Vítězslav Novák - Piano Concerto; Toman and the Wood Nymph (Jan Bartoš; Jakub Hrůša)

Information

Composer: Vítězslav Novák

• Piano Concerto in E minor
• At Dusk, Op. 13
• Toman and the Wood Nymph, Op. 40

Jan Bartoš, piano

Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra

Jakub Hrůša, conductor

Date: 2020

Label: Supraphon

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Review

Vítěslav Novák’s Piano Concerto is a melodious early work, part Liszt and (in the finale) part Dvořák, but none the worse for that. Like just about everything this composer wrote, it displays a certain soulful melancholy which, combined with the very effectively written solo part, makes for very enjoyable listening. Composed at the same time as Suk’s early works, it reveals the post-Dvořák generation of Czech composers slowly freeing itself from its Brahmsian roots. Jan Bartoš clearly believes in the music, and delivers an expressive, flowing performance, ably accompanied by Hruša and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. The music’s virtuoso demands clearly don’t faze him, and Supraphon’s engineers give the artists warm, well-balanced sonics. The result is a wholly winning addition to the concerto repertoire.

Toman and the Wood Nymph is one of a number of symphonic poems on the same basic subject–a man possessed by a destructive feminine nature spirit–also explored by composers as diverse as Fibich, Sibelius, and Bax. Even Bartók’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle covers much the same territory: the fight over dominance between male and female natures. Novák’s take on this age-old tale is one of the most expansive (25 minutes), orchestrally intricate, and musically effective. I’ve described his later music as “Delius with rhythm,” and that description applies to this music above all. The work has been recorded numerous times, but this newcomer is as effective as any of the competition, and it makes an apt pairing to the concerto as evidence of Novák’s evolving musical language. In short, this is a very enjoyable release.

— David Hurwitz

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Vítězslav Novák (5 December 1870 – 18 July 1949) was a Czech composer and teacher associated with the neo-romantic tradition and Czech musical modernism. He studied at the Prague Conservatory, attending masterclasses with Antonín Dvořák alongside peers such as Josef Suk. Novák later taught at the Conservatory from 1909 to 1920, with Vítězslava Kaprálová among his students. His work was influential in shaping a national cultural identity following Czechoslovakia's independence in 1918. Known for his orchestral and operatic compositions, Novák's music blends rich Romantic expression with modernist elements

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Jan Bartoš (born 1981 in Ostrava) studied with such artists as Ivan Moravec, Alfred Brendel and Leon Fleisher. He appears internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, performing with leading orchestras and at major venues. He is the founder and artistic director of the Prague Music Performance Festival, and is a professor at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts. Recording exclusively for Supraphon, Bartoš has released albums featuring works by Janáček, Beethoven, Mozart and Novák. His recent recording of piano works by Kabeláč and Smetana earned a nomination for the German Record Critics' Award.

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Jakub Hrůša (born 1981 in Brno) is a Czech conductor and graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, where he studied under Jiří Bělohlávek and others. He currently serves as Chief Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony, Music Director Designate of The Royal Opera, Covent Garden (from September 2025), and will assume the role of Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic in 2028. Hrůša regularly collaborates with leading orchestras,, and has conducted major opera productions worldwide. His recordings have earned multiple awards and international recognition.

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