[Really a WAYLTL post, but that thread has been hijacked.]

For this quintessential American holiday, what better than Czech music
played by Czech artists? Dvorak's 9th symphony, of course, Besides, the
Trio of the third movement has always reminded me of the children's
Thanksgiving son, "Over the river and through the wood".

The CD I listened to: the Orfeo recording of Karel Ancerl and the
Czech Philharmonic Orch. at the 1963 Salzburg festival, a superb
performance of the symphony. Also on the program: a very fine
Dvorak Violin Concerto with Josef Suk, and a very fast rendition of
Smetana's "Bartgered Bride" overture. The weakest link (but not
enough so to spoil enjoyment) was the rather constricted sound,
which I would characterize as decent (to fairly good) mono.
--
Al Eisner

On Friday, 24 November 2023 at 00:02:58 UTC, Al Eisner wrote:
> For this quintessential American holiday, what better than Czech music
> played by Czech artists? Al Eisner

Big Dvorak fan here - the chamber music and the Slavonic dances. Best here is Sejna, also good Szell, Neumann and Talich 1950.

My visits to prague were crowned by seeing Janacek operas Vixen and Jenufa in the National Theatre and in Brno.

Within Czechia Smetana is held in higher esteem in Prague and Janacek in Brno. Surprised me.

On 11/23/23 7:02 PM, Al Eisner wrote:
> [Really a WAYLTL post, but that thread has been hijacked.]
>
> For this quintessential American holiday, what better than Czech music
> played by Czech artists?... the Orfeo recording of Karel Ancerl and the
Czech Philharmonic Orch. at the 1963 Salzburg festival, a superb
performance of the symphony.

I'm also one of the many Ancerl admirers - I don't think I've heard any
of his performances that were routine or uninteresting.

For those still interested in downloads, Presto now has some of its
Ancerl Supraphon recordings available for a few dollars each - Mahler 9,
Mahler 1, Beethoven 1 and 5, Prokofiev and Shostakovich Cello concerti
with Navarra and Sadlo.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8847690--symphony-no-9-in-d-major

The Mahler 9th is very passionate - here it is on
YT:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aD2TdG0ZtY

On Friday, November 24, 2023 at 2:14:18 PM UTC-8, Notsure01 wrote:
> On 11/23/23 7:02 PM, Al Eisner wrote:
> > [Really a WAYLTL post, but that thread has been hijacked.]
> >
> > For this quintessential American holiday, what better than Czech music
> > played by Czech artists?... the Orfeo recording of Karel Ancerl and the
> Czech Philharmonic Orch. at the 1963 Salzburg festival, a superb
> performance of the symphony.
> I'm also one of the many Ancerl admirers - I don't think I've heard any
> of his performances that were routine or uninteresting.
>
> For those still interested in downloads, Presto now has some of its
> Ancerl Supraphon recordings available for a few dollars each - Mahler 9,
> Mahler 1, Beethoven 1 and 5, Prokofiev and Shostakovich Cello concerti
> with Navarra and Sadlo.
>
> https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8847690--symphony-no-9-in-d-major
>
> The Mahler 9th is very passionate - here it is on
> YT:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aD2TdG0ZtY

A (large?) fraction of Ancerl's recordings are available
on YouTube, including my favorite "best" requiem:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ngKiZGd4nI76CFCbEatdfZwyWUDKDG0s0
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lrWNmxMsRf7mI4m6NWLi5mJldjt-hQ4nw
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k_zfHRa7VUPbvcKrzRmJaTkTA9sfV4PNE
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mOiPyCGJ3lQqBnk1Th2DzdcFdc5ePoJdE
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n3hMQbi8DiB7uXkjolsP_oWKtmfUX0Pa8
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kwLwQF4uAeKmxgr8cpiOghoBYxaJwbJL8
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZbukSlHOkYQNsogytgiXqfmh8RUnMr8P

Obviously, these can all be downloaded for zero pennies,
although some may not be available in all geographies.

Enjoy!

On Friday, 24 November 2023 at 23:38:09 UTC+11, Andy Evans wrote:
> On Friday, 24 November 2023 at 00:02:58 UTC, Al Eisner wrote:
>
> > For this quintessential American holiday, what better than Czech music
> > played by Czech artists? Al Eisner
>
> Big Dvorak fan here - the chamber music and the Slavonic dances. Best here is Sejna, also good Szell, Neumann and Talich 1950.
>
> My visits to prague were crowned by seeing Janacek operas Vixen and Jenufa in the National Theatre and in Brno.
>
> Within Czechia Smetana is held in higher esteem in Prague and Janacek in Brno. Surprised me.

In fact while both composers were born in eastern Czechia, Janacek actually very predominantly lived, studied in Brno, and is buried there. Whereas Smetana (German speaking and having difficulty with the Czech language) had a lot more association with Prague, and studied there, beside the fact that his music was more widely loved by Czechs as a whole.

It was Jenufa that really brought much attention to Janacek from the Prague audience. Additionally, Janacek was very pro-Russian as regards music and culture, which may have gone against him in Czechia. But Janacek was also very much a Brno person.

Ray Hall, Taree

On Fri, 24 Nov 2023, Notsure01 wrote:

> On 11/23/23 7:02 PM, Al Eisner wrote:
>> [Really a WAYLTL post, but that thread has been hijacked.]
>>
>> For this quintessential American holiday, what better than Czech music
>> played by Czech artists?... the Orfeo recording of Karel Ancerl and the
> Czech Philharmonic Orch. at the 1963 Salzburg festival, a superb
> performance of the symphony.
>
> I'm also one of the many Ancerl admirers - I don't think I've heard any of
> his performances that were routine or uninteresting.
>
> For those still interested in downloads, Presto now has some of its Ancerl
> Supraphon recordings available for a few dollars each - Mahler 9, Mahler 1,
> Beethoven 1 and 5, Prokofiev and Shostakovich Cello concerti with Navarra and
> Sadlo.
>
> https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8847690--symphony-no-9-in-d-major
>
> The Mahler 9th is very passionate - here it is on
> YT:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aD2TdG0ZtY
>

Thanks. Yes, Presto is having a Supraphon sale, CD's as well as MP3
and FLAC downloads, hence much Ancerl. I have that Mahler 9, which is
first-rate. I'll probably take advantage of the sale to pick up
"Ma Vlast".
--
Al Eisner

On 2023-11-25 3:06 p.m., Al Eisner wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Nov 2023, Notsure01 wrote:
>
>> On 11/23/23 7:02 PM, Al Eisner wrote:
>>>  [Really a WAYLTL post, but that thread has been hijacked.]
>>>
>>>  For this quintessential American holiday, what better than Czech music
>>>  played by Czech artists?... the Orfeo recording of Karel Ancerl and the
>> Czech Philharmonic Orch. at the 1963 Salzburg festival, a superb
>> performance of the symphony.
>>
>> I'm also one of the many Ancerl admirers - I don't think I've heard
>> any of his performances that were routine or uninteresting.
>>
>> For those still interested in downloads, Presto now has some of its
>> Ancerl Supraphon recordings available for a few dollars each - Mahler
>> 9, Mahler 1, Beethoven 1 and 5, Prokofiev and Shostakovich Cello
>> concerti with Navarra and Sadlo.
>>
>> https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8847690--symphony-no-9-in-d-major
>>
>> The Mahler 9th is very passionate - here it is on
>> YT:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aD2TdG0ZtY
>>
>
> Thanks.  Yes, Presto is having a Supraphon sale, CD's as well as MP3
> and FLAC downloads, hence much Ancerl.  I have that Mahler 9, which is
> first-rate.  I'll probably take advantage of the sale to pick up
> "Ma Vlast".

I'll have to look that up! The first live orchestral concert I attended,
as a teen, was Ancerl and the CPO. I'd say that was a pretty good start.

On 2023-11-25 3:14 p.m., Graham wrote:
> On 2023-11-25 3:06 p.m., Al Eisner wrote:
>> On Fri, 24 Nov 2023, Notsure01 wrote:
>>
>>> On 11/23/23 7:02 PM, Al Eisner wrote:
>>>>  [Really a WAYLTL post, but that thread has been hijacked.]
>>>>
>>>>  For this quintessential American holiday, what better than Czech music
>>>>  played by Czech artists?... the Orfeo recording of Karel Ancerl and
>>>> the
>>> Czech Philharmonic Orch. at the 1963 Salzburg festival, a superb
>>> performance of the symphony.
>>>
>>> I'm also one of the many Ancerl admirers - I don't think I've heard
>>> any of his performances that were routine or uninteresting.
>>>
>>> For those still interested in downloads, Presto now has some of its
>>> Ancerl Supraphon recordings available for a few dollars each - Mahler
>>> 9, Mahler 1, Beethoven 1 and 5, Prokofiev and Shostakovich Cello
>>> concerti with Navarra and Sadlo.
>>>
>>> https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8847690--symphony-no-9-in-d-major
>>>
>>> The Mahler 9th is very passionate - here it is on
>>> YT:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aD2TdG0ZtY
>>>
>>
>> Thanks.  Yes, Presto is having a Supraphon sale, CD's as well as MP3
>> and FLAC downloads, hence much Ancerl.  I have that Mahler 9, which is
>> first-rate.  I'll probably take advantage of the sale to pick up
>> "Ma Vlast".
>
> I'll have to look that up! The first live orchestral concert I attended,
> as a teen, was Ancerl and the CPO. I'd say that was a pretty good start.

And the program:
Sommer Antigone, overture (19570
Martinů Symphony No. 6
Smetana Ma Vlast 3. Sarka
Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor Op. 68