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SMETANA DDD Naxos Best Sellers 8.550931 Essential recordings for any music collection Má Vlast ORFF: Carmina Burana 8.550196 ˇ MOZART: Requiem 8.550235 Vysˇehrad • Vltava (Moldau) • Sárka FAURÉ: Requiem (and other choral works) 8.550765 From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields • Tábor • Blaník RODRIGO: Concierto de Aranjuez (and other guitar concertos) 8.550729 Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra VIVALDI: The Four Seasons 8.550056 Antoni Wit WEDDING MUSIC: Music by Wagner, Mendelssohn, J. S. Bach & others 8.550790 MOZART: Clarinet Concerto, Oboe Concerto and Bassoon Concerto 8.550345 GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F and An American in Paris 8.550295 COPLAND: Appalachian Spring, Fanfare for the Common Man, etc 8.550282 SATIE: Three Gymnopédies and other piano pieces 8.550305 GÓRECKI: Symphony No. 3, “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” 8.550822 JOHANN STRAUSS II: The Blue Danube – Most Famous Waltzes 8.550152 MUSSORGSKY & BORODIN: Pictures at an Exhibition, etc 8.550051 MOZART: Eine kleine Nachtmusik (and other ‘night’ music) 8.550026 BEETHOVEN: Moonlight, Appassionata and Pathétique Sonatas 8.550045 FÜR ELISE: Romantic piano music by Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin & others 8.550647 PAGANINI: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 8.550649 RAVEL: Boléro, Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 1, Ma mère l’oye, etc 8.550173 HANDEL: Fireworks Music and Water Music 8.550109 HILDEGARD VON BINGEN: Hymns , Sequence, Antiphon and Responds 8.550998 RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 2 and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini 8.550117 MOZART: Symphonies Nos. 40 and 41 “Jupiter” 8.550299

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Bedrˇich Smetana (1824-1884) un sentiment de haine dès les premières mesures. 5. Tábor Ce poème symphonique fut composé eu 1875 et Tábor et Blaník furent composés en 1878 et Má Vlast (My Country) créé le 17 mai 1877 à Zofin. Sˇárka est une guerrière 1879, trois ans après Par les prés et les bois de tchèque qui, à la suite d’une peine de cœur, voue Bohême. Ces deux derniers poèmes symphoniques 1 Vysˇehrad 15:09 une haine sans borne aux hommes. Elle attire alors du cycle furent créés à Zofin, le quatre janvier Lento – Largo maestoso – Grandioso poco largamente – Allegro vivo ma non agitato – le chef Ctirad dans ses filets, le séduit puis le 1880, à l’occasion du jubi1é de Smetana. massacre, lui et ses hommes, avec, I’aide de sa Lento ma non troppo La partition est construite autour d’un thème de troupe “d’amazones”. choral: Vous êtes les combuttants de Dieu Ce 2 Vltava (Moldau) 13:12 dernier sera repris plus tard par le compositeur Allegro comodo non agitato (The first source of the Moldau – The second source – 4. Par les prés et les bois de Bohême Anton Dvorák dans Husltska. Woods; Hunt) – L’istesso tempo ma moderato (Peasant Wedding) – Cette pièce fut également créée à Zofin, le 10 décembre 1876. Elle fut composée un an plus tôt. 6. Blaník L’istesso tempo (Moonlight; Nymphs’ Roundelay) – Tempo 1 (Rapids of St John) – Cette partition reprend les thèmes déjà développés Cette pièce utilise le même thème du choral Più moto (The Moldau flows broadly onward; Vysˇehrad) dans La Vltava, description de la nature, de la hussite (le début de I’œuvre rappelle d’affieurs fortement Tábor, et brode autour d’une 1égende 3 Sˇárka 10:03 faune, ainsi que de l’atmosphère rencontrée dans les villages: danses paysannes tchèque racontant l’histoire de guerriers qui Allegro con fuoco ma non agitato – Più moderato assai – Moderato ma con calore – dorment sous terre, dans la montagne Blaník, avant Moderato – Molto vivo – Più vivo de s’éveiller pour combattre les envahisseurs. 4 Z cˇesk´ych luhu° a háju° (From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields) 12:46 1994 Solveig Pollet Molto moderato – Allegro poco vivo, ma non troppo – Allegro (Quasi Polka) – Tempo 1 – Allegro – Presto

5 Tábor 13:23 Lento – Grandioso – Molto vivace – Lento – Molto vivace – Lento maestoso – Più animato

6 Blaník 1:47 Allegro moderato – Andante non troppo – Più allegro ma non molto – Tempo di marcia – Grandioso – Tempo 1 – Largamente maestoso – Grandioso meno – Allegro – Vivace

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Bedrˇich Smetana is a figure of the greatest remained German. After his marriage he was Bedrˇich Smetana (1824 - 1884) importance in the development of Czech music, employed as a teacher and pianist to the former Má Vlast (Ma Patrie), Six poèmes symphoniques creating and inspiring a synthesis of native tradition Emperor Ferdinand V, the retarded heir to the and the classical forms of music in which he had Habsburg throne. These years, however, brought Bedrˇich Smetana est né à Litomysl (en Bohème), le Deux des titres de Má Vlast sont des been trained. Born in 1824, the eleventh child and various difficulties and disappointments, with the 2 mars 1824. 11 est mort à Prague le 12 mai 1884. descriptions de la campagne tchèque: la Vltava, the first son to survive infancy of a brewer who had death of three of his four children and the illness of Par les Prés et les Bois de Bohême Il étudie tout d’abord la composition auprès de , les quatre profited from the thirst of Napoleon’s troops and his wife. Finally, in 1856, he sought a solution for autres pièces: Vysˇehrad, Sˇárka, Tábor, Blaník, Josef Prokseh. had later become brewer to Count Waldstein, he money troubles by moving to Göteborg, where he évoquent des lieux, des personnages ou des Il rencontre Schumann et Berlioz et subit leur showed early promise as a pianist and violinist and opened a successful music school and became influence, ainsi que celle de Liszt et Wagner. événements historiques. wrote his first compositions at the age of nine. closely involved with the musical life of the city. Smetana est considéré comme le père de I’École Smetana’s father was a keen amateur musician, Five years later he returned to Prague, while Tchèque. Dvorˇák reprendra ensuite le flambeau. 1. Vysˇehrad (la Forteresse Haute) a violinist, and was able to teach his son. There retaining some association with Sweden. En 1866, Smetana est nommé à la direction de Vysˇehrad était une forteresse, qui dominait la was, however, a period of some eight years during It was after his return to Bohemia that Smetana I’Orchestre du Théâtre de I’Opéra de Prague. Vltava, à la sortie de Prague. which Smetana had little professional musical set about the composition of music for the theatre. Il est I’auteur de pièces symphoniques, La pièce fut écrite en 1874 et créée quatre ans training, while attending schools in various In 1863 he completed The Brandenburgers in dramatiques, d’œuvres pour chœur, d’un trio, de plus tard, à Prague, sous la direction de L. Slansky, provincial towns. In 1838, however, he persuaded Bohemia, which he finally conducted at the Czech trois quatuors, de pièces pour piano, des Poèmes le 14 janvier 1879. his father to allow him to study in Prague and there Provisional Theatre three years later, in 1866, the Symphoniques: Hakon Jarl (écrit en 1861 et crée à Le premier thème, s’inspirant des mythes took the opportunity to devote himself to music year of The Bartered Bride. He was now at last Prague en 1864); Le Camp de Wallenstein chevaleresques, est d’abord exposé à la harpe. La rather than to anything else. This happy state of appointed principal conductor of the Theatre. Two (composé en 1859, d’après le drame de Schiller), tension s’intensifie et des rythmes guerriers se font affairs continued only for a year, after which he was years later Dalibor was staged, to accusations of dont certaines couleurs harmoniques et certains entendre. Nous assistons alors à la destruction du despatched to undergo more rigorous schooling Wagnerism, followed in 1872 by the completion of aspects de l’orchestration préfigurent le cycle Má Vysˇehrad. under an uncle’s supervision at Pizen (Pilsen). Here Libusˇe and two years later the opera The Two V1ast, Richard III, qui est en fait le premier poème 2. Vltava (la Moldau) he found scope for his abilities in playing for Widows. Smetana had his enemies and rivals, and symphonique, composé lors du séjour en Suède de Cette pièce est certainement la plus céIèbre de dances at social gatherings and pleasure in meeting there was a growing movement for his dismissal Smetana, en 1958. Smetana. Elle fut composée très rapidement, en again Katerina Kolárˇová, who in 1849 was to from the Provisional Theatre. In 1874 he was Il est également auteur des 0pèras: La Fiancée trois semaines, en novembre 1874 et créée à Zofin, become his first wife. In 1843 he left school and forced to take leave of absence as a result of his vendue, créée à l”Opéra de Prague sous sa le quatre avril 1875. L’œuvre est construite selon moved to Prague, determined to make a living as a increasing deafness, and accompanying tinnitus. In direction: Dalibor et Les Brandebourgeois en un mode descriptif, la musique tout entiière se musician, and supporting himself by employment spite of the limitations this imposed on his ability to Bohème, deux opéras patriotiques. vouant à nous faire imaginer et ressentir les as piano teacher to the family of Count Thun. 1848 compose, he completed the opera The Kiss in 1876 Entre 1874 et 1879, Smetana compose le cycle paysages de Bohême qui bordent le fleuve. was a year of nationalist disturbance in Europe. and The Secret two years later. In 1881, at the symphonique Má Vlast, alors qu’il ressent déjà les Smetana started a music school, but the political opening of the new National Theatre, his opera premiers symptômes d’une surdité qui pourtant ne 3. Sˇárka events of the time engaged his sympathies and he Libusˇe was staged, while he continued to work l’empêchera pas de continuer à écrire et à jouer Il s’agit d’une des œuvres les plus violentes du was to remain deeply committed to ideas of Czech relatively slowly on his opera The Devil’s Wall, jusqu’à sa mort. compositeur. Cette pièce, très dense laisse éclater nationalism, although his own first language which he had started in 1879 and eventually 8.550931 6 3 8.550931 550931bk Smetana CAN 10/1/03 9:14 am Page 4

completed in 1882. His health continued to the heroism and glory of the past, before the summer’s day, with the shade of the woods, the Blaník follows the fortunes of the followers of deteriorate, with intermittent loss of memory and of destruction of the old castle of Vysˇehrad. Broadly singing of birds and a final harvest and festival in Jan Hus, who, defeated, took refuge in Blaník speech. He died in May, 1884, in an asylum in in sonata form, the deeds evoked in the exposition peasant celebration. Mountain. There they sleep, until their country Prague. are sadly recalled in the recapitulation, after the fall Tábor, the city that was the stronghold of the needs them again. The symphonic poem contains a Má V1ast (My Country) is among the best of the stronghold. Hussites, is represented by a Hussite hymn, depiction of the natural scenery, a brief pastoral known of all Smetana’s music, a cycle of six Vltava, the River Moldau, follows the course of identified here with contemporary national political interlude, as a shepherd-boy blows his pipe, and the symphonic poems that conjure up the spirit of the river, where two streams, one cold, one warm, and cultural aspirations. The hymn Kd6zjste Bozi Hussite hymn of victory and patriotic triumph, Bohemia, its history and traditions, reflected in its join the main stream, to flow through the Bohemian bojnovíci (Ye who are God’s warriors) forms the combining with themes of Vysˇehrad. landscape. The period of composition was one of countryside, its woods with huntsmen, a peasant basis of the symphonic poem. some difficulty. By October 1874 Smetana was, for wedding, moonlight and dancing water-spirits, the the moment at least, completely deaf and in rapids of St John, and flowing on to join the Elbe. continuous pain. By 18th November he had The sound of the water provides an element of The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Katowice (PNRSO) completed Vysˇehrad, the first symphonic poem of unity to music that is broadly in rondo form, with The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra of He was followed by a series of distinguished Polish the cycle, which he may have started to sketch two the Vltava theme, perhaps derived from a Swedish Katowice (PNRSO) was founded in 1935 in conductors - Jan Krenz, Bohdan Wodiezko, years earlier. He immediately began work on the folk-song, now epitomizing the spirit of Bohemia. Warsaw through the initiative of the well-known Kazimierz Kord, Tadeusz Strugala, Jerzy second, VItava. At the same time he was The heroine Sˇárka, a rebel leader, seeks revenge Polish conductor and composer Grzegorz Fitelberg. Maksymiuk, Stanislaw Wislocki and, since 1983, completing his Czech opera Libusˇe. In January he for the infidelity of her lover. Ctirad sets out to Under his direction the ensemble worked till the Antoni Wit. The orchestra has appeared with was able to begin the third symphonic poem of the punish her rebellion, but is trapped by her, as he outbreak of World War 11. Soon after the war, in conductors and soloists of the greatest distinction cycle, Sˇárka, followed, in June, by From Bohemia’s finds her in apparent distress, tied to a tree. He falls March 1945, the orchestra was resurrected in and has recorded for Polskie Nagrania and many Woods and Fields, the last of what had been in love with her but he and his men are drugged by Katowice by the eminent Polish conductor Witold international record labels. For Naxos, the PNRSO intended as a tetralogy. The success of these works Sˇárka, who now calls her rebel band together to kill Rowicki. In 1947 Grzegorz Fitelberg returned to has recorded the complete symphonies of persuaded him to consider continuing the cycle, Ctirad and his soldiers. Sˇárka’s name is given to a Poland and became artistic director of the PNRSO. Tchaikovsky and Mahler. which he did with Tábor, completed by December valley near Prague, the traditional scene of these 1878, and Blaník, finally orchestrated in March events. The introduction shows Sˇárka in anger, 1879. The whole work was dedicated to the city of followed by the approach of Ctirad and his men. Antoni Wit Prague. These two additional movements were well His love for Sˇárka is evoked in a passage marked Antoni Wit was born in Cracow in 1944 and Pomeranian Philharmonic and then of the Cracow received and in 1882 there was a performance in Moderato ma con calore and the intoxication of his studied there, before becoming assistant to Witold Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1983 he took up the Prague of the whole cycle, greeted by audience and men is depicted in the next episode, followed by the Rowicki with the National Philharmonic Orchestra position of Artistic Director and Principal critics with the greatest enthusiasm. final savage massacre. in Warsaw in 1967. He studied with Nadia Conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony Vysˇehrad is the great rock overlooking the From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields portrays the Boulanger in Paris and with Penderecki and in 1971 Orchestra in Katowice. Antoni Wit has undertaken Vltava and guarding access to Prague, the former Bohemian landscape. Smetana suggested an outline was a prize-winner in the Herbert von Karajan many engagements abroad with major orchestras, stronghold of Bohemian princes. It is this earlier programme, with the first strong impression of one Competition. Study at Tanglewood with ranging from the Berlin Philharmonic and the BBC period of Czech history that Smetana evokes, as the arriving in the country, the sight of a simple Skrowaczewski and Seiji Ozawa was followed by Welsh and Scottish Symphony Orchestras to the harps of the bards are heard, and the story is told of country-girl walking through the fields, noon on a appointment as Principal Conductor first of the Kusatsu Festival Orchestra in Japan. 8.550931 4 5 8.550931 550931bk Smetana CAN 10/1/03 9:14 am Page 4

5 Tábor 13:23 Lento – Grandioso – Molto vivace – Lento – Molto vivace – Lento maestoso – Più animato

6 Blaník 1:47 Allegro moderato – Andante non troppo – Più allegro ma non molto – Tempo di marcia – Grandioso – Tempo 1 – Largamente maestoso – Grandioso meno – Allegro – Vivace

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8.550931 8 SMETANA: Má Vlast 8.550931

h 1994 & g 2001 HNH International Ltd English Text • Texte en français Made in Canada 79:38 DDD

8.550931 www.naxos.com Playing Time (My Country) (My ˇák and others ˇák 12:46 15:09 Má Vlast Má . Other parts of the cycle parts of the . Other ˇich ° Bedr Antoni Wit (1824–1884) SMETANA a háju ° From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields Woods Bohemia’s From and from 22nd to 26th January, 1994 (tracks 3–6) ych luhu Producer: • Music Notes: Beata Jankowska Anderson Keith (The Art Archive / Historical Museum Prague / Dagli Orti (A)) Archive Art (The ˇehrad ˇesk´ Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice) National Radio Symphony Orchestra Polish árka 10:03 ˇ (From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields) Woods Bohemia’s (From Vltava (Moldau)Vltava S Z c TáborBlaník 13:12 13:23 14:55 Má Vlast (My Country),Má Symphonic Poems Vys Cover Painting: The Moldau or Vltava River in Prague by Vinzenz Morstadt (1807-75) Painting:Cover Vinzenz in Prague by River Vltava The Moldau or 2 3 4 5 6 1

Recorded at the Concert Hall of the Polish Radio in Katowice from 20th to 22nd December, from 20th to Recorded at the Concert Hall of the Polish Radio in Katowice 1993 (tracks 1–2)

represent legend and the dramatic patriotic struggle of the Hussite wars. of the patriotic struggle dramatic and the legend represent Smetana was a pioneer of Czech musical nationalism, musical Czech of pioneer a was Smetana Dvor where leading in included poems symphonic of series His evocative follow. would depicts the countryside of Bohemia, the countryside depicts Prague, towards flow Vltava of the River as the waters in suggested the fields through

SMETANA: Má Vlast Má 8.550931