, anyway.

[vandermolen]

Bought myself the Jarvi cycle on Brilliant. Have played No 4 (my favourite) and I really liked the slower than usual performance which gave more gravitas in some sections.

[eyeresist]

I think it's nearly time for me to buy my first set of Martinu's symphonies. I've been comparing samples at Amazon, and have come down to a choice between Belohlavek's BBC set and the Valek cycle. They have the best sound, and the interpretations seem not too disimilar, though the orchestral balances of the recordings do seem to differ. Can anyone compare the virtues of these two?

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Not having heard the Valek I can't compare them. However, I did notice that reviews and feedback on Valek's set were pretty negative overall, while reviews for Belohlavek were overwhelmingly positive.

[eyeresist]

I did read Hurwitz's dump on Valek, but he was so over-the-top that it's hard to take him seriously.

[Drasko]

Sound on Valek set isn't ideal, but no two people yet agreed why. To me sounds close, dry with somewhat recessed brass. Performances are mixed, first is wonderful, the fourth is boring.

[not edward]

the fourth is boring

Bloody hell. Managing that is quite an achievement.

Haven't heard either set (have 3-6 in Belohlavek's incomplete Supraphon set with the Czech Philh: good stuff for sure).

[Mirror Image]

I think it's nearly time for me to buy my first set of Martinu's symphonies. I've been comparing samples at Amazon, and have come down to a choice between Belohlavek's BBC set and the Valek cycle. They have the best sound, and the interpretations seem not too disimilar, though the orchestral balances of the recordings do seem to differ. Can anyone compare the virtues of these two?

Neumann/CzPO on Supraphon is the best set I've heard IMHO. Next to it, would be Thomson/RSNO on Chandos. I own all of the Martinu symphony sets and the Valek is the weakest of the lot.

[eyeresist]

Apart from Hurwitz's review, I can only find ONE review of Valek's set online:

Prior to this 2008 release, Vladimir Válek had not always delivered particularly exciting performances. His 1980 disc of Suk's Fairy Tale and Praga was thick and dull, while his 1994 disc of Fibich's overtures and symphonic poems was bland and turgid. But his 2008 set of Martinu's six symphonies must stand with the most convincing complete cycles of the works. These performances have the luminous colors, buoyant tempos, and tensile strength the music requires, but more significantly, they have a depth and maturity that Válek's earlier interpretations often lacked. His Fifth's Larghetto has tremendous emotional power, while the tragic sorrow of his Third's central Largo and the blissful joy of his Sixth's closing Lento have rarely been so persuasively expressed. The Prague Radio Symphony is a tight, responsive ensemble that gives Válek the alert and energetic playing he asks for, and Supraphon's wide-ranging digital sound captures them in a clear, natural acoustic. While there have been great recordings of individual symphonies from Karel Ancerl and Jirí Belohlávek and great complete cycles from Bryden Thomson and Arthur Fagen, this cycle should be on the short list for anyone interested in Martinu's symphonies. ~ James Leonard, Rovi

http://entertainment.sears.com/martinu-prague-radio-sym-orch-valek-martin-symphonies-nos-1-6/099925394028#!?tabnum=1