Customer Reviews

Janácek: Chamber Music & Orchestral Works

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Unlike the previous reviewer, I am in no position to evaluate the performances on these disks relative to other recordings. Instead, I represent something like an idealized layman's point of view. Janacek is not one of the twenty or so most famous composers, and I've even read some very harsh criticism of his music.

As for me, not even close to being any kind of expert, all I have are my ears, and they love lots of Janacek's music. For those unfamiliar with him and not sure what to expect, I'd place him in a historical context: late enough to be familiar with modernism and incorporate it into his music, but not as ready as other moderns to strike forth without romantic ideals of musical beauty.

I hope that snags someone's interest! If you are the kind of person who has already listened to a few recordings of Janacek's music, you could probably skip this particular offering, selecting some of the more highly recommended recordings--Janacek: Sinfonietta/Glagolitic Mass - Felicity Palmer, Malcolm King, Sir Simon Rattle, Philharmonia Orchestra or Janacek, Haas: String Quartets, for instance. I would recommend this to people like myself, with more interest than expertise, as a very reasonably priced introduction to an arguably somewhat neglected composer.

Having listened to these recordings a few times, if you find that you like them as much as I do, you might want to move on to his operas, which are increasingly getting high praise and for which he is probably most well known, as well as more famous recordings of his music. Finally, if you find that you like Janacek, you might like Szymanowski as well: for instance, try Szymanowski: Stabat Mater/Litany To the Virgin Mary/Symphony #3 'Song of the Night' - Sir Simon Rattle, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Chorus.

The five-star rating for this set is at least in part because it is a splendid bargain. Not every performance is the ultimate: Paul Crossley's piano playing is very fine but it doesn't banish the memory of Firkusny or Schiff. And there are better recordings of the quartets than the Gabrieli's. But these are very fine recordings overall. This set, combined with Decca's omnibus opera collection (with Mackerras et al.), provides a broad survey of this important and fascinating composer at a bargain price.