DVOŘÁK Saint Ludmila Adriana Kohútková, Soprano Karla Bytnarová, Alto Tomáš Černý, Tenor Ondrej Šaling, Tenor Peter Mikuláš, Bass Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir Leoš Svárovský 2 CD 1 Duet: Teď ptám se tě: co najít chceš? Antonín (‘Now I ask you: what do you want to find?’) Part I: Na nádvoří hradu mělnického 3 (Svatava , Ludmila ) 4:20 1 (‘In the courtyard of Mělnik Castle ’) Aria: Já neklamal se, buď vítána, dcero! (‘I was not under any illusion, be welcome, daughter!’) DV(18O41–Ř190Á4) K Introduction – Chorus: Tmy vrátily se v skrýše skal a lesů (‘Darkness has 4 (Ivan ) 3:30 returned to the nooks in the rocks and forests’) Ó, jaký obraz oku mému Svatá Ludmila ( ‘Saint Ludmila ’) 2 (Priests ) 8:32 (‘Oh, what a picture to my eye’) Recitative: Vesno smavá, Vesno snivá 5 (Bořivoj , Chorus ) 4:33 (1885–86) (‘Smiling Spring, dreamy Spring’) Recitative: Ach, ona, po níž srdce moje prahne 3 (Peasant ) 1:10 (‘Oh, she for whom my heart pines’) Chorus: Květy, jimiž Vesna vábí 6 (Bořivoj , Ivan ) 1:15 Oratorio for soloists, choir and orchestra, Op. 71, B. 144 (‘Flowers with which Spring attracts’) Aria: Ó, cestu ukaž mi, jak ji mám dobýt 4 (People ) 4:24 (‘Oh, show me the way, how I am to conquer her’) Text: Jaroslav Vrchlický (1853–1912) Chorus: Svaté jitro jest 7 (Bořivoj ) 3:27 5 (‘The morning is sacred’) ( Priests , People ) 4:24 Recitative: Ó, kterak mohu zvednout k tobě zraku Ludmila . Adriana Kohútková , Soprano Aria: Od dětství ku oltáři mne vodil svatý cit 8 (‘Oh, how can I raise my eyes to you’) ( Ludmila ) 2:57 (‘From childhood a holy emotion led me to the altar’) Ó běda, nechce slyšet jeho lkání! Svatava , her companion . Karla Bytnarová , Alto 6 (Ludmila ) 3:51 (‘Oh, woe, she does not want to hear his lamenting!’) Bořivoj . Tomáš Černý , Tenor Chorus: Vždy bozi s námi jsou, kam bludný krok se šine 9 (Chorus ) 0:23 Recitative: Jak z krásného snu náhle procitlý Peasant . Ondrej Šaling , Tenor (‘The gods are always with us, wherever the mistaken 7 step edges slowly forward’) ( Chorus ) 3:19 (‘How, suddenly awake from a beautiful dream’) Ivan . Peter Mikuláš , Bass Sem rychle Vesny květ 0 (Bořivoj , Ivan ) 3:01 (‘Here quickly the flower of Spring’) Quartet: Já hledala jsem záři toho jitra 8 (Peasant ) 1:43 (‘I looked for the glow of that morn’) Slovak Philharmonic Choir Aria: Do prachu s Vámi! Jeden jest bůh! (Ludmila , Svatava , Bořivoj , Ivan , Chorus ) 3:40 (‘Into the dust with you! There is one god!’) Petr Fiala , Chorus Master 9 (Ivan , Chorus ) 4:48 Part III: V chrámu velehradském Chorus: Kdo onen muž, jejž nestih’ s nebe blesk? ! (‘In Velehrad Cathedral ’) Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra (‘Who is this man, whom lightning in the heavens Introduction – Hospodine, pomiluj ny! 0 did not strike?’) ( Chorus ) 4:17 @ (‘Lord, have mercy on us!’) ( Chorus ) 4:01 Aria: Ó dovol, o dovol Duet: Ó, nech juž skanout nad našimi čely Leoš Svárovský (‘Oh, allow me the courage’) ( Ludmila ) 6:34 ! (‘Oh, allow now to drop on our foreheads’) Chorus: Vše láme se a bortí v chaos tmavý # (Bořivoj , Ludmila ) 2:59 (‘Everything breaks and crumbles into a dark chaos’) Duchu svatý, sestup v nachu (Chorus ) 5:22 $ (‘Holy spirit, descend in purple’) ( Ivan , Priests ) 4:08 Ó, zněte, písně, zněte k nebes báni CD 2 (‘Oh, resound, songs, resound to the dome of heaven’) Part II: V lesích berounských % (Chorus , Svatava , Ivan ) 1:35 (‘In the Beroun forests ’) Hospodine, pomiluj ny! 1 (‘Lord, have mercy on us!’) Introduction – Recitative: Ó, v jaké šeré lesní stíny (Ludmila , Svatava , Bořivoj , Ivan , Chorus ) 4:29 (‘Oh, into what dim forest shadows’) – Aria: Já neměla ti víry dáti (‘I ought not have believed you’) ( Svatava ) 8:20 Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) Svatá Ludmila, Op. 71, B. 144 (1885–86) Antonín Dvořák was born in 1841, the son of a butcher through this contact that, impressed by Dvořák’s when the Stabat Mater was heard again. 1885 brought a The second part is set in the woods near Beroun. In and innkeeper in the village of Nelahozeves, near Moravian Duets entered for the award of 1877, Brahms third visit to London and his connection with England the background there is a hollow rock, with Ivan’s Kralupy, in Bohemia, and some 40 miles north of Prague. was able to arrange for their publication by Simrock, who continued, particularly in choral works that were well hermitage. The scene is depicted in the orchestral It was natural that he should at first have been expected commissioned the Slavonic Dances, for piano duet. The suited to the flourishing traditions of choral music there. introduction. Ludmila’s companion Svatava is afraid to go to follow the family trade, as the eldest son. His musical success of these publications introduced Dvořák’s music By 1886 Dvořák was in England again, for the fifth further in the forest and recalls the anxieties and doubts abilities, however, soon became apparent and were to a much wider public, for which it held some exotic time. His oratorio Saint Ludmila , with a text by the poet that Ludmila has suffered. In the following duet she asks encouraged by his father, who in later years abandoned appeal. As his reputation grew, there were visits to Jaroslav Vrchlický, was commissioned for the Leeds Ludmila for her reason for their journey and is told that his original trade, to earn something of a living as a zither Germany and to England, where he was always received Festival and was performed there in October 1886 with an Ludmila is in search of the true God, revealed to her by player. After primary schooling he was sent to lodge with with greater enthusiasm than might initially have been orchestra of 120 players, a chorus of 250, and four the hermit. They see the hermitage and the Cross. Ivan an uncle in Zlonice and was there able to acquire the accorded a Czech composer in Vienna. distinguished soloists. The work was performed in London comes out and welcomes them, promising to reveal to necessary knowledge of German and improve his abilities In 1883 Dvořák had rejected a tempting proposal that and the score was dedicated to the Zerotin Choral and them the truth. Bořivoj is making his way through the as a musician, hitherto acquired at home in the village he should write a German opera for Vienna. At home he Music Society at Olomouc. The subject of the work woods and sees a hind restored to life by Ivan’s touch, to band and in church. Further study of German and of continued to contribute to Czech operatic repertoire, an reflected an important event in Bohemian history. Ludmila the consternation of Bořivoj’s men. He sees a girl, music at Kamenice, a town in northern Bohemia, led to important element in re-establishing national musical was the wife of Bořivoj, founder of the Přemyslid dynasty, apparently hiding among the rocks and questions Ivan, his admission in 1857 to the Prague Organ School, where identity. The invitation to take up a position in New York following whose example, in the usual version of these seeking to know where his journey leads. Ivan tells him to he studied for the following two years. was another matter. In 1891 he had become professor of events, she became a Christian, later to exert influence bow down, abandon heresy and worship Christ. Bořivoj On leaving the Organ School, Dvořák earned his composition at Prague Conservatory and in the summer over her grandson, Wenceslas. She was eventually obeys. Ludmila honours the prince and is urged by Ivan to living as a viola player in a band under the direction of of the same year he was invited to become director of the martyred. Canonised, she is the patron saint of Bohemia. understand that Bořivoj seeks Christ, as a new dawn Karel Komzák, an ensemble that was to form the nucleus National Conservatory of Music in New York, an institution The oratorio, which has also been given in staged or opens before them, with even Svatava finally convinced. of the Czech Provisional Theatre Orchestra, established that was intended to foster American music, hitherto semi-staged versions, follows the pattern to which English The scene closes with a choir of angels. in 1862. Four years later Smetana was appointed dominated by musicians from Europe or largely trained choirs were accustomed in ever larger bodies of singers The third part is set in Velehrad Cathedral, where conductor at the theatre, where his operas The there. Whatever the ultimate success or failure of the as in the Handel festivals, with a suitably predominant Bořivoj and Ludmila are to be baptised. The orchestral Brandenburgers in Bohemia and The Bartered Bride had venture, Dvořák’s contribution was seen as that of part for the chorus. The first part of the oratorio is set in introduction is a jubilant march. The people plead for already been performed. It was not until 1871 that Dvořák providing a blueprint for American national music, the courtyard of the castle of Mělnik. In the middle of the mercy, singing a Kyrie eleison, and Bořivoj and Ludmila resigned from the orchestra, devoting himself more fully to following the example of Czech national music, which courtyard is a golden statue of the goddess Bába. The welcome their baptism. Ivan bids the Holy Spirit descend composition, as his music began to attract favourable owed so much to him. There were musical results in his orchestral introduction leads to a chorus of heathen upon the couple and Svatava adds her prayers to those of local attention.