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Belohlavek exerts firm control over the work's mighty spans and externalising all its richness and extraordinary passion.The BBC Symphony Orchestra responds magnificently with sumptious string playing and flawless ensemble.All in all,this superbly recorded and immensely impressive reading makes the case for a work that deserves to be far better known. Performance ***** Recording ***** BBC MUSIC CHOICE DISC OF THE MONTH. --BBC Music Magazine,Nov 2010
Belohlavek's passion and sense of momentum grant a new generation of listeners a credible modern benchmark. GRAMOPHONE RECOMMENDS --Gramophone,Nov'10
Belohlavek inspires the BBCSO to a blazing performance. **** --Daily Telegraph,04/09/10
What you hear on this CD is as much an astonishing testament to the abilities of modern day sound engineers as it is a fine performance.Ripening starts Copland-esque spaciousness, a sort of gentle yearning that eventually yields to that rollercoaster that Suk referred to.The composer's creativity is a marvel. ***** CD OF THE MONTH --Classic FM Magazine,Dec'10
Belohlavek's passion and sense of momentum grant a new generation of listeners a credible modern benchmark. GRAMOPHONE RECOMMENDS --Gramophone,Nov'10
Belohlavek inspires the BBCSO to a blazing performance. **** --Daily Telegraph,04/09/10
What you hear on this CD is as much an astonishing testament to the abilities of modern day sound engineers as it is a fine performance.Ripening starts Copland-esque spaciousness, a sort of gentle yearning that eventually yields to that rollercoaster that Suk referred to.The composer's creativity is a marvel. ***** CD OF THE MONTH --Classic FM Magazine,Dec'10
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3 reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
An Incomparable champion of Josef Suk
9 Oct 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Suk: Ripening (symphonic poem), Op. 34 / Praga (symphonic poem), Op. 26Suk: Asrael Symphony / Fairy Tale / Serenade StringsSuk: Summer Tale / Fantastic Scherzo - Charles Mackerras / Czech PhilharmonicSuk: Symphony in E major; Dvorák: In Nature's Realm; Carnival The composer Josef Suk has often been called the "Czech Mahler," but this moniker is only apt because his greatest scores are deeply personal and emotional expressions arising from grief, healing, and the journey of the soul towards enlightenment. Stylistically, his music bears little of the nostalgia and histrionics of the beloved German composer. After a period of Dvorakian development, Suk seemed to have a more obvious kinship with the Expressionists; you can hear glimmers of Scriabin, Szymanowski, Schreker, Richard Strauss and Zemlinsky in "Asrael" and the tone poems. This recording of "Ripening" easily supersedes all previous, including the first-rate version by Pesek with the Czech Philharmonic (Virgin). This hybrid CD is lush and expansive. Belohlavek (who gave us a monumental "Asrael" on Chandos) breathes new fire and urgency into his interpretation; Pesek is slightly more meditative and sensuous (both are valid approaches). It is a pity that the late Sir Charles Mackerras didn't record this work (if you don't have Mackerras' "A Summer Tale" on Decca, you must seek it out before it disappears), bringing his own special insight. As for the Symphony No. 1, no other recording comes close to this Chandos. The 2008 Supraphon recording with Tomas Netopil conducting the Prague Symphony is bland and uninvolving; much finer is the old 1982 Supraphon conducted by Vaclav Neumann (OOP), which has spirit and ardor in decent sound. The pastoral thrust of Dvorak, especially in the 6th and 7th Symphonies, inspire a passionate performance by Belohlavek, and Suk's early work can now be evaluated as seminal to his growth as a composer. Easily one of the finest recordings of the year.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
A stunner........a lush sonic shockwave of power and majesty
2 July 2011
Format:Audio CD
As I've gotten older, and as an unfortunate consequence for live performing artists, I've attended live performances less and less. Much of the reason for this is due to the economics (I suppose) and dominance of mainstream repertoire. How many times can one honestly hear Tchaikovsky's 4th or Beethoven's 7th? I make an exception for Mahler, of course. I increasingly have come to reject this common notion of 1st tier and 2nd tier composers as being some barrier through which we should harness our live-viewing habits. Case in point (of many, many) is Josef Suk. This is strong powerful music that really has something to say. This ultimately is my arbiter for music that is worth hearing and valuing. The previous reviewers have already made the case for Suk as yet another neglected composer that we NEVER hear in the concert halls outside of central Europe. This is why this recording in particular is so fantastic. The sonics, performance and mastering by Belohlavek and Chandos are beyond compelling. For those who were ever fortunate (I speak in the past tense now sadly) to see a Space Shuttle launch there is this palpable feeling of FEELING the power generated from sonic shockwaves. This was the same feeling I came away from this disc. I do agree that Suk could be categorized (if we must...) as a Czech expressionist who loved Dvorak's music and this perhaps is a good way to approach your initial introduction to him.
This is a demonstration-worthy CD that carefully manages the Suk's musical energy when tempered and flared such that wide-eyed astonishment is the result.
This is a demonstration-worthy CD that carefully manages the Suk's musical energy when tempered and flared such that wide-eyed astonishment is the result.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Tremendous!
17 Dec 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Jiri Behlolavek continues his impressive cycle of the major Suk works with this absolute winner of a disk containing "Ripening" and Suk's 1st symphony ("Asrael" is actually Symphony #2). "Ripening" comes following "Asrael" and the equally magnificent "A Summer's Tale," but is the most difficult of these three works to get inside. This is an outstanding performance in every way, and is a clear first-choice (the only two other performances I've heard are Pesek's and Neumann's). "Ripening" is dense, but it has something to say and is worth sticking with until it comes together for you. I wouldn't recommend "Ripening" as anyone's first exposure to Suk--start with Behlolavek's performance of "Asrael" instead.
I had never heard Symphony #1 before, and have to admit, I was very pleasantly surprised. I've read comments about it by others, dismissing it as a lightweight inconsequential work, but in fact it's a fully mature symphony that stands on its own. It's first rate material--even if it has echoes of Dvorak--and deserves to be part of the mainstream symphonic repetoire and played regularly.
The performances on this disk are excellent, and the sound is fantastic.
I had never heard Symphony #1 before, and have to admit, I was very pleasantly surprised. I've read comments about it by others, dismissing it as a lightweight inconsequential work, but in fact it's a fully mature symphony that stands on its own. It's first rate material--even if it has echoes of Dvorak--and deserves to be part of the mainstream symphonic repetoire and played regularly.
The performances on this disk are excellent, and the sound is fantastic.
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