Supraphon

Antonín Reichenauer (c. 1694–1730) – a few years ago a name virtually unknown, today mentioned by Baroque music lovers in the same breath as the greatest Czech Baroque masters, not to mention Antonio Vivaldi himself. Reichenauer assumed after Johann Friedrich Fasch the post of court composer in the service of Count Morzin, whose chapel Vivaldi called a “virtuosissima orchestra” and for which he wrote a number of concertos.

Václav Hudeček ranks among the most gifted violinists, not only on a Czech but also an international scale, to have graced a 20th-century concert stage. Following his debut in London (at the tender age of 15!) with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, he appeared at the most prestigious concert venues (Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, Osaka Festival Hall, Sydney Opera) with worldrenowned orchestras (Berliner Philharmoniker, Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, NHK Philharmonic Orchestra, Gewandhaus Leipzig, etc.). David Oistrakh, who immediately recognised Hudeček’s exceptional talent, was his teacher and mentor, and on several albums accompanied him as a conductor too.

Neither the Škampa Quartet, who have established a firm position among the world’s finest chamber ensembles, nor the phenomenal musician Iva Bittová needs any introduction. Both names relate to several groundbreaking projects (including a singular conception of Janáček’s Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, Supraphon SU37942). The genre-genre-bending Škampa Quartet invited Iva Bittová to participate as a composer in their new project. Yet the majority of the pieces have been written by Pavel Fischer, formerly the ensemble’s first violin, whose Moravian musical roots and years with the Škampa Quartet have resulted in remarkable accomplishments.

If you ever feel the overpowering urge to hear a disc with the best performances of the best music ever written for violin and piano by Czech composers, this is that disc. If you ever feel the overwhelming compulsion to hear a disc with sweetly lyrical, passionately expressive, and deeply soulful music played with unparalleled insight, unmatched understanding, and complete comprehension, this is that disc. The music is truly the best ever written for violin and piano by Czech composers. Smetana's Pieces (2) from The Homeland are charming. Dvorák's Sonatina and Romantic Pieces are heartfelt and instantly memorable. Suk's Ballade and Pieces (4) are works of stunning intensity and staggering expressivity. And Dvorák's transcription of his Slavonic Dance in E minor is a bravura display of nationalist fervor. The performances are the best ever recorded for the repertoire.

Idiomatic doesn't even begin to describe the music-making on this disc coupling Dvorák's String Quintet in G major, Op. 77, and his Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 81. Not only are the four members of the Czech Skampa Quartet – violinists Pavel Fischer and Jana Lukásova, violist Radim Sedmidubský, and cellist Lukás Polák – incredibly tight, together, and in the groove with the music's Bohemian rhythms, but so are their guest artists: French double-bassist Laurène Durantel and English pianist Kathryn Stott.

There probably isn't a recording anywhere of Johann Sebastian Bach's six Brandenburg Concertos that can match the breakneck speeds of the performances by early music specialist Marek Stryncl and his virtuoso period ensemble Musica Florea. In cases where a jaunty Allegro or Allegro moderato can be assumed, Stryncl opts for Presto, or even Prestissimo, apparently with sound scholarship to back up his choices. This may be a legitimate Baroque practice (lay listeners could not know otherwise, without access to Stryncl's research), but there is a point where the rapid tempos will seem unduly hasty and become irritating to anyone who wants to linger over such niceties as instrumental color, articulation, harmony, and counterpoint.

Having already checked off the second (and by far most popular) cello sonata of Bohuslav Martinu in his first album for the Supraphon label, cellist Tomás Jamnik (all of 23 years old at the time of this recording) has set his sights on Martinu's Third Cello Sonata. Other works on this program include the Suita balladica for Cello and Piano of Petr Eben and the Sonata for Cello and Piano of Lubos Sluka. All of these works share not only a common Czech pedigree, but were composed within about five years of each other. Though they were all heavily influenced by the Czech folk music tradition, they are stylistically contrasting, resulting in a thoroughly enjoyable program of works not likely to be found anywhere else. As in his first album, Jamnik again proves himself to be an artist to watch. His technique is remarkably well developed and he skips nimbly around his instrument with apparent ease.

Janácek’s The Cunning Little Vixen has of late been appearing ever more frequently on the stages of opera houses worldwide. Two seemingly different worlds – the animal and human – blend together in their relentless cycle and consequently the work poses a great challenge to staging teams. Janácek’s specific musical phraseology brings to the story a unique emotional depth which, given a heart-felt interpretation, resonates in the audience’s souls. In Supraphon’s catalogue this masterwork features in two complete recordings – those by the conductors Bohumil Gregor (1970) and Václav Neumann (1980). The latter had previously recorded the opera back in 1957 with the soloists Hana Böhmová (Bystrouška, the vixen), Rudolf Asmus (Forester), Libuše Domanínská (Goldskin, the fox) and other superlative singers.

When the violin maestro Josef Suk, celebrating his 80th birthday this year, recorded for Supraphon a CD of Antonín Dvorák’s and Josef Suk’s chamber works (SU 3976-2) last year, the reviewers marvelled at the album’s intimate mood, tone and interpretational directness. These attributes are also characteristic of his latest release, “Romance”. On these 30-year-old recordings, Suk is backed by the two finest Czech orchestras. The album is abounding in the very qualities synonymous with Suk’s illustrious name: the beautiful, mellow and cultivated tone of his Stradivarius, sparkling technique and depth of feeling. These pieces by Czech and foreign composers are as though tailored to Suk’s virtuosity.

The common denominator of the recordings of these three virtuoso concertos is the name of the soloist. In 1932 František Hanták, still a student, was called up by Václav Talich to assume the post of first oboe of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Hanták was concurrently a member of Czech Nonet and later on also performed with the Czech Wind Quintet and the ground-breaking ensemble Ars rediviva. Following on from the previous CD comprising concertos by Mozart, Richard Strauss and Martinu (SU39552), this album features other gems from Hanták’s discography in Supraphon’s archives: the legendary 1951 recording of Kramár’s Concerto in F major, the “Haydn” concerto (with the yet to be clarified question of its authorship), with the Prague Symphony Orchestra and Mozart’s lovely Sinfonia concertante, K 297b, with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Václav Smetácek (1965).