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Special offer. Josef Bohuslav Foerster: Symphony No. 1; Festive Overture; From Shakespeare
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, Marek Stilek
A Czech composer with Germanic leanings, Foerster’s soundworld reminds one at times of the lush melodiousness of, say, Humperdinck. On this recording, his four works based on plays by Shakespeare...
Special offer. Josef Bohuslav Foerster: Symphony No. 1; Festive Overture; From Shakespeare
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, Marek Stilek
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A Czech composer with Germanic leanings, Foerster’s soundworld reminds one at times of the lush melodiousness of, say, Humperdinck. On this recording, his four works based on plays by Shakespeare...
About
Josef Bohuslav Foerster was the successor to Dvořák as organist in Prague, a lifelong friend of Mahler, and a pivotal figure in Czech music, whose almost 200 compositions take in all the major genres. The three selected works here offer an overview of his orchestral music. Recalling several equally majestic pieces by Smetana, the arresting Festive Overture combines Czech flair with Viennese elegance, while From Shakespeare explores characterisation with warmth and resourceful orchestration. The early Symphony No. 1 in D minor offers a darkness-to-light trajectory suffused with rich mid-Romantic colours.
Contents and tracklist
Awards and reviews
December 2022
A Czech composer with Germanic leanings, Foerster’s soundworld reminds one at times of the lush melodiousness of, say, Humperdinck. On this recording, his four works based on plays by Shakespeare are particularly vividly imagined.
May/June 2023
The combination of Štilec conducting the Janáček Philharmonic in these works by Foerster is a winning one…the performances strike a very fine pose, the recording is excellent, and the price is right. This is a fine introduction to the music of Josef Bohuslav Foerster, a neglected Czech composer.
January 2023
The combination of orchestra and conductor here is a success. There is no doubt that their Festive Overture is more vibrant that the Naxos competitor...and the sound quality in the newer recording is significantly better.
