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JOSEF SUK (1874-1935)

A Summer's Tale, Op. 29 (JSkat 57) (1907-09)

54:25

Pohádka léta

Symphonic Poem for Large Orchestra

To Karel Kovarovic (Karlu Kovarovicovi)

Alison Teale · Helen Vigurs cor anglais

1

1

Voices of Life and Consolation (Hlasy zivota a utechy).

15:04

Andante sostenuto - Allegro appassionato - Andante - Allegretto moderato -

2

2

Midday (Poledne). Moderato

6:50

3

3

Intermezzo. Blind Musicians (Slepi hudci). Adagio

5:34

4

4

In the Power of Phantoms (V moci preludu). Adagio - Vivacissimo - Andante -

10:54

5

5

Night (Noc). Adagio - Poco più mosso (quasi Andante sostenuto) - Adagio - Più mosso -

15:40

Prague, Op. 26 (JSkat 54) (1904)

24:52

Praga

Symphonic Poem for Large Orchestra

Royal Prague (Královské Praze)

6

Andante maestoso - Grandioso - Più animato (quasi Allegro) - Tempo I, ma poco più largamente -

9:31

7

Allegro - Più mosso (Allegro con fuoco) - Poco più animato - L'Istesso tempo -

6:22

8

Adagio - Un poco più mosso - Più mosso, sempre accelerando -

4:35

9

Animato, con fuoco (Allegro con brio) - Tempo I, (ma molto largamente, maestoso e molto marcato) -

4:21

 "... The BBC Orchestra plays eloquently, and Chandos’s sound is up to its usual high standard."

Don O’Connor - American Record Guide - January/February 2013

 "...Like their recent Asrael this pair of performances represents the partnership between Jirí Belohlávek and the BBC Symphony Orchestra at its fruitful best. Though he is no longer their chief conductor they will continue to work together. Let’s hope that will include more recordings: it would be marvellous if they were to record more Suk, especially Ripening and Epilogue."

         Music ***** (Excellent)             Sound **** (Very Good)

             Album of the Week
“...the Czech conductor proves as strong an advocate for this haunting, richly orchestrated music as he has for Smetana, Martinu and Dvorak...”

Hugh Canning – The Sunday Times – 14 October 2012

“...The performance is magnificent, Jirí Belohlávek at-one with the music and inspiring the BBC Symphony Orchestra to shape and shade the score’s every nook and cranny in the most persuasive way... In both works the recorded sound, as opulent as it is lucid as it is dynamic, is the perfect complement.”

Colin Anderson  - theclassicalsource.com – September 2012

“...Both scores convey the essence of Suk’s orchestral style, his wide range of musical moods, the subtlety of his palette, his expert use of solo instruments  (woodwind especially), his distinctive harmonic language and his ability to chart powerful climaxes without resorting to bombast.  In lesser hands the close of Praga can sound like a filmic recollection of Má vlast’s finale, but not here, where the cumulative impact of the piece (complete with thundering organ) is immense...  this [A Summer’s Tale} richly scored and often exciting early-20th-century score is infused with local flavouring at times disquieting ... and Belohlávek holds the tension in both pieces from the first bar to the last. Wonderful!”

Rob Cowan – Gramophone magazine – Awards Issue 2012

                  Editor’s Choice
“Two intensely lyrical, beautifully orchestrated symphonic poems brought vividly to life by Belohlávek and the orchestra whose reins he relinquishes this year... The recording is demonstration quality in both stereo and surround: these works have never sounded better.” ****

Guy Weatherall - Classical Music magazine – 22 September 2012

Recording of the Month - Music Choice

Performance *****      Recording *****
"...These are passionate and spontaneous interpretations ... excellent recording."

Jan Smaczny - BBC Music Magazine - October 2012

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