Janacek - Sonata for Violin and piano II Balada

Leoš Janáček (1854-1928) wrote his violin sonata in 1914, he did, however, revise it several times before its first performance in 1921. The composer, a dedicated Czech nationalist and pan slavist, remembers "...in the 1914 Sonata for violin and piano I could just about hear sound of the steel clashing in my troubled head..." the people of Moravia were waiting to be liberated by the Russians at the beginning of the First World War and the work is full of suspense and atmosphere. The first performance was given by violinist František Kudláček and pianist Jaroslav Kvapil on 24 April 1922 at a concert of new Moravian music organized by the Young Composer's Club in Brno. Interesting to note that the first performance abroad was in Frankfurt in 1923, violinist was the composer Paul Hindemith.

Here the performers are Jana Vlachova violin and Frantisek Maly piano

The work is in four relatively short and very tightly structured movements:

II. Balada

Nowhere is Janacek more poignant and impressionist than in the Ballada of this sonata, apparently the only movement that remained unchanged during the composer's revisions. The violin sings its charming melody over the rippling piano accompaniment, the piano takes over this melody in an arpeggio statement and is joined by the violin in a sort of after thought, however the violin is the protagonist here and launches a second, slight more urgent melody, again the piano comes in with the arpeggio statement of the first theme that develops fluidly through the exchange of brief motifs in the two instruments. The piano adopts the second theme while the violin soars up and takes it an octave higher. Janacek breaks the second theme into a drier statement while the violin becomes preoccupied with the accompanying semiquaver figure which becomes one of those typical Janacek ostinato sequences - that leads us back to a rhapsodic development of the first theme bringing the violin up to its highest register while the violin reminds of the second theme and we return to Tempo I. With a final fragile restatement of the opening them, broken arpeggios and an echo of the second theme the ballade fades away.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Leoš
• Janáček
• janacek
• violin
• sonata
• classical
• chambermusic
• piano
• czech

[kmpiano1]

I think Janacek is a very difficult composer to understand and often because of its lack of "melody", it is not as popular as Dvorak or Smetana. However, I think it is such a special sound world with lots of magical moments, everyone should take their time to listen to it. I've listened to "In the Mist", and it makes me really want to learn it!

[CzarDodon]

kmpiano1, some people unfortunately don't know how to listen. It's sad because they lose one of the greatest joys available to us. Living in a world with too much music available all around, it is easy to be dulled into a sort of passive state where music becomes like wall paper. I personally find Janacek much more engaging than Dvorak or Smetana, I love the nervous tension that runs through his compositions.

[pumpkinheads79]

what a screwed up ending

[CzarDodon]

What a screwed up comment... what do you mean?

[Tomv1750]

I understand the Czech.

[Bagas]

This tune never fails to make me jizz

[krimi69]

nádhera.. i slzu jsem vypotil..

special music for special moment:).. i am glad i can listen -this-..

[Alquatari]

And bad idea to write here czech, nobody understands you. :-) But I agree, it's good idea to put dots into video. I don't have to bring my own sheets every time I want to listen it. :-)

[newgeorge]

its wonderful!

[123pelerin]

I listened to Janack for the first time yesterday--exquisite! Grazie mille, CzarDodon

[KhagarBalugrak]

This is one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever heard. Now, I'm a Janacek fan.