Janáček: Mr Brouček Suite, The Eternal Gospel & Other Orchestral Music

Featuring

Gweneth-Ann Jeffers
Adrian Thompson
Ilan Volkov
Elizabeth Layton
Edinburgh Festival Chorus
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Leoš Janáček

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Composition History

Leoš Janáček's cantata Amarus, composed in 1897 and revised in 1906, was influential in establishing his national reputation.

Notable Performances

The Fiddler's Child was the first of Janáček's orchestral works to be performed in England, played at the Queen's Hall, London, in 1924, conducted by Sir Henry Wood.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Janáček, a resolutely agnostic composer, was drawn to the text of The Eternal Gospel by its visionary humanity rather than its biblical exegesis.

Composition History

The Fiddler's Child, a 'Ballad' for solo violin and orchestra, was commissioned by Vilém Zemánek, the chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, after the successful Prague premiere of Janáček's Amarus.

Composition History

The Excursions of Mr Brouček, a pair of operas, took over ten years to compose and involved at least as many librettists.

Composer's Artistic Vision

In The Fiddler's Child, Janáček portrays the mayor as an oppressor, conveying a clear message about the suffering caused by such figures.

Historical Context

The Ballad of Blaník is dedicated to Dr. T. G. Masaryk, the founding President of Czechoslovakia, reflecting Janáček's patriotism and desire to celebrate his country's newfound independence.