Which five Janacek works make a good introduction for a newbie?

[Mark]

I'm not talking about myself here - although I'll admit that I have only the thinnest smattering of Leos' work on my shelves, so I'll undoubtedly learn something from your responses (particularly Luke's, I'm willing to wager ).

So, where should a novice starting out with Janacek begin his or her journey?

Instrumental?

Choral?

Opera?


Over to you ...

[DavidW]

I'm fond of his string quartets and his piano music for what it's worth.

[Mark]

Yes indeedy, the String Quartets are absolutely marvellous.

[jurajjak]

The Glagolitic Mass is my favorite Janacek piece--one of the 20th c.'s best choral works, IMHO.  Jenufa and The Cunning Little Vixen are a good start for the operas; listen to them before The Makropulos Case and The House of the Dead, which are a bit tougher.   

[Larry Rinkel]

The Sinfonietta, unquestionably.

[Daverz]

Cunning Little Vixen - I think the Neumann recording is the one to have.  The animated video (which is cut) is a nice supplement.
Sinfonietta
Glagolithic Mass - I recommend the Ancerl recordings for both.
String Quartets - included in the Stamitz Quartet set of Czech quartets on Brilliant, a very nice bargain
Piano Music - Get the DG twofer with Firkusny.

[Mark]

Sinfonietta
String Quartets

I have the Sinfonietta, as well as the String Quartets played by the Skampa Quartet. I also have a selection of his choruses for male voices, which are enjoyable in small doses.

[Daverz]

I forgot to mention that the animated video of CLV is sung in English.

[Grazioso]

I've yet to explore his operas, but for orchestral music, two of his accessible "greatest hits" are the Sinfonietta and Taras Bulba. A good collection of smaller/chamber works is

[BachQ]

I can't think of the title off hand, but it's about a little vixen that's especially astute, wily, artful, and knavish ........

[karlhenning]

She lived in upstate New York, and was The Corning Little Vixen.

[BachQ]

No, that's not it.

[karlhenning]

"Soon turned out, she had a heart of glass."

[Lethevich]

I liked the piano works 2CD on Supraphon a lot. MDT currently has a Supraphon offer which this may be included in.

[johnQpublic]

Piano Music (Sonata, Overgrown Path, etc)
Sinfonietta
Glagolithic Mass
String Quartets

and that courtroom drama: Cunning Libelous Vixen

[BachQ]

Cunning Libelous Vixen

I think that's it ........

[Brian]

His piano works are quite lovely, though I have yet to hear any of his large-scale music aside from the political tragedy The Cunning Little Nixon.

[not edward]

The Sinfonietta would be the first recommendation of all, as it's a glorious orchestral showpiece and I suppose Janacek's one big popular hit (I recommend Ancerl on Supraphon's Ancerl Gold, with some superb Martinu).
In the Mists and the piano music in general is wonderful, strikingly innovative, intimate music (I recommend Firkusny, on a 2CD DG Originals set).
The two string quartets are amazingly intense pieces that perfectly sum up the preoccupations of Janacek's late style (I'll defer to others on a recommendation for these).
You'll need an opera to get a fair assessment of Janacek, and the most accessible introduction would definitely be The Cunning Little Vixen (again, I don't feel competent to make a recommendation here).
Probably the Glagolitic Mass would be my 5th choice, as it's an absolutely glorious piece (Ancerl, again, coupled with a great Taras Bulba).

[Valentino]

My introduction to Janacek was the film The unbearable lighness of being. I think that is a good start for a newbie...

[lukeottevanger]

My list of 'essential Janacek' is pretty long, and I've written it elsewhere. If we really have to limit ourselves to five-as-an-introduction, with an emphasis on introduction, then I think the right recommendations have been made - something along the lines of:

Sinfonietta
String Quartets (again, if we are limiting ourselves to pieces rather than CDs, probably the First, even though the Second, IMO, is Janacek's single finest work)
Taras Bulba
Cunning Little Vixen (or Talich's sumptuous suite from it)
Katya Kabanova

however, a few IMO essential alternatives selected from his finest works would include:
Violin Concerto (my own favourite of his orchestral works, even though he never completed it)
Violin Sonata
In the Mists
Mladi
Pohadka
Bezruc Choruses
Fiddler's Child
Piano Sonata
Concertino
Capriccio

not to mention the operas, of which House of the Dead is probably the greatest.

My point is - quite often with Janacek, I think the finest and most echt-Janacek pieces are not the ones people should try first, as his style is so individual that it can take some acclimatising to. That's why I'd hesitatingly recommend the wonderful 1st Quartet before the 2nd, even though the latter is IMO incomparably finer; why I'd recommend Vixen or Katya before House of the Dead, even though that opera is Janacek rawest, most visionary dramatic achievement; and why I wouldn't suggest Fiddler's Child in my introductory five, even though I think (and am not alone in thinking) it is a better work than Taras Bulba

I would - once again - urge the Violin Concerto on people, even though it is 'only' a reconstruction, as it contains everything that is finest in Janacek in the most concentrated form - all the most wonderful and typical inspirations of his late-late style, orchestral writing of true individuality and real rugged beauty, a moving trajectory 'towards the light', a wiry and intimate solo part...I can't get enough of this piece.