RESPLENDENT IMAGERY
BILL NEWMAN discusses the
orchestral music of Víteslav Novák
<< Continued from page 2
The late symphonic poem De Profundis (1941) - a picture of the
(Czech) nation suffering - I regard, along with 'The Storm', as Novák's
masterwork. Here there is a parallel with the first movement of Mahler 6
with its organic 'fate' motif build-up, that finds a totally different,
more concentrated utterance much later in Schoenberg's A Survivor
from Warsaw. Novák begins his 16 and a half minute work atonally,
the opening lines of Psalm 130, 'Out of the depths have I cried' revealing
orchestra sections unravelling discordances to find a true tonal path which
progresses up the stave very gradually (Largo Lugubre - Appassionato
doloroso - Meno largo, molto tranquillo) to a final Grandioso
outburst, organ joining forces, to be abruptly cut off at the height of
climax. Perhaps it is the exact antithesis of Strauss's Metamorphosen,
but its impact is tremendous [listen - track 7, 0:00
- 0:58].
Pesek and the BBC Philharmonic, aided by wonderful sound from Studio
7, New Broadcasting House, Manchester, impart its message to perfection.
Indeed, this whole CD does the greatest honour to a sadly neglected genius.
Copyright © 1 July 2000 Bill Newman,
Edgware, Middlesex, UK
PURCHASE THIS DISC FROM AMAZON
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CD INFORMATION - CHANDOS CHAN
9821
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