Leoš Janáček; Bohuslav Martinů - Sinfonietta; The Parables (Karel Ančerl)

Information

Composer: Leoš Janáček; Bohuslav Martinů

• Janáček - Sinfonietta
• Martinů - Les Fresques de Piero della Francesca, H. 352
• Martinů - The Parables, H. 367

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Karel Ančerl, conductor

Date: 1961; 1959

Label: Supraphon

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Review

Karel Ancerl’s incomparable recording of Janácek’s resplendently barbaric Sinfonietta remains not only the finest available version of the work, but also is the best recorded, particularly in this incredibly vivid new transfer. Although it was captured as long ago as 1961, no other version so effectively conveys the panoramic splendor of the trumpet-led opening across the stereo spectrum, no other offers such clarity in passages such as the finale’s hair-raising wind writing, and no other balances the orchestra against the massed brass of the closing pages so naturally and cleanly. Technically it’s quite an achievement, and Martinu’s Parables sound equally fine–only The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca show their age in comparison, though the sound is still quite good.

As to the performances–well, what is there to say? They are simply the last word in excitement, accuracy, passion, color, and expressive immediacy. The Sinfonietta erupts form the speakers like a primal force. What other performance propels the second-movement ostinatos so forcefully, or builds the third movement’s central climax with such explosive energy? Who else observes the various tempo changes in the brief fourth movement so effectively, wringing every drop of variety from its many repetitions of its opening trumpet tune? And who else drives the finale to positively expressionistic extremes of tension, making the return of the opening fanfares a moment of apocalyptic grandeur? Much as I love this work, and enjoy other performances (including Kubelik, Neumann, Jilek, and Mackerras), this is one of those rare occasions where you really can point your finger to a single version and say, “This is the best.”

The same holds true for the two Martinu works, though of course they have been less frequently recorded and so comparisons are less thick on the field. As noted above, the sound in The Parables, one of Martinu’s late masterpieces that easily could pass for one of his symphonies, is no less splendid than the Janácek, and the work itself is a shimmering, sensuous delight. The opening of the third movement, with its buzzing strings and flecks of xylophone, is quite unforgettable. Ancerl conducts both this piece and The Frescoes (dedicated to Kubelik, who recorded the work for EMI) with the same authority as the Janácek, and although all three of these performances have been kicking around in various couplings for some time, the sonic improvement certainly warrants acquiring this new edition. The playing will simply have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Stunning!

— David Hurwitz

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Leoš Janáček (3 July 1854 – 12 August 1928) was a Czech composer, one of the most important exponents of musical nationalism of the 20th century. He studied at the Prague, Leipzig, and Vienna conservatories. His earlier works was influenced by contemporaries such as Dvořák, but later he began to incorporate his studies of national folk music and language to create a highly original synthesis. Janáček's later works, which are his most celebrated, include operas Káťa Kabanová and The Cunning Little Vixen, the Sinfonietta, the Glagolitic Mass, the rhapsody Taras Bulba, two string quartets, and other chamber works.

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Bohuslav Martinů (December 8, 1890 – August 28, 1959) was a Czech composer of modern classical music. He was a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and briefly studied under Czech composer and violinist Josef Suk. Martinů was a prolific composer who wrote almost 400 pieces. Many of his works are regularly performed or recorded, among them his oratorio The Epic of Gilgamesh, his six symphonies, concertos, chamber music, a flute sonata, a clarinet sonatina and many others. Martinů's notable students include Alan Hovhaness, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Jan Novák and many others.

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Karel Ančerl (11 April 1908 – 3 July 1973) was a Czechoslovak conductor. Born in southern Bohemia, he studied music in Prague and Strasbourg, and was a student of Václav Talich. During WWII, he was imprisoned in Theresienstadt and later Auschwitz; he survived but losing his wife and son. After the war, he became Artistic Director of the Czech Philharmonic, gaining international acclaim. Following the 1968 Soviet invasion, he emigrated to Canada, leading the Toronto Symphony until his death. Ančerl is remembered for his performances of contemporary music and for his interpretations of music by Czech composers.

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