Is anybody familiar with Suchon?
P.
http://www.youtube.com/v/2yOz33OTgAw
Partita rapsodica for piano and orchestra (1964) part 1
http://www.youtube.com/v/oce33jSDz0w
part 2
Sound on this recording is acceptable. And its like really sitting in the Sofia concert Hall!
From Wikipedia
Early life
Eugen Suchoň was born on September 25, 1908 in Pezinok, (Slovakia). His father, Ladislav Suchoň, was an organist and teacher. His mother, Serafína Suchoňová, was a piano teacher, and it was from her that he received his first piano tuition. The house was always filled with music and, as a small child, he would listen from under the piano when his father rehearsed at home with other musicians. In 1920, at the age of twelve, he started taking piano lessons at the Bratislava School of Music with the distinguished musician Frico Kafenda. Later, from 1927–1931, he continued his studies with the same teacher at the newly established Academy of Music in Bratislava. His early works include several piano compositions and a choral work Veľky Pôst (The Great Fast). He graduated from his composition classes with the Sonata in A-flat for Violin and Piano and a String Quartet (op.2, 1931, revised 1939). His two year studies at the Prague Conservatoire under Vítězslav Novák set the seal on the thorough training he had received from Kafenda.
Compositions from this period include a Piano Quartet (1933), and the song cycle Nox et solitudo for mezzo soprano and small orchestra or piano (1932) based on a poem by Ivan Krasko, Little Suite with Passacaglia for piano (1930, orchestrated in 1967), Serenade for Brass Quintet and the Burlesque for Violin and Orchestra. All these works show an already distinguished and mature composer. During this time Eugen Suchoň taught music theory at the Academy of Music and Drama in Bratislava (1933). His works from this period are in a late Romantic idiom with elements of folk modality combined with chromaticism. In particular the popular male choral cycle O horách ("Of mountains") was a seminal work which established a Slovak national style. This was followed by his monumental cantata, The Psalm of the Sub-Carpathian Land (1938). Many folksong arrangements date from this period, which reached a climax in his opera Krútňava (The Whirlpool, 1949) with its rich portrayal of characters.
[edit]Middle years
The success of Krútňava established modern Slovak opera, and drew international attention. From 1948–1960 Suchoň was professor and head of the Department of Music Education at the Teacher Training College in Bratislava. Works from this period include the Fantasies for Violin and Orchestra, Metamorphoses for piano, and the Symphonic Suite for grand orchestra. Suchoň became heavily involved in the practical and theoretical aspects of music education. Of particular significance was his second opera Kraľ Svätopluk ("King Svätopluk"), completed in 1959. This historic opera represents the monumental dramatic fresco from the period of the Great Moravian Empire. It is a large-scale work with noble aspirations, displaying Slavic motifs and culminating in the victory of good over evil. The work was premiered in Bratislava in 1960, and performed the same year in Prague and Košice.
[edit]Later years
From 1959 to 1974 he was professor of music theory at Bratislava University. His style changed as he incorporated serialism into his compositions. Harmonies emphasizing 2nds, 4ths and 7ths led to polymodality. His later output consists predominantly of chamber and orchestral works, e.g. the song cycle Ad astra (1961), based on poems by Štefan Žáry, the mixed choir cycle O človeku ("On Man"), the Poème macabre for violin and piano, Contemplations for narrator and piano, Six Compositions for Strings, the Rhapsodic Suite for piano and orchestra and the Symfonická fantasia na BACH (1971). His piano cycle Kaleidoscope also exists in a version for piano, string orchestra and percussion. His last works include a Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra, Elegy, Toccata, and the song cycles Glimpse into the Unknown and Three Songs for Bass
What do you think about Suchon's Fantasia for violin and orchestra?
I do like that angular, rythmical quality of the Partita. Jolivet ( concerto ) and Mennin (idem) come to mind.
The performance of the violin Fantasia is top notch! The music is less driven as the Partita - but very convincing and gripping.
http://youtu.be/Bwx7A_CkS1o
Fantasia - part 1: Burlesca
http://youtu.be/9MTOGEj6KXs
Fantasia : part 2
Beautiful and haunting music! The first ("Burlesca") movement has drama. The second movement is very intens and poetical. A wonderful discovery.
P.
I thought it said 'Eiger Sanction'. Fun movie! ;D
:D :D :D
(http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMjA4NzAyMTE2MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjc3ODMyMQ@@._V1._SY317_CR5,0,214,317_.jpg)
Clint Eastwood with a blue hair rinse! Indeed a fun movie.
Makes me think of
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oSD5-UUCEos/TabR8xYkJpI/AAAAAAAABf8/phRf-8x52Wo/s400/lavender%2Bhair.jpg)
(http://www.theatre.sk/sk/02/img/aktualnevystavy/eugen-suchon-2008.jpg)
Poor old Eugen looks quite drab in comparison.
http://www.youtube.com/v/hTWUVRggvTA
I persist...
Suchon's Slovak soul shines through in his music!!
http://www.youtube.com/v/jQagT7b4cqA
http://www.youtube.com/v/l3cEm-cRC8k
Ah, now here's an 'unsung' composer, & one worth investigating too. Hadn't realised there was anything of his on YT; will get on & listen to it.
I only have a couple of things, so I've put one of them on while writing - Psalm of the Carpathian Land Cantata (the other's Sinfonietta Rustica). This is livening up my morning no end - beautiful music.
Any ideas of where to get hold of anything else much appreciated !
A couple of years ago I gave the second, third and fourth ever complete performances (and the first since the premiere in the early 70s) of his large piano cycle Kaleidoskop, in London, Levoca (SK) and Bratislava. I recommend it very much. Suchon's daughter came to the concert and invited my to the family house in Bratislava afterwards where we looked at manuscripts ... I hope to play the piece again next year and want to record it.
That is great news! Keep us posted if you really manage to play & record Kaleidoscope again.
Can you elaborate a bit on that work?
I discovered Suchon many years ago by two works : the opera Krutnava (performed in Antwerp)
Suchon´s The Whirlpool was composed between 1941 and 1949 and produced in the latter year. It has been staged with considerable success at all the opera venues in what was Czechoslovakia, as well as at many houses abroad (including in Budapest, Moscow, Berlin, Leipzig and Antwerp). The Whirlpool is set after the First World War in a small upland hamlet. The story is that of a young man driven by jealousy to commit murder. His crime opens the way to marriage to the girl he loves, but he is pursued by his conscience, which eventually leads him to confess his deed and surrender himself to the authorities. The Whirlpool is a national opera with traditional dances, customs and intimations of folk song; but it is also a riveting and psychologically well-worked drama. The conclusion brings denouement but not the traditional happy ending of opera. It is simply the end of one particular episode in the life of people who have been for centuries at one with nature and who, from that very bond and from the faith passed down by their ancestors, draw their resilience and the strength to recover and to continue to bear their troubled lot.
and
the Partita rhapsodica for piano and orchestra. That work was played ( for radio, I suppose) by a Dutch pianist, Toos Onderdenwijngaard and the Belgian Radio Orchestra / Daniel Sternefeld. Onderdenwijngaard was a student of (a.o.) Jacques Février and Marguerite Long! The "expressionistic" angularity made a huge impression on me .
Suchon seems to be a composer well worth discovering.
P.
This is one (of I think 7) movements of Kaleidoskop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU31D58hG5k&feature=plcp
I know the Sinfonietta(1927), Symphonic Poem "Night of the Witches"(1927),the Fantasy and Burlesque for Violin and Orchestra(1933), the Nocturne for Cello and orchestra(1927), Ballade for Horn and Orchestra(1928), Serenade for Strings(1932)- which are all early works-and Metamorphoses for orchestra(1953), which does sound very different in style.
The Psalm is a glorious piece of Slovak 20th century national romanticism :)
A fine composer who deserves to be ranked alongside a figure like Novak and should be heard more often.
(https://cdmusic.cz/inshop/catalogue/products/pictures/SF01072131.jpg?timestamp=20230804111045)
songs
I only know this disc devoted to him and I must say it's sensational, featuring stirring playing from all involved.
(https://cdn.naxosmusiclibrary.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/CHAN10849.jpg)
From Jan Fila's treasure trove of (mostly) Czech repertoire: another version of Suchon's rumbustious Partita rapsodica:
I. Introduction - The Unfinished March
II. Stormy nocturne with an old minuet
III. Sketch
From this 1967 LP
(https://i.discogs.com/PKa2xdIv8t3fNWmEvorCIzmva1UlxdGXmfMLfnv_veM/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:599/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTI2MDAy/MDAwLTE2NzU2MTUw/MTYtNTA5MC5qcGVn.jpeg)
Quite a bit of his music has been issued on LP back in the day, but only Marco Polo and Chandos and a couple other labels have issued much substantial CD product. Shame.
it seems interesting
http://www.suchon.info/cdshop.html
All that production and company information, but no listing on the rear cover of the works played?
Quote from: Scion7 on October 07, 2023, 10:29:48 AMAll that production and company information, but no listing on the rear cover of the works played?
Should be this
https://musicaslovaca.sk/index.php?route=product/product&path=65_59&product_id=3005&sort=p.price&order=DESC
I was thinking more of shoppers in stores running across this. I once saw a chamber music CD for Hindemith with the same problem years ago.