Vítězslav Novák - Autumn Symphony, mvt. 2 Bacchanale (pt. 1/2)

Vítězslav Novák (1870-1949): Autumn Symphony, Op. 62 (1931-1934)
for male and female chorus and orchestra
2. Bacchanale (pt. 1/2)

Picture: Hugo Boettinger - Caricature of Vítězslav Novák

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor Karel Ančerl

Unfortunately, some great works of significant composers are almost unknown or there's even no possibility to find a recording somewhere. Choral symphony called "Autumn" by Dvořák's pupil Vítězslav Novák also has this fate. It's a reflection on the brevity of life and passing of time, work of balancing life, consolation and celebration of joys and beauties that life has brought but also still CAN bring.

The first eight minutes of the 2nd movement are purely orchestral and make an ouverture to the vocal scene of Moravian folk festivity (see the next video). Not long after beginning melodic and rhytmic elements of Moravian folk music appear and Novák's complex polyphony gets a dancing temperament with the specific tinge gradually.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Vítězslav Novák
• Autumn
• symphony
• Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
• Karel Ančerl
• Moravian folk music
• romanticism
• impressionism

[JP250506]

Jilek's rendition of Pan is by far more visionary and spacious than the 1990 commercial recording conducted by Zdenek Bilek issued on the Marco Polo label some two decades back. The 5 movt Exotikon suite, with its strong oriental affinity to Ravel's Mother Goose suite, would be an absolute delight to hear.

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Also crying out to be heard are Czech radio recordings of the orchestral transcriptions of Novak's piano compositions "Pan" op. 43 - you posted excerpts of the original piano version - and the lesser known "Exotikon"", both played by the Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Frantisek Jilek.