Smetana Ma Vlast

[reinerfan]

Thanks for your suggestion. I heard the Norrington when it was first issued but was unconvinced by the orchestral sound. It may have been nearer what Smetana expected but it didn't please me. The other problem, as I remember, was the lack of rhythmic vitality, a problem that often afflicts non Czech performances. However, I have a friend who has the CD which I can borrow and see whether I still agree with my original thoughts.

[salymap]

Not a recording, as far as I know, but daily broadcasts of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Yesterday Vysehrad, today now Vltava. Ongoing this week. It sounds so undernourished and lacking in the life I love in this work that I don't trust my own ears. It's on Afternoon on 3 each day. What do you think, if you can spare the time to listen?

[Basil]

Not a recording, as far as I know, but daily broadcasts of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Yesterday Vysehrad, today now Vltava. Ongoing this week. It sounds so undernourished and lacking in the life I love in this work that I don't trust my own ears. It's on Afternoon on 3 each day. What do you think, if you can spare the time to listen?

It's Harnoncourt, what do you expect?

Have you heard his performance of the Bach Cello suites?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I too find Harnoncourt particularly lifeless in Czech music. In his quest for "accuracy", he seems to lose the essence of the living music.

[Basil]

Hmmmmmm, just caught up with the rest of Harnoncourt's Má vlast, and either I became used to his 'take' of it, or it got better as he moved through the work. The final two parts I thought were very good.

Missed From Bohemia's Meadows and Forests as part three of Afternoon on 3 on iPlayer came up at 1 hour 38 minutes and ended in the middle of Norma!

[salymap]

Honestly Basil,this is the truth, I listened on a little kitchen mono radio FM, and thought the last two were much better with more movement and life to them. Earlier, I think they were so slow and lifeless to me and had little shape. Perhaps he was glad it was nearly over!

[Mahlerei]

Interesting comments re Harnoncourt. He's a conductor who always leaves me stone cold.

[tigajen]

Has anyone heard the recent issue conducted by Hrusa?

[Chris Newman]

Hi tigagen,
I have not yet heard Jakub Hrusa conducing Ma Vlast but have to say that he truly is amongst the corps of fine young conductors we are blessed with at present, by which I mean the likes of Lionel Bringuier, Vladimir Jurowsky, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Vasily Petrenko, Robin Ticciati, Ilan Volkov, Mark and Ryan Wigglesworth. I have been lucky enough to hear Hrusa in Prague (Janacek: Jenufa), Basingstoke (Mozart and Dvorak) and Woking (Don Giovanni) and have been very impressed.

He made his Ma Vlast with the Prague Philharmonia at the opening of the 2010 Prague Spring Festival and it seems to have been well received by the Financial Times :
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/359f8068-e...#axzz19yRkxnlG

In the Guardian Andrew Clements praises the performance but has reservations about the recording. The same criticism often holds back top recommendation from the Mackerras Supraphon recording.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010...t-hrusa-review

Anna Picard in the Independent hints at an original interpretation...perhaps a tending towards the Norrington style?
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...n-2127750.html

A reviewer on Amazon gives it the thumbs up, pointing out it is slower than many well known performances. Years ago I heard Vilem Tausky conduct 4 parts of it with the BBCSO and he was slower. This does allow for some greater beauty of tone and expression rather than wall-to-wall drama. Here is the Amazon 5 Star review:

:Quote: October 31, 2010
By T. Avramov (Ceske Budejovice, Czech republic) This review is from: Bedrich Smetana Ma'Vlast My Country (Audio CD)
This is absolutely surprising recording. I would never expect from chamber orchestra such gorgeous sound and interpretation of this large scale orchestra work. And still, there is lot of rubato, tenderness, kind of improvisation, each detail is heard and well played. Jakub Hrusa has done great job, it is really one of the best and most rewarding versions and it is much to say. It should not be the only one version one owns, but if one likes Smetana and Ma vlast, it is inevitable to get this one. Together with Talich, Ancerl, Neumann and Kubelik :-)! I would not dare to say which one is best or that one is better then other, because Ma vlast is that kind of work where the influence of conductor is very significant and it can completely change the "face" of the music and conductors named few seconds ago were all very special and each one conducted Ma vlast in very special way, so it is impossible to choose just one, but Hrusa belongs to the top. One more remark - I was quite doubtful, Ma vlast with so small orchestra and so young conductor?! I even hesitated to listen, but it is FANTASTIC! And it is even one of the longest versions, I like slow versions :-)! :Quote:

I think on the basis of reading those I shall have to add to my collection of the work that first made me listen to classical music

bws
Chris.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Interesting comments re Harnoncourt. He's a conductor who always leaves me stone cold.

Some conductors associated with HIP baroque performances can transfer their skills successfully to other music and performance styles. I cite JEG as a good example. Harnoncourt just doesn't seem to be able to adapt fully (in my opinion).