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ARCODIVA
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1/ SYLVIE BODOROVÁ (1954)
Babadag for Clarinet and String Quartet
2/ OND¤EJ KUKAL (1964)
Clarinettino, Concertino for Clarinet and Strings, Op. 11
13:28
3/ JAN DU·EK (1985)
Meanwhile for Clarinet and Strings
6:55
4/ TOMÁ· PÁLKA (1978)
Metafolkphoses for Clarinet and String Quartet
8:54
5/ JAN KUâERA (1977)
Zrození / Birth
6:18
6/ ALAN SHULMAN (1915–2002)
Rendezvous for Clarinet and Strings
4:50
7/ ASTOR PIAZZOLLA (1921–1992)
Oblivion
4:31
8/ OLIVER EDWARD NELSON (1932–1975)
Stolen Moments
4:10
Irvin Veny‰ – clarinet
Epoque Quartet (David Pokorn˘ – violin, Vladimír Klánsk˘ – violin,
Vladimír Kroupa – viola, Vít Petrá‰ek – violoncello)
David Pavelka – double bass (2, 7)
Recorded in MartinÛ Hall at Prague Academy of Performing Arts in December 2011
Music directors Jifií ·tilec and Jaroslav Krãek (3, 8)
Sound engineers, editing Václav Roubal, Karel Soukeník • Producer Jana âerná
2
6:51
Ïánry obvykle nezafiazované pod hlaviãku „váÏné hudby“ – jazz, rock a funk. Aãkoliv skladby
klasické kvartetní literatury zÛstávají nedílnou souãástí programÛ tohoto tûlesa, citliv˘ pfiístup
k netradiãním aranÏmá mu pfiiná‰í nové moÏnosti vyuÏití smyãcov˘ch nástrojÛ a zároveÀ
umoÏÀuje neb˘valou ‰ífii repertoárového zábûru, na na‰ich i zahraniãních pódiích ojedinûlou.
âlenové kvarteta jsou laureáty nûkolika svûtov˘ch soutûÏí (dvojnásobná první cena soutûÏe
v rakouském Liezenu, první cena Mezinárodní kvartetní soutûÏe Ludwiga van Beethovena,
Cena Jeunesses Musicales) a soubor se úspû‰nû zúãastnil i dal‰ích soutûÏí (napfi. Paolo Borciani
Competition). Ze zahraniãních zemí úãinkoval mj. v Nûmecku, Rakousku, ·v˘carsku, Francii,
Itálii, Anglii, Izraeli, Japonsku, ¤ecku, Holandsku, Polsku, Bosnû a Hercegovinû.
Epoque Quartet pravidelnû hraje v abonentních cyklech Symfonického orchestru âeského
rozhlasu, âeského Noneta, âeského spolku pro komorní hudbu, spolupracuje s âeskou televizí i rozhlasem a je ãast˘m hostem prestiÏních mezinárodních hudebních festivalÛ napfi.
Schleswig-Holstein Festival (Nûmecko), Stuttgarter Philharmoniker Zyklus, Metamorphosen
(·v˘carsko), âeské sny, Concentus Moraviae, Hudební festival âesk˘ Krumlov, Festival
Ludwiga van Beethovena, Moravsk˘ podzim aj. V roce 2000 vedli ãlenové kvarteta mistrovské
kursy jazzové improvizace na hudební akademii v Jeruzalémû. Na poli jazzové hudby se soubor
setkal mimo jiné s George Mrazem, Benny Beaileym, Yoshiko Kishino. Soustavnû spolupracuje
s Robert Balzar triem.
David Pavelka (1980) studoval v letech 1992–2000 na Konzervatofii Jana Deyla v Praze ve
tfiídû prof. Miloslava Ledvinky. V roce 1999 se zúãastnil soutûÏe konzervatofií, kde získal
1. cenu. Po ukonãení studií na konzervatofii absolvoval jeden semestr na Toho Gakuen
Orchestra Academy v Toyamû v Japonsku. V letech 2000–2005 studoval na Hudební fakultû
AMU v Praze ve tfiídû prof. Radomíra Îaluda. Od roku 1997 pÛsobil v orchestru Státní opery
Praha. V roce 2000 úspû‰nû vykonal konkurz do Symfonického orchestru âeského rozhlasu,
kde pÛsobí dodnes. Od roku 2009 je ãlenem âeského noneta.
Front cover photo © 2012 Lukáš Hausenblas
Sleeve note © 2012 Irvin Venyš, Jiří Štilec, archives
Translation © 2012 Karel Janovický
Design © 2012 Peter Vrábel
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v letech 1960–1961 hrál na tenorsaxofon s Qunicy Jonesem v USA i na cestách po Evropû.
Vrcholná doba Nelsonovy kariéry pfii‰la v ‰edesát˘ch letech, kdy spolupracoval s prestiÏními
gramofonov˘mi spoleãnostmi a skvûl˘mi jazzov˘mi i rockov˘mi hudebníky a zpûváky (mj.
Nancy Wilson, James Brown, Temptations a Diana Ross), jeho skladba „Stolen Moments“ se
stala standardem. Stal se i leaderem velkého big bandu a pfiestûhoval se do Los Angeles. Vedle
svého big bandu a men‰ího ansámblu se stále ãastûji objevoval i jako sólista na sopránsaxofon.
Daleko ménû znám˘ fakt je, Ïe Nelson komponoval i velké symfonické kompozice a byl velmi
zainteresován v oblasti jazzového vzdûlávání, vracel se stále ãastûji na svoji domovskou universitu do Washingtonu, aby zde vedl prázdninové kursy.
Epoque Quartet
Members of the Epoque Quartet play “classic” brilliantly, but they don’t crumple up as many
“classicists” do if suddenly they see in the music instead of black dots chord boxes or no notes
at all. They in fact excel in such situations. At their concerts they press their listeners and coperformers to join in the rhythm of their dynamic presentations by stamping their feet – be it
in classical music or in mixed genres. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to do a bit of “jamming”
with them many more times.
Irvin Veny‰ je právem fiazen k nejv˘raznûj‰ím umûlcÛm mladé ãeské generace. Je drÏitelem
mnoha ocenûní ze svûtovû uznávan˘ch soutûÏí – PraÏské jaro, Pacem in Terris Bayreuth, EBU
New Talent, Zurich, Madeira. Tato ocenûní opakovanû obhajuje na prestiÏních festivalech –
Festival Mitte Europa, Pablo Casals festival v Prades, Mozart der Europaer Mannheim, Mezinárodní hudební festival PraÏské jaro, JanáãkÛv máj – a pódiích celé fiady zemí – Japonsko,
Nûmecko, Francie, ·panûlsko atd. Pozoruhodn˘ je pfiesah jeho hudebních aktivit, od klasického klarinetového repertoáru pfies extrémnû nároãné skladby 20. a 21. století – ãeské a svûtové
premiéry – Osvaldo Golijov, Betty Oliveiro, Isang Yun, Jan Du‰ek, N-Tech atd. – aÏ po
folklór. Spolupracuje s pfiedními svûtov˘mi sólisty a dirigenty – Heinz-Jörg Schellenberger,
Radovan Vlatkoviã, Zakhar Bron, Peter Czaba, Martin Kasík, Ivo Kahánek, Igor Arda‰ev nebo
Libor Pe‰ek. Za zmínku stojí i rozsah jeho hudebního vzdûlání. Absolvoval Konzervatofi v Brnû
ve tfiídû prof. B. Winklera, magistersk˘ a následnû doktorsk˘ cyklus na Hudební a taneãní
fakultû Akademie múzick˘ch umûní v Praze u profesorÛ Jifiího Hlaváãe a Vlastimila Mare‰e, kde
v souãasné dobû pÛsobí jako pedagog. Své vzdûlání doplnil roãní stáÏí na Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique et de Danse v PafiíÏi v prestiÏní tfiídû Michela Arrignona.V poslední dobû
nahrával napfiíklad pro âesk˘ rozhlas, âeskou televizi, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk ãi ArcoDiva.
www.irvinvenys.cz
Epoque Quartet (David Pokorn˘ – housle, Vladimír Klánsk˘ – housle,
Vladimír Kroupa – viola, Vít Petrá‰ek – violoncello
PraÏské smyãcové kvarteto Epoque Quartet vzniklo na poãátku roku 1999. âtyfii vynikající
sólisty a komorní hráãe s bohat˘mi pódiov˘mi zku‰enostmi pfiivedla ke spoleãné práci nejen
názorová shoda a pfiíbuznost umûleckého naturelu, ale pfiedev‰ím mimofiádné nad‰ení pro
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Crossover??
Works specially written for us, works often played on concert platforms, or works which
I intruded upon with or without permission. One can say that we gently cross the borders not
just in original “art” works, but also in newly composed or reshaped works. I shadow the
Epoques with compositions inspired by Romanian and Moravian folklore which is close to my
heart, and they pay me back in jazzy pieces or improvisations.
Babadag
I thank the composer Sylvie Bodorová for her patience and tolerance she showed towards my
instrumental ideas and amendments with which I tried to contribute to the folk-like colouring
of her work as it was coming into being. Her kindness during the recording created the perfect
conditions for us, enabling us to master the rhythmically and technically demanding passages in
the work inspired by Romanian folklore and the matchless artistry of the Romanian clarinettists.
Clarinettino
I met the composer Ondfiej Kukal just a few days before the start of the recording for this CD.
The act of handing over his score turned into a debate lasting several hours – a debate not
merely about music…He kept accepting our musical ideas with undying enthusiasm which, in
the late night hours of the recording session, poured energy into our veins.
Meanwhile for Clarinet and Strings
After the clarinet concerto which he had dedicated to me, I asked my friend and brilliant
composer to write something that would fit the plans for the present CD. The work which
pleased us straight away at the first run through, was delivered by him to me, printed and
bound, just two days before the agreed deadline.
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Birth
The idea for this work was “born” during a casual jam session on the occasion of the Epoque
Quartet cellist Vítek Petrá‰ek’s birthday celebration. I happened to wander unwittingly onto
the freshly composed piece by Jan Kuãera who was there, failing to object. Later on he wrote
in a clarinet part for me. We thank the ladies and gentlemen of the KuÏelka pub for tirelessly
and regularly supplying us with the excellent amber nectar from Pilsen, and Mr Petr Malásek
for his 53% “order” with which he evaluated our musical production.
Zatímco v Evropû slaví koncerty a nahrávky Piazzollova souboru velké úspûchy, v rodné Argentinû je povaÏován za jakéhosi „odpadlíka“ od pÛvodního ryze taneãního tanga. Astor Piazzolla
komponoval kromû taneãních kompozic (více neÏ tfii stovky skladeb, jejichÏ základem je argentinské tango) i dal‰í Ïánry – scénickou hudbu a dokonce i symfonická díla.
Se sv˘m souborem naposledy koncertoval Piazzolla v Amsterdamu v roce 1989. Svoji tvorbu,
která se po roce 1980 dostává do repertoáru svûtov˘ch hvûzd jako Kronos Quartet (tento
soubor pfiedstavil Piazzollu na PraÏském jaru 1991) nebo Gidon Kremer (zahrál Piazzollu na
PraÏském jaru 1996 a 1999), Piazzolla nejãastûji oznaãoval jako „hudbu z Buenos Aires“.
Jednou z jeho nejznámûj‰ích kompozic je Oblivion. Piazzolla ji napsal v roce 1982 a od té
doby stále zÛstává jeho nejpopulárnûj‰ím tangem. Je velmi komplexní a vyzafiuje velkou emocionální sílu. Smyãce pfiicházejí pravidelnû s velmi prÛzraãn˘m a klidn˘m doprovodem, melodická linie je melancholická aÏ mírnû depresivní. Oblivion je píseÀ o lásce a smutku. Je to
pfiekrásná skladba plná citÛ a elegance. I kdyÏ se v polovinû tanga melodie ponûkud promûÀuje
a pfiichází kontrastní téma, pfiesto tato „píseÀ“ zÛstává smutná. Melodie získala hlavní popularitu, kdyÏ se stala souãástí sound tracku filmu Henry IV, the Mad King, jehoÏ reÏisérem byl
Marco Bellochio. Spojení lásky a smutku uchvacuje kaÏdého, kdo tuto melodii poslouchá a je
tím zvlá‰tním, co na tomto tangu a hudbû Piazzolly posluchaãe stále pfiitahuje.
Ve sv˘ch pamûtech Astor Piazzolla o charakteru této melancholicky zvlá‰tní a zároveÀ rytmicky
pregnantní hudby i o sobû samém napsal:
„Hrál jsem snad v‰ude, buì jsem mûl pocit, Ïe to tak má b˘t nebo jsem nûkdy ani nemûl moÏnost
v˘bûru. Bylo pro mne lhostejné, zda to bylo v „bordelu“, kde chtûl bohat˘ majitel, aby Piazzolla hrál
jeho klientÛm, nebo v New Yorku v síni Filharmonie.
Ale nemám rád extrémy, ani jedno ani druhé místo nebylo to pravé. Má tvorba je v pravém smyslu
komorní, nejlépe mi „sedí“ kvintet nebo nonet. Proto miluji hru v men‰ích sálech jako je Divadlo
„En la Regina“ v Buenos Aires. VÏdy jsem trpûl, kdyÏ jsem hrál na velk˘ch jazzov˘ch festivalech
v Evropû. Nemohl jsem ãasto vydrÏet pfiehnan˘ zájem lidí, ktefií mne okukovali, nebo stále nûco
chtûli, ani prÛvan, kter˘ nám strhával party z pultÛ…“
Metafolkphoses
Our links with TomበPálka go back to our studies at the Conservatoire in Brno, the Prague
Academy and even our sojourn at the famous Consérvatoire National Supérieur de Musique
et de Danse in Paris. We share even our music history as amateurs, since at our early age we
played in rival children’s folklore groups in Brno (he was actually the leader). Of course,
I gave Tomበa free rein to compose his folk-inspired piece as he wished, though its final
shape came as a bit of a surprise to us. I am, however, really glad that it’s a composition
which clearly shows motives of wonderful folk songs of South Moravia and Slovakia, combining them in a non-traditional, though unaffected way with modern instrumental techniques. Bringing these two musical worlds together creates an extraordinarily powerful
atmosphere.
Oblivion
We have included the much performed tango by Astor Piazzolla for its sentimentally sultry
atmosphere and its distant musical affinity to Ondfiej Kukal’s Clarinettino. It seemed to us that
the CD needed a well-known work as counterbalance to the newly created compositions of
a more “contrived” character.
Stolen Moments
As we travelled to our first joint concert at the chateau at Moravsk˘ Krumlov (still with its
Mucha Slav Epos canvasses inside), we confidently thought that the audience would applaud
but realised that we had no encore ready for that eventuality. The Epoque Quartet gentlemen
mentioned a piece for which they had no music at hand but which “they might perhaps be
able to play from memory”. Myself, I could join in, improvising a bit. The work, originally
with no place for the clarinet in it, is different every time we play it.
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Oliver Edward Nelson (1932–1975) byl americk˘ jazzov˘ saxofonista, klarinetista, aranÏér
a skladatel, kter˘ pocházel z hudební rodiny. UÏ v ‰esti letech se zaãal uãit hrát na klavír
a v jedenácti na saxofon, od roku 1947 hrál v místních bandech v okolí Saint Louis. Studoval
hudební teorii a kompozici ve Washingtonu a na Lincoln University, kde dokonãil studia
v roce 1958. PÛsobil v New Yorku jako instrumentalista a aranÏér v divadlu Apollo v Harlemu,
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Skladba Zrození je jednou z ãástí scénické hudby pro soubor Spitfire Company a jeho pfiedstavení
13. mûsíc – Requiem za Bruno Schulze. Neodluãitelnou sloÏkou tohoto expresivního taneãního
divadla je Ïivû hrající smyãcové kvarteto – Epoque Quartet, pro nûjÏ kontinuálnû pí‰u a aranÏuji
od jeho zaloÏení. Speciálnû pro tuto nahrávku jsem do této své minimalistické skladby pfiipsal klarinetov˘ part.
Alan Shulman (1915–2002) byl americk˘ skladatel a violoncellista, od dûtství se vûnoval
hudbû stejnû jako jeho dva sourozenci. Od roku 1932 studoval na Juilliard School violoncello
a kompozici, Ïivil se i hrou v smyãcov˘ch kvartetech, která hrála populární hudbu pro rozhlasové sítû jako NBC, vûnoval se rovnûÏ aranÏování. Komponoval i pro dûtská divadla a v roce
1942 studoval kompozici dokonce u Paula Hindemitha. Vûnoval se jako violoncellista i propagaci soudobé hudby, zejména jako ãlen Stuyvesant String Quartet. Tento soubor zaloÏil v roce
1938 se sv˘m bratrem – ansámbl uvádûl díla Prokofjeva, Blocha, Malipiera, ·ostakoviãe
a dal‰ích. Ve ãtyfiicát˘ch letech byly uvedeny Shulmanovy nejúspû‰nûj‰í kompozice – Theme
and Variations for Viola and Orchestra, Suite on American Folk Songs a Pastorale and Dance.
V padesát˘ch letech napsal Alan Shulman mnoÏství populárních písní a drobn˘ch ÏánrÛ.
Skladbu Rendezvous ("Rendezvous with Benny") pro klarinet a smyãcové kvarteto z roku
1946 sloÏil Alan Shulman pro Bennyho Goodmanna a Stuyvesant Quartet, ve kterém sám
pÛsobil jako violoncellista. Goodman pozval kvarteto k úãinkování ve své rozhlasové show
„Homecoming stars“, jeÏ kaÏd˘ t˘den uvádûl, aby spolu s ním zahráli jednu z vût Mozartova
Klarinetového kvintetu. Shulmanovi se v‰ak nechtûlo cestovat kvÛli nûkolika minutám hudby,
a proto nabídl Goodmanovi, Ïe sloÏí pro totoÏn˘ ansámbl novou krátkou skladbu. Ze skladby
Rendezvous with Benny tak vznikla kompozice Rendezvous for Clarinet and Strings.
Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992) se narodil v Argentinû, ale dûtství strávil v newyorském Bronxu.
V tomto mûstû také ve tfiinácti letech úãinkoval jako hráã na bandoneon (varianta akordeonu
a typick˘ nástroj pro tango, pÛvodnû v‰ak nástroj, kterému dal jméno nûmeck˘ nástrojafi Heinrich Band) a získal zde jak klasické, tak jazzové ‰kolení. V roce 1937 se vrátil do Argentiny.
V Buenos Aires studoval od roku 1940 na doporuãení Arthura Rubinsteina u Alberta Ginastery. V roce 1950 získal stipendium francouzské vlády a vzdûlával se v PafiíÏi u Hermanna
Scherchena (dirigování) a u Nadji Boulanger (kompozice). Po definitivním návratu do Argentiny komponuje „tango nuevo“ a v roce 1960 zakládá svûtovû proslul˘ soubor Quintetto
Nuevo Tango. To byl poãátek jakéhosi „druhého dechu“ tanga a jeho celosvûtové exploze.
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Rendezvous for Clarinet and Strings
The piece with which it all began…
Sylvie Bodorová (b.1954) is an important Czech composer who studied at the conservatoire
in Bratislava, at the Janáãek Academy in Brno and the Prague Academy of Performing Arts.
She made her acquaintance of new composition techniques during stays in Siena (Franco
Donatoni), Poland and Amsterdam (Ton de Leeuw). In the 90s she taught at the university in
Cincinnati and other places in the USA. In 1996 she and the composers Lubo‰ Fi‰er, Zdenûk
Lukበand Otmar Mácha founded the creative group “Quattro”. Sylvie Bodorová is one of the
most sought after and performed Czech composers, her works having been played abroad and
representing contemporary Czech music culture at prestigious concert venues and festivals. She
wrote her very successful full-length oratorio Juda Maccabeus (2002) for The Prague Spring
Festival, and for the Smetana’s Litomy‰l jubilee festival another large-scale oratorio Moses
(2008). In 2009 she created a folk-song project based on Balkan and Gypsy music for the
tenor ·tefan Margita with violin, viola, clarinet, harp, percussion and strings, representing her
original approach to the area of world music. In 2011 she wrote her Symphony No. 1 “Con le
campane” for the Prague Symphony Orchestra and its chief conductor Jifií Kout. Her latest
successful commission has been the large-scale song cycle Lingua angelorum for the worldfamous baritone Thomas Hampson. It was first performaed at the Smetana’s Litomy‰l Festival
in 2012. Writing about her work, Sylvie Bodorová says:
I composed Babadag for Clarinet and String Quartet in 2010, originally for the opening
concert of the Prague d’Or International Television Festival. The one-movement work’s first
version was for clarinet and string orchestra. I drew inspiration from the brilliant playing of the
clarinettist Irvin Veny‰ and some of my own experiences from childhood long ago. To me, the
clarinet has two aspects – the first a virtuoso, bravura, captivating, motoric dance-like csárdás one,
and the other a nostalgic, contemplative, lyrical one. It evokes a number of images in my mind,
reminiscent of things I saw and snatches I heard as a child in Slovakia, especially in the Gypsy
village of ·a‰ov which I often used to pass. Both these aspects led my mind also to the Balkans
whose music and thinking had loosely inspired my work. Babadag is a small town in Romania.
Some of the Roma I met in Slovakia had their roots there and snatches of their music have left their
mark loosely on some parts of my piece. I remember I also experienced one of their wonderful
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wedding celebrations which lasted two days, with music being played the whole night through. The
bride and groom danced an extraordinary dance which kept getting faster and faster, while the
Roma band played in a peculiar rhythm which it would be very difficult to write down using our
notation system. About thirty Roma including children were dancing, it was after midnight, the
moon was shining, and the music was only punctuated by shouting and clapping. It was an unforgettable experience as the hubbub was suddenly interrupted by a long drawn-out note on the E flat
clarinet – so ardent, so pressing, as if calling on life, but death too, as if something was being born
but at the same time something was dying…That is the basic impulse of my composition Babadag.
The clarinet is often being made to work with rich and complex melismatic melodies, while the
metrorhythmics take as their point of departure the typically odd-numbered quaver rhythms from
the Balkans and the alternation of metrorhythmic patterns (including bimetres), while in some
places I make use of the string instruments for percussive effects. The clarinet is presented in all its
registers and timbres, as only it can be.
hudební ãas se staly v mé kompoziãní práci jednûmi z nejdÛleÏitûj‰ích hudebních parametrÛ.
Celkovû se v kompozici pfiikláním k jednodu‰‰í strukturaci. To je v˘znamn˘m faktorem pfiispívajícím ke srozumitelnosti mé hudby smûfiující k subtilním, introvertním a kontemplativním rovinám.
K m˘m hudebním vzorÛm se fiadí pfiedev‰ím skladatelé jako Anton von Webern, Morton Feldman,
Giacinto Scelsi, György Ligeti, Pavel Zemek-Novák, Olivier Messiaen, Witold Lutos∏awski, Arvo
Pärt, György Kurtág..."
Od poloviny devadesát˘ch let dvacátého století napsal TomበPálka více neÏ tfiicet hudebních
dûl a ke své skladbû natoãené na tomto kompaktním disku uvádí následující komentáfi:
MetaFolkPhoses je reakcí na mÛj dlouhodob˘ zájem v oblasti folklóru. V minulosti aktivní,
v dne‰ní dobû v‰ak stále zainteresovan˘ v podobû mnoh˘ch úprav pro soubory, které se interpretací
lidové hudby zab˘vají. V rovinû, která se objevila v podobû nabídky vytvofiit skladbu pro uskupení
na tomto CD, se otevfiela moÏnost, jít v úpravách a inspiraci mnohem dál, nad rámec bûÏn˘ch
aranÏí. Skladba je fie‰ena konceptuálnû a mûla by b˘t jakousi ozvûnou na lidové melodie. Uchopením a zpÛsobem interpretace (a samotné inspirace) se v‰ak dostáváme na pomezí mezi experimentem, principy soudobé hudební tvorby a lidové tvofiivosti obecnû.
Ondfiej Kukal (b. 1964) is a very versatile musician and a notable member of his generation.
He works primarily as a conductor, but he is also a composer and violinist. He graduated from
the Prague Academy of Performing Arts where he studied violin playing with Prof. Josef Vlach
and composition with Jindfiich Feld. The completion of his studies was marked by a performance of his own Violin Concerto and his Danse symphonique for large orchestra conducted by
himself. From 1985 to 1995 he was a member of the New Vlach Quartet (later just Vlach
Quartet). From 1991 to 1996 he was chief conductor of the South Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic and from 1996 to 1999 a permanent conductor of the Czech Radio Symphony
Orchestra with which he continues to make regular appearances. He was leader of the Prague
Chamber Orchestra without Conductor (1996–2003) with which he appeared at the New
York Lincoln Center, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and the Vienna Musikverein. To date he
has conducted many orchestras, including the Czech Philharmonic, Prague Symphony
Orchestra, Janáãek Philharmonic Ostrava, Czech Chamber Orchestra and others. Since 2002
he has been chief conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra Hradec Králové and has been
making guest appearances abroad with the Slovak Philharmonic, the State Philharmonic
Ko‰ice and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. When in 2006 he conducted the opening concert
of The Prague Spring Festival the critics favourably compared his performance with Rafael
Kubelík’s legendary rendering of Smetana’s Má vlast. Ondfiej Kukal has made many CD and
radio recordings. Most of his own compositions (numbering more than 30) have been
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Jan Kuãera (1977) je podobnû jako Ondfiej Kukal v‰estrannou hudební osobností, pÛsobí
pfiedev‰ím jako dirigent, ale je i aranÏérem, klavíristou a skladatelem. Na praÏské konzervatofii
absolvoval u prof. Bohuslava ¤ehofie skladatelsk˘ obor, u profesorÛ Miriam Nûmcové a Miroslava Ko‰lera dirigování, v nûmÏ pokraãoval na HAMU u Vladimíra Válka. V rámci svého
absolventského dirigentského koncertu v roce 2002 debutoval se Symfonick˘m orchestrem
âeského rozhlasu a provedl v premiéfie své tfii symfonické básnû na motivy ãesk˘ch spisovatelÛ
(Kundera, Hrabal, Koláfi). Jako skladatel zasahuje do nûkolika Ïánrov˘ch oblastí. Tvofií kompozice symfonické i komorní, kantátové i písÀové, zároveÀ pí‰e scénickou hudbu k inscenacím
praÏsk˘ch i oblastních divadelních scén (Vinohradské divadlo, Rokoko, Divadlo âesk˘ Tû‰ín
aj.). Plodná je i jeho tvorba v oblasti aranÏérské – pro silvestrovsk˘ koncert âeské filharmonie
2003 upravil písnû Jaroslava JeÏka a písnû z ãesk˘ch filmÛ. Kuãera se ve své tvorbû nevyh˘bá
ani jazzu. Z jeho úzké spolupráce se smyãcov˘m kvartetem Epoque Quartet a ze spojení s jeho
vlastním jazzov˘m klavírním triem mimo jiné vze‰el autorsk˘ CD Stav beztíÏe.
V souãasné dobû dopisuje komickou komorní operu „Rudá Marie“ podle rozhlasového seriálu
Rodinka Tluãhofiov˘ch Oldfiicha Kaisera a Jifiího Lábuse. Na objednávku Mezinárodní soutûÏe
hudebního festivalu PraÏské jaro 2010 napsal povinnou skladbu do druhého kola pro trubku
a klavír. O své skladbû pro tento kompaktní disk napsal:
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u svého pojetí, coÏ mohu fiíci, mû jako skladatele potû‰ilo. Natáãení se konalo v opravdu pozdních
hodinách a musím uznat, Ïe u muzikantÛ bylo stále dost enthusiasmu. S pozdravem Ondfiej
Kukal
published and are regularly played at home and abroad. In 1999 he received a grant from the
Bavarian government, leading – during his long stay in Germany – to the composition of his
Symphony No. 1, Op. 15, which received the Czech performing rights society OSA’s prize for
2005. His concerto for clarinet, Clarinettino, received the 1994 Classic Prize. After the Clarinettino – which exists in a string orchestra version as well as the string quintet version – was
recorded, Ondfiej Kukal wrote this short reminiscence:
I fondly remember my own participation at the recording of my Clarinettino. Irvin Veny‰ and the
string quintet had come so well prepared that at some points they gladly accepted my suggestions
while at several others they stuck to their own ideas, which I can say pleased me as the composer. The
recording went on into the late hours and I must say that the musicians kept up plenty of their
enthusiasm. With good wishes, Ondfiej Kukal.
Jan Du‰ek (1985) vystudoval konzervatofi v Teplicích (klavír, skladba). V letech 2004–2009
studoval skladbu na Akademii múzick˘ch umûní (Hanu‰ BartoÀ), kde nyní pokraãuje
v doktorandském studiu téhoÏ oboru. Jako klavírista se zúãastnil nûkolika mistrovsk˘ch kurzÛ
(Cyprien Katsaris, Irina Ossipova), získal ceny a ãestná uznání v soutûÏích (Concertino Praga,
Mezinárodní klavírní soutûÏ Bedfiicha Smetany, SoutûÏní pfiehlídka konzervatofií, Mezinárodní soutûÏ ZdeÀka Fibicha v interpretaci melodramu). Pravidelnû pofiizuje nahrávky
soudobé ãeské hudby pro âesk˘ rozhlas. V roce 2006 mu byla udûlena 1. cena na skladatelské
soutûÏi Generace za skladbu „...jiÏ za sedm dnÛ se‰lu na zemi dé‰È...“ a v roce 2007 na téÏe
soutûÏi opût 1. cena za skladbu „Gradace pro varhany“. V soutûÏi NUBERG 2008 získal za
skladbu „Chalomot jehudi'im“ Cenu vefiejnosti, o rok pozdûji obdrÏel za tutéÏ skladbu Cenu
Gideona Kleina. V roce 2010 získal jeho melodram „PraÏsk˘ chodec“ 2. cenu v SoutûÏi pro
mladé umûlce vyhla‰ované Mûstskou ãástí Praha 1. Za hudbu k nûmému filmu „Dítû ghetta“
získal v soutûÏi NUBERG 2011 Cenu vefiejnosti. Jeho skladby si objednávají ãeské festivaly
(napfi. Mezinárodní festival koncertního melodramu), pfiední ãe‰tí sólisté (napfi. klarinetista
Irvin Veny‰ – Koncert pro klarinet a orchestr ãi hráãka na bicí nástroje Markéta Mazourová)
i komorní soubory (napfi. Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Holandsko). Jan Du‰ek je ãlenem
Umûlecké besedy a Spoleãnosti ZdeÀka Fibicha. O své skladbû Meanwhile for Clarinet and
Strings uvedl:
...jako nasednout do vlaku a nechat se uná‰et krajinou, pozorovat povûdomá místa, vídat je znovu,
na jiném místû a v jiném svûtle, uvûdomovat si podobnosti i rozdílnosti svûta a lidí kolem sebe.
V‰ude kolem nás se mezitím nûco dûje. Vlak odjíÏdí a ãlovûk stojící na nástupi‰ti ví, Ïe to v‰echno
pokraãuje...
TomበPálka (1978) vystudoval kompozici na brnûnské konzervatofii u Pavla Zemka-Nováka
a dále na hudební fakultû AMU u Marka Kopelenta. V roce 2002 spoluzaloÏil skladatelské
sdruÏení KONVERGENCE (Praha), jehoÏ náplní ãinnosti je vefiejné uvádûní dûl skladatelÛ
mladé generace z celého svûta. K inspiraci své tvorby tento autor uvádí: „Ve sv˘ch skladbách
se zamûfiuji k vyjadfiování svého vztahu k duchovním hodnotám. Souãasnû se v nich pfiikláním spí‰e
ke statickému plynutí hudebního dûní v hladinû niωí dynamiky. Hudební dynamika a také
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Jan Du‰ek (b. 1985) graduated from the Teplice Conservatoire in piano and composition.
From 2004 to 2009 he studied composition with Hanu‰ BartoÀ at the Prague Academy of
Performing Arts where he is now studying for a doctorate in the same subject. As a pianist he
took part in several master courses (with Cyprien Katsaris and Irina Ossipova) and received
prizes and honorary mentions in competitions (Concertino Praga, Bedfiich Smetana International Piano Competition, Conservatoires’ Competition Review, International Zdenûk Fibich
Competition in melodrama performance). He regularly makes recordings of Czech contemporary music for the Czech Radio. In 2006 he received the first prize in the Generace composition competition for his “…just in seven days I shall send rain on Earth…” and in 2007 another
first prize at the same competition for Gradation for Organ. In the 2008 NUBERG competition he received the audience’s prize for his composition Chalomot jehudi’im and a year later
for the same work the Gideon Klein Prize. His melodrama The Prague Pedestrian earned him
the second prize in the Prague 1 Young Artists’ Competition and for his music to the silent
film A Child of the Ghetto the audience prize in the NUBERG 2011 competition. His compositions are being commissioned by Czech festivals (for instance the International Concert
Melodrama Competition), by leading soloists (e.g. the clarinettist Irvin Veny‰ and the percussionist Markéta Mazourová) and by chamber ensembles (e.g. the Nederlands Blazers
Ensemble). Jan Du‰ek is a member of the Umûlecká beseda association and the Zdenûk Fibich
Society. About his composition Meanwhile for Clarinet and Strings he writes:
…it is like boarding a train and letting oneself be carried over the landscape, observe familiar
places, see them again at a different juncture and in different light, notice similarities as well as the
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diversity of the world and people all around. All around us there is something going in the meantime. The train leaves and, standing on the platform, one knows it is all going on…
uÏ po pÛlnoci, svítil mûsíc a hudbu pfieru‰ovalo jen rytmické tleskání a v˘kfiiky, kdyÏ najednou tuto
zbûsilou vfiavu pfieru‰il dlouh˘, táhl˘ tón Es klarinetu, tak palãiv˘ a tak naléhav˘, jako by pfiivolával
Ïivot a zároveÀ smrt, nûco se rodilo a nûco umíralo…To je základní impuls mé skladby Babadag.
Klarinet zde ãasto pracuje s bohat˘mi a sloÏit˘mi melismatick˘mi liniemi a metrorytmika vychází
z typick˘ch osminov˘ch lich˘ch balkánsk˘ch rytmÛ a stfiídání metrorytmick˘ch vzorcÛ (rovnûÏ
bimetrum), smyãcové nástroje uÏívám místy i ve funkci perkusivních elementÛ. Klarinet se ve
skladbû pfiedstavuje ve v‰ech sv˘ch polohách a barvách, tak jak to dokáÏe jen tento nástroj.
TomበPálka (b. 1978) studied composition with Pavel Zemek-Novák at the Brno Conservatoire and then with Marek Kopelent at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts. In 2002 he was
one of the founders of the composers’ association KONVERGENCE (Prague) which strives to
promote public performances of works by the young generation of composers from all over the
world. Writing about the inspiration for his music, he says that “In my works I focus on expressing
my relation to moral values. At the same time I lean towards a static flow of the musical happening at
the level of softer dynamics. Musical dynamics together with musical time have become some of the most
important musical parameters in my composition activity. In composing I tend on the whole towards
simpler structuration. That is an important aspect, contributing to the intelligibility of my music and
aiming towards subtle, introverted and contemplative levels. My musical models include in the first
place composers like Anton von Webern, Morton Feldman, Giacinto Scelsi, György Ligeti, Pavel
Zemek-Novák, Olivier Messiaen, Witold Lutoslawski, Arvo Pärt, György Kurtág...”
Since the mid 90s TomበPálka has written more than 30 works. Commenting on the piece
recorded on this CD he writes:
MetaFolkPhoses is a reaction to my longstanding interest in the area of folklore, active in the past
but at the present time more and more interested in many arrangements for ensembles engaged on
folk music. At the level that materialised in the form of an offer to create a composition for the group
on this CD, a possibility presented itself to proceed much further in arrangements and inspiration
beyond the framework of ordinary arrangements. The work is resolved in a conceptual manner and
is meant to be a kind of echo of folk melodies. The grasp and manner of interpretation (as well as
inspiration itself), however, takes us to the borderline between experiment, principles of contemporary composing and folk creativity in general.
Jan Kuãera (b. 1977), similarly to Ondfiej Kukal, is a versatile musician. He works primarily
as a conductor but is in addition an arranger, pianist and composer. He graduated from the
Prague Conservatoire in composition (his professor there was Bohuslav ¤ehofi) and conducting
(Prof. Miriam Nûmcová and Miroslav Ko‰ler) and continued his study of conducting with
Vladimír Válek at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts where at his 2002 graduation
concert with the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra he gave the first performance of his own
three symphonic poems on the motives of three Czech writers (Kundera, Hrabal and Koláfi).
8
Ondfiej Kukal (1964) je velmi v‰estrann˘m hudebníkem a v˘raznou osobností své umûlecké
generace, pÛsobí pfiedev‰ím jako dirigent, ale je i skladatelem a houslistou. Absolvoval Hudební
fakultu AMU v Praze, kde studoval hru na housle u profesora Josefa Vlacha a kompozici
u Jindfiicha Felda. Studium houslové hry zavr‰il provedením svého houslového koncertu,
studium kompozice u Jindfiicha Felda a dirigování ukonãil uvedením vlastní skladby Danse
symphonique pro velk˘ orchestr. V letech 1985–1995 byl ãlenem Nového Vlachova kvarteta
(pozdûj‰í Vlachovo kvarteto). V letech 1991–1996 byl ‰éfdirigentem Jihoãeské komorní filharmonie. V období 1996–1999 Ondfiej Kukal pÛsobil jako stál˘ dirigent Symfonického orchestru
âeského rozhlasu, s nímÏ pravidelnû spolupracuje dosud. Byl koncertním mistrem PraÏského
komorního orchestru bez dirigenta (1996–2003), se kter˘m vystoupil mimo jiné v newyorském
Lincoln Center, v Teatro Colón v Buenos Aires a ve vídeÀském Musikvereinu. Bûhem své dosavadní kariéry stanul u dirigentského pultu mnoha orchestrÛ, mj. âeské filharmonie, Symfonického orchestru hl. m. Prahy FOK, Janáãkovy filharmonie Ostrava, âeského komorního
orchestru a dal‰ích. Od roku 2002 pÛsobí jako ‰éfdirigent Filharmonie Hradec Králové.
Hostuje také v zahraniãí, napfi. Slovenská filharmonie, Státní filharmonie Ko‰ice, fiídil BBC
Symphony Orchestra. KdyÏ v roce 2006 s úspûchem zahájil s rozhlasov˘mi symfoniky PraÏské
jaro, kritika jeho v˘kon srovnávala s provedením Mé vlasti pod taktovkou Rafaela Kubelíka.
Realizoval fiadu CD i rozhlasov˘ch nahrávek. Vût‰ina jeho kompozic (více neÏ 30 opusov˘ch
ãísel) je vydána a pravidelnû interpretována doma i v zahraniãí. V roce 1999 mu bavorská vláda
poskytla stipendium, v jehoÏ rámci pfii dlouhodobém pobytu v Nûmecku zkomponoval svou
Symfonii ã. 1, op. 15, která získala v roce 2005 v˘roãní cenu OSA, Clarinettino, Concertino
pro klarinet a smyãce, op. 11 získalo Cenu Classic v roce 1994. K natoãení své skladby, která
existuje ve verzi pro smyãcov˘ orchestr i smyãcové kvinteto, poskytl tento struãn˘ komentáfi:
Rád vzpomínám na svoji úãast pfii natáãení mého Clarinettina. Irvin Veny‰ a smyãcové kvinteto
ovládali zmínûnou skladbu uÏ tak, Ïe nûkdy rádi pfiijali moji pfiipomínku, ale nûkolikrát zÛstali
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Rendezvous for Clarinet and Strings
Skladba u které to v‰e zaãalo...
Sylvie Bodorová (1954) je v˘znamná ãeská hudební skladatelka, která studovala v Bratislavû
(konzervatofi) v Brnû (JAMU) a v Praze (HAMU). Seznámila se s novodob˘mi technikami na
stáÏi v Sienû (Franco Donatoni), Polsku a Amsterdamu (Ton de Leeuw). V devadesát˘ch letech
XX. století pÛsobila pedagogicky na univerzitû v Cincinnati a na dal‰ích místech v USA. V roce
1996 zaloÏila spolu s Lubo‰em Fi‰erem, ZdeÀkem Luká‰em a Otmarem Máchou tvÛrãí
skupinu ''Quattro''. Patfií k nejvyhledávanûj‰ím a nejhranûj‰ím ãesk˘m autorÛm, její skladby se
prosadily v zahraniãí a reprezentují soudobou ãeskou hudební kulturu na v˘znamn˘ch pódiích
a festivalech. Pro festival PraÏské jaro napsala Sylvie Bodorová celoveãerní velmi úspû‰né oratorium Juda Maccabeus (2002) a pro jubileum festivalu Smetanova Litomy‰l zkomponovala dal‰í
rozsáhlé oratorium MojÏí‰ (2008). V roce 2009 vytvofiila projekt z oblasti balkánské a cikánské
hudby JA RA LAJ pro tenoristu ·tefana Margitu, housle, violu, klarinet, harfu, bicí a smyãce,
kter˘ pfiedstavuje osobit˘ pohled na oblast world music. Pro Symfonick˘ orchestr hl. mûsta
Prahy FOK a jeho ‰éfdirigenta Jifiího Kouta zkomponovala v roce 2011 Symfonii ã. 1 „Con le
campane“. Její poslední úspû‰nou objednávkou je rozsáhl˘ písÀov˘ cyklus Lingua angelorum pro
svûtovû proslulého barytonistu Thomase Hampsona, kter˘ byl uveden na Smetanovû Litomy‰li
v roce 2012. Ke své skladbû dodává:
Skladbu Babadag pro klarinet a smyãcové kvarteto jsem napsala v roce 2010 pÛvodnû pro
zahajovací koncert Mezinárodního televizního festivalu Zlatá Praha. Inspirovalo mne vynikající
interpretaãní umûní klarinetisty Irvina Veny‰e a nûkteré mé záÏitky z dávného dûtství. Klarinet má
pro mne dvû polohy – ta první je vrcholnû virtuózní, bravurní, strhující, ãardá‰ovû motorická. Ta
druhá poloha je velmi nostalgická, zádumãivá, lyrická a pfiiná‰í pro mne fiadu obrazÛ, které jsem
v dûtství vidûla a obãas i útrÏkovitû zaslechla na Slovensku, zejména v romské osadû ·a‰ov, kolem
které jsem ãasto jezdila. Oba tyto v˘razové svûty vedou pomyslnû i na Balkán, jehoÏ hudbou
a mentalitou je skladba Babadag volnû inspirována. Babadag je malé mûsto v Rumunsku, odkud
pocházeli nûktefií Romové, s kter˘mi jsem se na Slovensku setkala a útrÏky jejichÏ hudby jsem se
v nûkter˘ch ãástech své skladby volnû inspirovala. ZaÏila jsem i jejich nádhernou svatební slavnost,
která trvala dva dny a pfii které celou noc hráli. Nevûsta s Ïenichem tancovali zvlá‰tní tanec, kter˘
se neustále zrychloval, a romská kapela hrála ve zvlá‰tním rytmu, kter˘ by se dal jen s velk˘mi obtíÏemi zapsat v na‰í notaci. Pamatuji se, Ïe kolem tancovalo asi tfiicet RomÛ vãetnû mal˘ch dûtí, bylo
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As a composer he occupies several genre areas: he writes symphonic and chamber works,
cantatas and songs, as well as incidental music for the stage in Prague and the provinces (Vinohrady Theatre, Rokoko, Theatre âesk˘ Tû‰ín and others) and he is a prolific arranger. For the
Czech Philharmonic’s 2003 New Year’s Eve concert he arranged songs by Jaroslav JeÏek and
songs from Czech films, not shunning even jazz. His close collaboration with the Epoque
Quartet and links with his own jazz piano trio have resulted in a CD of his own compositions
entitled “The State of Weightlessness”.
He is currently finishing a comic chamber opera “The Red Mary” after the TV serial “The
Tluãhofi Family” by Oldfiich Kaiser and Jifií Lábus. For the 2010 Prague Spring International
Competition he wrote the obligatory second-round piece for trumpet and piano. About the
work on this CD he writes:
My composition “Birth” is one part of incidental music for the Spitfire Company and its show “The
13th Month – Requiem for Bruno Schulz”. The inseparable component of this expressive dance
theatre is a live string quartet – the Epoque Quartet for which I have been composing and arranging music since its formation. I added a clarinet part to this minimalist piece of mine specially for
the recording on this CD.
Alan Shulman (1915–2002), an American composer and cellist, devoted himself to music
since childhood, just as his two siblings did. From 1932 he studied at the Julliard School.
Together they earned their living partly by playing in string quartets that performed popular
music for radio networks, such as the NBC, and Alan worked also as an arranger. He
composed music for children’s theatres and in 1942 he even took lessons in composition with
Paul Hindemith. As a cellist he promoted contemporary music, especially as a member of the
Stuyvesant String Quartet which he founded with his brother in 1938, performing works by
Prokofiev, Bloch, Malipiero, Shostakovich and other composers. The 1940s saw performances
of Shulman’s most successful works – Theme and Variations for Viola and Orchestra, Suite on
American Folk Songs, and Pastorale and Dance. In the 50s he wrote many popular songs and
genre pieces.
Rendezvous (“Rendezvous with Benny”) for Clarinet and String Quartet, dating from
1946, was written for Benny Goodman and the Stuyvesant Quartet in which the composer
played cello. Goodman had invited Shulman to his “Homecoming Stars” radio show which
he hosted every week, to join him in performing one movement from Mozart’s Clarinet
Quintet. Shulman was reluctant to travel for the sake of just a few minutes of music, and so
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he suggested to Goodman that he would write a new work for the same combination of
instruments. That is how Rendezvous with Benny led to the piece Rendezvous for Clarinet
and Strings.
Zrození
Nápad na tuto skladbu se „zrodil“ pfii náhodné jam session u pfiíleÏitosti narozeninové oslavy
violoncelisty Epoque Quartetu Vítka Petrá‰ka. AniÏ bych si toho byl vûdom, vmísil jsem se do
ãerstvû napsané skladby pfiítomného Jana Kuãery, kter˘ nestihl protestovat. Pozdûji mi pfiipsal
klarinetov˘ part. Dûkujeme sleãnám a pánÛm z „ Lokálu U KuÏelky“ za neúnavn˘, pravideln˘
pfiísun skvûlého zlatavého moku z Plznû a panu Petru Maláskovi za jeho 53% „objednávku“,
kterou ohodnotil na‰i hudební produkci.
Astor Piazzola (1921–1992) was born in Argentina but spent his childhood in the Bronx in
New York where at the age of 13 he made appearances as a bandoneon player (the bandoneon,
a characteristic tango instrument and a variety of the accordion, named originally by the
German maker Heinrich Band) and where he received his musical education, classical as well
as jazz. In 1937 he returned to Argentina and from 1940, on the recommendation of Arthur
Rubinstein, studied with Alberto Ginastera in Buenos Aires. In 1950 he received a French
government scholarship to study in Paris with Hermann Scherchen (conducting) and Nadia
Boulanger (composition). After his definitive return to Argentina he began writing “tango
nuevo” and in 1960 founded his world-famous ensemble Quintetto Nuevo Tango, thus giving
a “second breath” to tango and sparking its explosive spread all over the world. While concerts
and recordings of his band became very successful in Europe, in his native Argentina he was
regarded as something of a renegade who had abandoned the original, purely dance-like tango.
Apart from music for dancing (more than 300 pieces based on the Argentine tango), Piazzolla
wrote in other genres, too – incidental music and even symphonic works. He gave his last
concert with his ensemble in 1989 in Amsterdam. Describing his music, which after 1980
began to enter the repertoire of famous stars like the Kronos Quartet (it was the Kronos who
introduced Piazzolla at The Prague Spring Festival in 1991) or Gidon Kremer (who played
Piazzolla’s music at the same festival in 1996 and 1999), Piazzolla most often called it “the
music from Buenos Aires”.
One of his best known compositions is the tango Oblivion which was written in 1982, since
when it has remained the most popular tango. It is complex and it shines with emotional
strength. The strings come in with very gentle accompaniment at regular intervals, while the
melody is melancholy and slightly depressive. Oblivion is a song of love and sorrow – a beautiful piece full of feeling and elegance. Although half way through the melody changes a little
and a contrasting theme makes its appearance, the “song” remains sorrowful. The melody
became especially popular after its use on the soundtrack of the film “Henry IV, the Mad
King” by the director Marco Bellochio. The conjunction of love and sadness captivates
everyone listening to it, and it is that which attracts people to this tango and to Piazzolla’s
music generally.
10
Metafolkphoses
S Tomá‰em Pálkou nás pojí studia na Konzervatofii v Brnû, HAMU v Praze a dokonce
spoleãné souÏití na stáÏi slavné Consérvatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse
v PafiíÏi. Máme i spoleãnou amatérskou hudební historii, v mladém vûku jsme hráli v konkurenãních brnûnsk˘ch dûtsk˘ch folklórních souborech (on dokonce primoval). Tomá‰ovi jsem
samozfiejmû nechal volnou ruku, pfii tvorbû jeho folklórem inspirované skladby, jejíÏ
koneãná podoba nás v‰echny zprvu ponûkud pfiekvapila. Jsem v‰ak opravdu rád, Ïe vznikla
skladba ve které jsou jasnû patrné nápûvky nádhern˘ch lidov˘ch písní z JiÏní Moravy
a Slovenska, jeÏ jsou velmi netradiãnû a zároveÀ nenucenû zkombinovány s moderními
instrumentálními technikami. Tyto dva hudební svûty spolu vytváfií pozoruhodnû silnou
atmosféru.
Oblivion
Nesãetnûkrát hrané tango Astora Piazzolly jsme zafiadili pro jeho sentimentálnû dusnou atmosféru a vzdálenou hudební pfiíbuznost se skladbou Ondfieje Kukala Clarinettino. Zdálo se nám,
Ïe CD potfiebuje notoricky známou skladbu, která by vyváÏila novû vznikající kompozice „artificiálnûj‰ího“ charakteru.
Stolen Moments
Pfii cestû na nበprvní spoleãn˘ koncert na zámku v Moravském Krumlovû (je‰tû s plátny
Slovanské Epopeje), jsme sebevûdomû usoudili, Ïe by nám posluchaãi mohli tleskat a Ïe pro
tento pfiípad nemáme pfiipraven˘ pfiídavek. Pánové z Epoque Quartet se zmínili o skladbû,
na kterou sice nemají noty, ale „..snad ji zahrají zpamûti..“. Já , Ïe tam k nim mám nûco
zaimprovizovat. Skladba, do které pÛvodnû klarinet nepatfií, má v na‰em podání vÏdy jinou
podobu.
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11
Epoque Quartet
âlenové Epoque Quartet hrají skvûle "klasiku", ale nehroutí se jako mnozí "klasikáfii", objevíli se v notách místo „ãern˘ch“ kuliãek akordické znaãky, nebo nemají-li noty vÛbec. Dokonce
v tûchto situacích excelují. V rámci sv˘ch koncertÛ nutí své posluchaãe i spoluhráãe podupávat
levou i pravou nohou, do rytmu jejich dynamick˘ch hudebních kreací, aÈ se jedná o hudbu
klasickou, nebo prolínání ÏánrÛ. Snad si budeme mít moÏnost je‰tû nesãetnûkrát „zadÏemovat“,
ãi zajamovat.
Writing in his memoirs about himself and about the character of his curious melancholy and,
at the same time, rhythmically pithy music Piazzolla says:
“I must have played everywhere, either feeling that that was how it was meant to be, or not being
able to make a choice sometimes. It made no difference to me if it was in a brothel whose rich
proprietor wanted Piazzolla to play for his clients, or in New York in the hall of the Philharmonic.
But I do not like extremes, neither the one nor the other place were the right ones. My work is
chamber music in the word’s proper sense. A quintet or nonet suit me best. That’s why I love playing
in smaller halls like the theatre “En la Regina” in Buenos Aires. I always suffered whenever I played
at big jazz festivals in Europe. I often couldn’t bear the exaggerated interest by people who kept
staring at me or always wanting something from me, nor the drafts that blew the music from our
stands…”
Crossover??
Skladby napsány pfiímo pro nás, skladby na pódiích ãasto frekventované, nebo kompozice do
kter˘ch jsem se, aã s dovolením, ãi bez nûj "vmísil". Dá se fiíci, Ïe hranice jemnû pfiekraãujeme
jak v pÛvodních „artificiálních“ dílech, tak novû napsan˘ch, ãi pfietvofien˘ch skladbách. „Epoky“
provázím kompozicemi inspirovan˘mi rumunsk˘m a moravsk˘m folklórem, jeÏ mi pfiirostl
k srdci a oni mi stejnou mincí oplácí ve skladbách jazzového charakteru a improvizacích.
Babadag
Paní skladatelce Sylvii Bodorové dûkuji za její trpûlivost a toleranci t˘kající se m˘ch instrumentálních nápadÛ a dodatkÛ, jimiÏ jsem se pfii jejím vzniku, snaÏil pfiispût k folklórnímu
koloritu skladby. Svou laskavostí nám pfii natáãení vytvofiila ideální podmínky pro zdolávání
rytmicky i technicky nároãn˘ch pasáÏí skladby, inspirované rumunsk˘m folklórem a nepfiekonateln˘m umûním rumunsk˘ch klarinetistÛ.
Clarinettino
Skladatele Ondfieje Kukala jsem osobnû poznal nûkolik dnÛ pfied zahájením nahrávání CD.
Pfiedání partitury jeho skladby se promûnilo v nûkolikahodinovou debatu nejen o hudbû...
Na‰e hudební nápady pfiijímal s neutuchajícím nad‰ením a v pozdních noãních hodinách natáãecí frekvence nám sv˘m enthusiasmem vléval energii do Ïil.
Meanwhile for Clarinet and Strings
Svého kamaráda a skvûlého mladého skladatele jsem po klarinetovém koncertu, kter˘ mi
vûnoval, poÏádal o skladbu, jeÏ by zapadla do zam˘‰lené dramaturgie na‰eho vznikajícícho CD.
Hotovou, vyti‰tûnou a svázanou kompozici, která nás navíc potû‰ila i po prvním „pfiehrání“, mi
doruãil dva dny pfied dohodnut˘m termínem!!
14
Oliver Edward Nelson (1932–1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinettist, arranger
and composer. He came from a musical family and as early as six years of age started learning
the piano, and at eleven the saxophone. From 1947 on he played in local bands around Saint
Louis. His studies of music theory and composition took him to Washington and Lincoln
University where he finished his studies in 1958. In the 60s he worked in New York as a player
and arranger at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and toured with Quincy Jones in the USA and
in Europe as a tenor saxophonist. The 1960 saw the peak of his activities, as he made recordings for top gramophone labels with leading jazz musicians and singers (among them Nancy
Wilson, James Brown, The Temptations and Diana Ross) and as his composition “Stolen
Moments” became a firm favourite. When he became the leader of a big band he moved to
Los Angeles, but beside the band and his smaller ensemble he made more and more frequent
appearances as a soprano saxophone soloist. Less well known is the fact that Nelson also
composed symphonic works and was closely engaged in jazz education, making frequent visits
to his old university where he ran courses during the vacations.
Irvin Veny‰ is rightly ranked among the leading artists of the young Czech generation.
He has received many prizes at highly regarded international competitions (The Prague
Spring, Pacem in Terris Bayreuth, EBU New Talent, Zurich, and Madeira) and continues to
maintain his claim to them at prestigious festivals (Festival Mitte Europa, Pablo Casals
Festival in Prades, Mozart der Europaer Mannheim, The Prague Spring, Janáãek’s May in
Ostrava) and on concert platforms in many countries (Japan, Germany, France, Spain and
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others). The broad range of his musical activities stretches from the classical clarinet repertoire
to first performances of extremely demanding 20th and 21st century compositions (by
Osvaldo Golijov, Betty Oliviero, Isang Yun, Jan Du‰ek, N-Tech and others) and to folklore.
He works with leading international soloists and conductors (Heinz-Jörg Schellenberger,
Radovan Vlatkoviç, Zakhar Bron, Peter Czaba, Martin Kasík, Igor Arda‰ev and Libor Pe‰ek).
Veny‰’s musical education was equally wide-ranging: he graduated from the Brno Conservatoire (under Prof. B. Winkler), later on studied with Professors Jifií Hlaváã and Vlastimil
Mare‰ at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts and spent a year at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique in Paris in the prestigious class of Michel Arrignon. Most recently Irvin
Veny‰ has been making recordings for the Czech Radio, Czech TV, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk and ArcoDiva.
www.irvinvenys.cz
morphosen (Switzerland), Czech Dreams, Concentus Moraviae, âesk˘ Krumlov Music Festival,
Ludwig van Beethoven Festival, Moravian Autumn and others. In the year 2000 members of
the Quartet gave master courses in jazz improvisation at the Jerusalem Music Academy. As to
jazz music, the Quartet has worked with George Mraz, Benny Beailey, Yoshiko Kishino and
others and regularly collaborates with the Robert Balzar Trio.
David Pavelka (b. 1980) studied from 1992 to 2000 at the Jan Deyl Conservatoire in Prague
in the class of Prof. Miloslav Ledvinka. In 1999 he took part in a competition at the Conservatoire, winning the 1st prize. After graduating he studied for a term at the Toho Gakuen
Orchestra Academy at Toyama in Japan. In 2000–2005 he studied at the Prague Academy of
Performing Arts under Prof. Radomír Îalud. From 1997 he played in the Prague State Opera
Orchestra, moving on to the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2000, where he continues
to this day. Since 2009 he has been a member of the Czech Nonet.
Epoque Quartet (David Pokorn˘ – violin, Vladimír Klánsk˘ – violin,
Vladimír Kroupa – viola, Vít Petrá‰ek – violoncello)
The Prague string quartet Epoque Quartet came into being early in 1999 as the four outstanding soloists and chamber players with much experience on the concert podium behind them
were brought together not only by their shared ideas and affinity of artistic nature, but first
and foremost by their enthusiasm for genres not commonly presented under the heading
“serious music” – jazz, rock and funk. Although works of the classical quartet repertoire remain
an integral part of their programmes, their approach to non-traditional arrangements offers
them a chance to use their instruments in new ways, resulting in an unusually broad spectrum
of music they uniquely offer at their concerts at home as well as abroad.
The members of the quartet have received prizes at several international competitions (two first
prizes at Liezen in Austria, first prize at the String Quartet Competition Ludwig van Beethoven,
Jeunesses Musicales Prize) and the group has taken part in other competitions (e.g. the Paolo
Borciani Competition). The Epoque Quartet has made appearances in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, England, Israel, Japan, Greece, The Netherlands, Poland, Bosnia Hercegovina and other places. It regularly performs as part of the subscription cycles of the Czech
Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Czech Nonet and the Czech Chamber Music Society, it works
for Czech TV and Radio and makes frequent guest appearances at international music festivals,
including Schleswig-Holstein Festival (Germany), Stuttgarter Philharmoniker Zyklus, Meta12
13
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13
others). The broad range of his musical activities stretches from the classical clarinet repertoire
to first performances of extremely demanding 20th and 21st century compositions (by
Osvaldo Golijov, Betty Oliviero, Isang Yun, Jan Du‰ek, N-Tech and others) and to folklore.
He works with leading international soloists and conductors (Heinz-Jörg Schellenberger,
Radovan Vlatkoviç, Zakhar Bron, Peter Czaba, Martin Kasík, Igor Arda‰ev and Libor Pe‰ek).
Veny‰’s musical education was equally wide-ranging: he graduated from the Brno Conservatoire (under Prof. B. Winkler), later on studied with Professors Jifií Hlaváã and Vlastimil
Mare‰ at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts and spent a year at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique in Paris in the prestigious class of Michel Arrignon. Most recently Irvin
Veny‰ has been making recordings for the Czech Radio, Czech TV, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk and ArcoDiva.
www.irvinvenys.cz
morphosen (Switzerland), Czech Dreams, Concentus Moraviae, âesk˘ Krumlov Music Festival,
Ludwig van Beethoven Festival, Moravian Autumn and others. In the year 2000 members of
the Quartet gave master courses in jazz improvisation at the Jerusalem Music Academy. As to
jazz music, the Quartet has worked with George Mraz, Benny Beailey, Yoshiko Kishino and
others and regularly collaborates with the Robert Balzar Trio.
David Pavelka (b. 1980) studied from 1992 to 2000 at the Jan Deyl Conservatoire in Prague
in the class of Prof. Miloslav Ledvinka. In 1999 he took part in a competition at the Conservatoire, winning the 1st prize. After graduating he studied for a term at the Toho Gakuen
Orchestra Academy at Toyama in Japan. In 2000–2005 he studied at the Prague Academy of
Performing Arts under Prof. Radomír Îalud. From 1997 he played in the Prague State Opera
Orchestra, moving on to the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2000, where he continues
to this day. Since 2009 he has been a member of the Czech Nonet.
Epoque Quartet (David Pokorn˘ – violin, Vladimír Klánsk˘ – violin,
Vladimír Kroupa – viola, Vít Petrá‰ek – violoncello)
The Prague string quartet Epoque Quartet came into being early in 1999 as the four outstanding soloists and chamber players with much experience on the concert podium behind them
were brought together not only by their shared ideas and affinity of artistic nature, but first
and foremost by their enthusiasm for genres not commonly presented under the heading
“serious music” – jazz, rock and funk. Although works of the classical quartet repertoire remain
an integral part of their programmes, their approach to non-traditional arrangements offers
them a chance to use their instruments in new ways, resulting in an unusually broad spectrum
of music they uniquely offer at their concerts at home as well as abroad.
The members of the quartet have received prizes at several international competitions (two first
prizes at Liezen in Austria, first prize at the String Quartet Competition Ludwig van Beethoven,
Jeunesses Musicales Prize) and the group has taken part in other competitions (e.g. the Paolo
Borciani Competition). The Epoque Quartet has made appearances in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, England, Israel, Japan, Greece, The Netherlands, Poland, Bosnia Hercegovina and other places. It regularly performs as part of the subscription cycles of the Czech
Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Czech Nonet and the Czech Chamber Music Society, it works
for Czech TV and Radio and makes frequent guest appearances at international music festivals,
including Schleswig-Holstein Festival (Germany), Stuttgarter Philharmoniker Zyklus, Meta12
13
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11
Epoque Quartet
âlenové Epoque Quartet hrají skvûle "klasiku", ale nehroutí se jako mnozí "klasikáfii", objevíli se v notách místo „ãern˘ch“ kuliãek akordické znaãky, nebo nemají-li noty vÛbec. Dokonce
v tûchto situacích excelují. V rámci sv˘ch koncertÛ nutí své posluchaãe i spoluhráãe podupávat
levou i pravou nohou, do rytmu jejich dynamick˘ch hudebních kreací, aÈ se jedná o hudbu
klasickou, nebo prolínání ÏánrÛ. Snad si budeme mít moÏnost je‰tû nesãetnûkrát „zadÏemovat“,
ãi zajamovat.
Writing in his memoirs about himself and about the character of his curious melancholy and,
at the same time, rhythmically pithy music Piazzolla says:
“I must have played everywhere, either feeling that that was how it was meant to be, or not being
able to make a choice sometimes. It made no difference to me if it was in a brothel whose rich
proprietor wanted Piazzolla to play for his clients, or in New York in the hall of the Philharmonic.
But I do not like extremes, neither the one nor the other place were the right ones. My work is
chamber music in the word’s proper sense. A quintet or nonet suit me best. That’s why I love playing
in smaller halls like the theatre “En la Regina” in Buenos Aires. I always suffered whenever I played
at big jazz festivals in Europe. I often couldn’t bear the exaggerated interest by people who kept
staring at me or always wanting something from me, nor the drafts that blew the music from our
stands…”
Crossover??
Skladby napsány pfiímo pro nás, skladby na pódiích ãasto frekventované, nebo kompozice do
kter˘ch jsem se, aã s dovolením, ãi bez nûj "vmísil". Dá se fiíci, Ïe hranice jemnû pfiekraãujeme
jak v pÛvodních „artificiálních“ dílech, tak novû napsan˘ch, ãi pfietvofien˘ch skladbách. „Epoky“
provázím kompozicemi inspirovan˘mi rumunsk˘m a moravsk˘m folklórem, jeÏ mi pfiirostl
k srdci a oni mi stejnou mincí oplácí ve skladbách jazzového charakteru a improvizacích.
Babadag
Paní skladatelce Sylvii Bodorové dûkuji za její trpûlivost a toleranci t˘kající se m˘ch instrumentálních nápadÛ a dodatkÛ, jimiÏ jsem se pfii jejím vzniku, snaÏil pfiispût k folklórnímu
koloritu skladby. Svou laskavostí nám pfii natáãení vytvofiila ideální podmínky pro zdolávání
rytmicky i technicky nároãn˘ch pasáÏí skladby, inspirované rumunsk˘m folklórem a nepfiekonateln˘m umûním rumunsk˘ch klarinetistÛ.
Clarinettino
Skladatele Ondfieje Kukala jsem osobnû poznal nûkolik dnÛ pfied zahájením nahrávání CD.
Pfiedání partitury jeho skladby se promûnilo v nûkolikahodinovou debatu nejen o hudbû...
Na‰e hudební nápady pfiijímal s neutuchajícím nad‰ením a v pozdních noãních hodinách natáãecí frekvence nám sv˘m enthusiasmem vléval energii do Ïil.
Meanwhile for Clarinet and Strings
Svého kamaráda a skvûlého mladého skladatele jsem po klarinetovém koncertu, kter˘ mi
vûnoval, poÏádal o skladbu, jeÏ by zapadla do zam˘‰lené dramaturgie na‰eho vznikajícícho CD.
Hotovou, vyti‰tûnou a svázanou kompozici, která nás navíc potû‰ila i po prvním „pfiehrání“, mi
doruãil dva dny pfied dohodnut˘m termínem!!
14
Oliver Edward Nelson (1932–1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinettist, arranger
and composer. He came from a musical family and as early as six years of age started learning
the piano, and at eleven the saxophone. From 1947 on he played in local bands around Saint
Louis. His studies of music theory and composition took him to Washington and Lincoln
University where he finished his studies in 1958. In the 60s he worked in New York as a player
and arranger at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and toured with Quincy Jones in the USA and
in Europe as a tenor saxophonist. The 1960 saw the peak of his activities, as he made recordings for top gramophone labels with leading jazz musicians and singers (among them Nancy
Wilson, James Brown, The Temptations and Diana Ross) and as his composition “Stolen
Moments” became a firm favourite. When he became the leader of a big band he moved to
Los Angeles, but beside the band and his smaller ensemble he made more and more frequent
appearances as a soprano saxophone soloist. Less well known is the fact that Nelson also
composed symphonic works and was closely engaged in jazz education, making frequent visits
to his old university where he ran courses during the vacations.
Irvin Veny‰ is rightly ranked among the leading artists of the young Czech generation.
He has received many prizes at highly regarded international competitions (The Prague
Spring, Pacem in Terris Bayreuth, EBU New Talent, Zurich, and Madeira) and continues to
maintain his claim to them at prestigious festivals (Festival Mitte Europa, Pablo Casals
Festival in Prades, Mozart der Europaer Mannheim, The Prague Spring, Janáãek’s May in
Ostrava) and on concert platforms in many countries (Japan, Germany, France, Spain and
11
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15
he suggested to Goodman that he would write a new work for the same combination of
instruments. That is how Rendezvous with Benny led to the piece Rendezvous for Clarinet
and Strings.
Zrození
Nápad na tuto skladbu se „zrodil“ pfii náhodné jam session u pfiíleÏitosti narozeninové oslavy
violoncelisty Epoque Quartetu Vítka Petrá‰ka. AniÏ bych si toho byl vûdom, vmísil jsem se do
ãerstvû napsané skladby pfiítomného Jana Kuãery, kter˘ nestihl protestovat. Pozdûji mi pfiipsal
klarinetov˘ part. Dûkujeme sleãnám a pánÛm z „ Lokálu U KuÏelky“ za neúnavn˘, pravideln˘
pfiísun skvûlého zlatavého moku z Plznû a panu Petru Maláskovi za jeho 53% „objednávku“,
kterou ohodnotil na‰i hudební produkci.
Astor Piazzola (1921–1992) was born in Argentina but spent his childhood in the Bronx in
New York where at the age of 13 he made appearances as a bandoneon player (the bandoneon,
a characteristic tango instrument and a variety of the accordion, named originally by the
German maker Heinrich Band) and where he received his musical education, classical as well
as jazz. In 1937 he returned to Argentina and from 1940, on the recommendation of Arthur
Rubinstein, studied with Alberto Ginastera in Buenos Aires. In 1950 he received a French
government scholarship to study in Paris with Hermann Scherchen (conducting) and Nadia
Boulanger (composition). After his definitive return to Argentina he began writing “tango
nuevo” and in 1960 founded his world-famous ensemble Quintetto Nuevo Tango, thus giving
a “second breath” to tango and sparking its explosive spread all over the world. While concerts
and recordings of his band became very successful in Europe, in his native Argentina he was
regarded as something of a renegade who had abandoned the original, purely dance-like tango.
Apart from music for dancing (more than 300 pieces based on the Argentine tango), Piazzolla
wrote in other genres, too – incidental music and even symphonic works. He gave his last
concert with his ensemble in 1989 in Amsterdam. Describing his music, which after 1980
began to enter the repertoire of famous stars like the Kronos Quartet (it was the Kronos who
introduced Piazzolla at The Prague Spring Festival in 1991) or Gidon Kremer (who played
Piazzolla’s music at the same festival in 1996 and 1999), Piazzolla most often called it “the
music from Buenos Aires”.
One of his best known compositions is the tango Oblivion which was written in 1982, since
when it has remained the most popular tango. It is complex and it shines with emotional
strength. The strings come in with very gentle accompaniment at regular intervals, while the
melody is melancholy and slightly depressive. Oblivion is a song of love and sorrow – a beautiful piece full of feeling and elegance. Although half way through the melody changes a little
and a contrasting theme makes its appearance, the “song” remains sorrowful. The melody
became especially popular after its use on the soundtrack of the film “Henry IV, the Mad
King” by the director Marco Bellochio. The conjunction of love and sadness captivates
everyone listening to it, and it is that which attracts people to this tango and to Piazzolla’s
music generally.
10
Metafolkphoses
S Tomá‰em Pálkou nás pojí studia na Konzervatofii v Brnû, HAMU v Praze a dokonce
spoleãné souÏití na stáÏi slavné Consérvatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse
v PafiíÏi. Máme i spoleãnou amatérskou hudební historii, v mladém vûku jsme hráli v konkurenãních brnûnsk˘ch dûtsk˘ch folklórních souborech (on dokonce primoval). Tomá‰ovi jsem
samozfiejmû nechal volnou ruku, pfii tvorbû jeho folklórem inspirované skladby, jejíÏ
koneãná podoba nás v‰echny zprvu ponûkud pfiekvapila. Jsem v‰ak opravdu rád, Ïe vznikla
skladba ve které jsou jasnû patrné nápûvky nádhern˘ch lidov˘ch písní z JiÏní Moravy
a Slovenska, jeÏ jsou velmi netradiãnû a zároveÀ nenucenû zkombinovány s moderními
instrumentálními technikami. Tyto dva hudební svûty spolu vytváfií pozoruhodnû silnou
atmosféru.
Oblivion
Nesãetnûkrát hrané tango Astora Piazzolly jsme zafiadili pro jeho sentimentálnû dusnou atmosféru a vzdálenou hudební pfiíbuznost se skladbou Ondfieje Kukala Clarinettino. Zdálo se nám,
Ïe CD potfiebuje notoricky známou skladbu, která by vyváÏila novû vznikající kompozice „artificiálnûj‰ího“ charakteru.
Stolen Moments
Pfii cestû na nበprvní spoleãn˘ koncert na zámku v Moravském Krumlovû (je‰tû s plátny
Slovanské Epopeje), jsme sebevûdomû usoudili, Ïe by nám posluchaãi mohli tleskat a Ïe pro
tento pfiípad nemáme pfiipraven˘ pfiídavek. Pánové z Epoque Quartet se zmínili o skladbû,
na kterou sice nemají noty, ale „..snad ji zahrají zpamûti..“. Já , Ïe tam k nim mám nûco
zaimprovizovat. Skladba, do které pÛvodnû klarinet nepatfií, má v na‰em podání vÏdy jinou
podobu.
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Rendezvous for Clarinet and Strings
Skladba u které to v‰e zaãalo...
Sylvie Bodorová (1954) je v˘znamná ãeská hudební skladatelka, která studovala v Bratislavû
(konzervatofi) v Brnû (JAMU) a v Praze (HAMU). Seznámila se s novodob˘mi technikami na
stáÏi v Sienû (Franco Donatoni), Polsku a Amsterdamu (Ton de Leeuw). V devadesát˘ch letech
XX. století pÛsobila pedagogicky na univerzitû v Cincinnati a na dal‰ích místech v USA. V roce
1996 zaloÏila spolu s Lubo‰em Fi‰erem, ZdeÀkem Luká‰em a Otmarem Máchou tvÛrãí
skupinu ''Quattro''. Patfií k nejvyhledávanûj‰ím a nejhranûj‰ím ãesk˘m autorÛm, její skladby se
prosadily v zahraniãí a reprezentují soudobou ãeskou hudební kulturu na v˘znamn˘ch pódiích
a festivalech. Pro festival PraÏské jaro napsala Sylvie Bodorová celoveãerní velmi úspû‰né oratorium Juda Maccabeus (2002) a pro jubileum festivalu Smetanova Litomy‰l zkomponovala dal‰í
rozsáhlé oratorium MojÏí‰ (2008). V roce 2009 vytvofiila projekt z oblasti balkánské a cikánské
hudby JA RA LAJ pro tenoristu ·tefana Margitu, housle, violu, klarinet, harfu, bicí a smyãce,
kter˘ pfiedstavuje osobit˘ pohled na oblast world music. Pro Symfonick˘ orchestr hl. mûsta
Prahy FOK a jeho ‰éfdirigenta Jifiího Kouta zkomponovala v roce 2011 Symfonii ã. 1 „Con le
campane“. Její poslední úspû‰nou objednávkou je rozsáhl˘ písÀov˘ cyklus Lingua angelorum pro
svûtovû proslulého barytonistu Thomase Hampsona, kter˘ byl uveden na Smetanovû Litomy‰li
v roce 2012. Ke své skladbû dodává:
Skladbu Babadag pro klarinet a smyãcové kvarteto jsem napsala v roce 2010 pÛvodnû pro
zahajovací koncert Mezinárodního televizního festivalu Zlatá Praha. Inspirovalo mne vynikající
interpretaãní umûní klarinetisty Irvina Veny‰e a nûkteré mé záÏitky z dávného dûtství. Klarinet má
pro mne dvû polohy – ta první je vrcholnû virtuózní, bravurní, strhující, ãardá‰ovû motorická. Ta
druhá poloha je velmi nostalgická, zádumãivá, lyrická a pfiiná‰í pro mne fiadu obrazÛ, které jsem
v dûtství vidûla a obãas i útrÏkovitû zaslechla na Slovensku, zejména v romské osadû ·a‰ov, kolem
které jsem ãasto jezdila. Oba tyto v˘razové svûty vedou pomyslnû i na Balkán, jehoÏ hudbou
a mentalitou je skladba Babadag volnû inspirována. Babadag je malé mûsto v Rumunsku, odkud
pocházeli nûktefií Romové, s kter˘mi jsem se na Slovensku setkala a útrÏky jejichÏ hudby jsem se
v nûkter˘ch ãástech své skladby volnû inspirovala. ZaÏila jsem i jejich nádhernou svatební slavnost,
která trvala dva dny a pfii které celou noc hráli. Nevûsta s Ïenichem tancovali zvlá‰tní tanec, kter˘
se neustále zrychloval, a romská kapela hrála ve zvlá‰tním rytmu, kter˘ by se dal jen s velk˘mi obtíÏemi zapsat v na‰í notaci. Pamatuji se, Ïe kolem tancovalo asi tfiicet RomÛ vãetnû mal˘ch dûtí, bylo
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As a composer he occupies several genre areas: he writes symphonic and chamber works,
cantatas and songs, as well as incidental music for the stage in Prague and the provinces (Vinohrady Theatre, Rokoko, Theatre âesk˘ Tû‰ín and others) and he is a prolific arranger. For the
Czech Philharmonic’s 2003 New Year’s Eve concert he arranged songs by Jaroslav JeÏek and
songs from Czech films, not shunning even jazz. His close collaboration with the Epoque
Quartet and links with his own jazz piano trio have resulted in a CD of his own compositions
entitled “The State of Weightlessness”.
He is currently finishing a comic chamber opera “The Red Mary” after the TV serial “The
Tluãhofi Family” by Oldfiich Kaiser and Jifií Lábus. For the 2010 Prague Spring International
Competition he wrote the obligatory second-round piece for trumpet and piano. About the
work on this CD he writes:
My composition “Birth” is one part of incidental music for the Spitfire Company and its show “The
13th Month – Requiem for Bruno Schulz”. The inseparable component of this expressive dance
theatre is a live string quartet – the Epoque Quartet for which I have been composing and arranging music since its formation. I added a clarinet part to this minimalist piece of mine specially for
the recording on this CD.
Alan Shulman (1915–2002), an American composer and cellist, devoted himself to music
since childhood, just as his two siblings did. From 1932 he studied at the Julliard School.
Together they earned their living partly by playing in string quartets that performed popular
music for radio networks, such as the NBC, and Alan worked also as an arranger. He
composed music for children’s theatres and in 1942 he even took lessons in composition with
Paul Hindemith. As a cellist he promoted contemporary music, especially as a member of the
Stuyvesant String Quartet which he founded with his brother in 1938, performing works by
Prokofiev, Bloch, Malipiero, Shostakovich and other composers. The 1940s saw performances
of Shulman’s most successful works – Theme and Variations for Viola and Orchestra, Suite on
American Folk Songs, and Pastorale and Dance. In the 50s he wrote many popular songs and
genre pieces.
Rendezvous (“Rendezvous with Benny”) for Clarinet and String Quartet, dating from
1946, was written for Benny Goodman and the Stuyvesant Quartet in which the composer
played cello. Goodman had invited Shulman to his “Homecoming Stars” radio show which
he hosted every week, to join him in performing one movement from Mozart’s Clarinet
Quintet. Shulman was reluctant to travel for the sake of just a few minutes of music, and so
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diversity of the world and people all around. All around us there is something going in the meantime. The train leaves and, standing on the platform, one knows it is all going on…
uÏ po pÛlnoci, svítil mûsíc a hudbu pfieru‰ovalo jen rytmické tleskání a v˘kfiiky, kdyÏ najednou tuto
zbûsilou vfiavu pfieru‰il dlouh˘, táhl˘ tón Es klarinetu, tak palãiv˘ a tak naléhav˘, jako by pfiivolával
Ïivot a zároveÀ smrt, nûco se rodilo a nûco umíralo…To je základní impuls mé skladby Babadag.
Klarinet zde ãasto pracuje s bohat˘mi a sloÏit˘mi melismatick˘mi liniemi a metrorytmika vychází
z typick˘ch osminov˘ch lich˘ch balkánsk˘ch rytmÛ a stfiídání metrorytmick˘ch vzorcÛ (rovnûÏ
bimetrum), smyãcové nástroje uÏívám místy i ve funkci perkusivních elementÛ. Klarinet se ve
skladbû pfiedstavuje ve v‰ech sv˘ch polohách a barvách, tak jak to dokáÏe jen tento nástroj.
TomበPálka (b. 1978) studied composition with Pavel Zemek-Novák at the Brno Conservatoire and then with Marek Kopelent at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts. In 2002 he was
one of the founders of the composers’ association KONVERGENCE (Prague) which strives to
promote public performances of works by the young generation of composers from all over the
world. Writing about the inspiration for his music, he says that “In my works I focus on expressing
my relation to moral values. At the same time I lean towards a static flow of the musical happening at
the level of softer dynamics. Musical dynamics together with musical time have become some of the most
important musical parameters in my composition activity. In composing I tend on the whole towards
simpler structuration. That is an important aspect, contributing to the intelligibility of my music and
aiming towards subtle, introverted and contemplative levels. My musical models include in the first
place composers like Anton von Webern, Morton Feldman, Giacinto Scelsi, György Ligeti, Pavel
Zemek-Novák, Olivier Messiaen, Witold Lutoslawski, Arvo Pärt, György Kurtág...”
Since the mid 90s TomበPálka has written more than 30 works. Commenting on the piece
recorded on this CD he writes:
MetaFolkPhoses is a reaction to my longstanding interest in the area of folklore, active in the past
but at the present time more and more interested in many arrangements for ensembles engaged on
folk music. At the level that materialised in the form of an offer to create a composition for the group
on this CD, a possibility presented itself to proceed much further in arrangements and inspiration
beyond the framework of ordinary arrangements. The work is resolved in a conceptual manner and
is meant to be a kind of echo of folk melodies. The grasp and manner of interpretation (as well as
inspiration itself), however, takes us to the borderline between experiment, principles of contemporary composing and folk creativity in general.
Jan Kuãera (b. 1977), similarly to Ondfiej Kukal, is a versatile musician. He works primarily
as a conductor but is in addition an arranger, pianist and composer. He graduated from the
Prague Conservatoire in composition (his professor there was Bohuslav ¤ehofi) and conducting
(Prof. Miriam Nûmcová and Miroslav Ko‰ler) and continued his study of conducting with
Vladimír Válek at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts where at his 2002 graduation
concert with the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra he gave the first performance of his own
three symphonic poems on the motives of three Czech writers (Kundera, Hrabal and Koláfi).
8
Ondfiej Kukal (1964) je velmi v‰estrann˘m hudebníkem a v˘raznou osobností své umûlecké
generace, pÛsobí pfiedev‰ím jako dirigent, ale je i skladatelem a houslistou. Absolvoval Hudební
fakultu AMU v Praze, kde studoval hru na housle u profesora Josefa Vlacha a kompozici
u Jindfiicha Felda. Studium houslové hry zavr‰il provedením svého houslového koncertu,
studium kompozice u Jindfiicha Felda a dirigování ukonãil uvedením vlastní skladby Danse
symphonique pro velk˘ orchestr. V letech 1985–1995 byl ãlenem Nového Vlachova kvarteta
(pozdûj‰í Vlachovo kvarteto). V letech 1991–1996 byl ‰éfdirigentem Jihoãeské komorní filharmonie. V období 1996–1999 Ondfiej Kukal pÛsobil jako stál˘ dirigent Symfonického orchestru
âeského rozhlasu, s nímÏ pravidelnû spolupracuje dosud. Byl koncertním mistrem PraÏského
komorního orchestru bez dirigenta (1996–2003), se kter˘m vystoupil mimo jiné v newyorském
Lincoln Center, v Teatro Colón v Buenos Aires a ve vídeÀském Musikvereinu. Bûhem své dosavadní kariéry stanul u dirigentského pultu mnoha orchestrÛ, mj. âeské filharmonie, Symfonického orchestru hl. m. Prahy FOK, Janáãkovy filharmonie Ostrava, âeského komorního
orchestru a dal‰ích. Od roku 2002 pÛsobí jako ‰éfdirigent Filharmonie Hradec Králové.
Hostuje také v zahraniãí, napfi. Slovenská filharmonie, Státní filharmonie Ko‰ice, fiídil BBC
Symphony Orchestra. KdyÏ v roce 2006 s úspûchem zahájil s rozhlasov˘mi symfoniky PraÏské
jaro, kritika jeho v˘kon srovnávala s provedením Mé vlasti pod taktovkou Rafaela Kubelíka.
Realizoval fiadu CD i rozhlasov˘ch nahrávek. Vût‰ina jeho kompozic (více neÏ 30 opusov˘ch
ãísel) je vydána a pravidelnû interpretována doma i v zahraniãí. V roce 1999 mu bavorská vláda
poskytla stipendium, v jehoÏ rámci pfii dlouhodobém pobytu v Nûmecku zkomponoval svou
Symfonii ã. 1, op. 15, která získala v roce 2005 v˘roãní cenu OSA, Clarinettino, Concertino
pro klarinet a smyãce, op. 11 získalo Cenu Classic v roce 1994. K natoãení své skladby, která
existuje ve verzi pro smyãcov˘ orchestr i smyãcové kvinteto, poskytl tento struãn˘ komentáfi:
Rád vzpomínám na svoji úãast pfii natáãení mého Clarinettina. Irvin Veny‰ a smyãcové kvinteto
ovládali zmínûnou skladbu uÏ tak, Ïe nûkdy rádi pfiijali moji pfiipomínku, ale nûkolikrát zÛstali
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u svého pojetí, coÏ mohu fiíci, mû jako skladatele potû‰ilo. Natáãení se konalo v opravdu pozdních
hodinách a musím uznat, Ïe u muzikantÛ bylo stále dost enthusiasmu. S pozdravem Ondfiej
Kukal
published and are regularly played at home and abroad. In 1999 he received a grant from the
Bavarian government, leading – during his long stay in Germany – to the composition of his
Symphony No. 1, Op. 15, which received the Czech performing rights society OSA’s prize for
2005. His concerto for clarinet, Clarinettino, received the 1994 Classic Prize. After the Clarinettino – which exists in a string orchestra version as well as the string quintet version – was
recorded, Ondfiej Kukal wrote this short reminiscence:
I fondly remember my own participation at the recording of my Clarinettino. Irvin Veny‰ and the
string quintet had come so well prepared that at some points they gladly accepted my suggestions
while at several others they stuck to their own ideas, which I can say pleased me as the composer. The
recording went on into the late hours and I must say that the musicians kept up plenty of their
enthusiasm. With good wishes, Ondfiej Kukal.
Jan Du‰ek (1985) vystudoval konzervatofi v Teplicích (klavír, skladba). V letech 2004–2009
studoval skladbu na Akademii múzick˘ch umûní (Hanu‰ BartoÀ), kde nyní pokraãuje
v doktorandském studiu téhoÏ oboru. Jako klavírista se zúãastnil nûkolika mistrovsk˘ch kurzÛ
(Cyprien Katsaris, Irina Ossipova), získal ceny a ãestná uznání v soutûÏích (Concertino Praga,
Mezinárodní klavírní soutûÏ Bedfiicha Smetany, SoutûÏní pfiehlídka konzervatofií, Mezinárodní soutûÏ ZdeÀka Fibicha v interpretaci melodramu). Pravidelnû pofiizuje nahrávky
soudobé ãeské hudby pro âesk˘ rozhlas. V roce 2006 mu byla udûlena 1. cena na skladatelské
soutûÏi Generace za skladbu „...jiÏ za sedm dnÛ se‰lu na zemi dé‰È...“ a v roce 2007 na téÏe
soutûÏi opût 1. cena za skladbu „Gradace pro varhany“. V soutûÏi NUBERG 2008 získal za
skladbu „Chalomot jehudi'im“ Cenu vefiejnosti, o rok pozdûji obdrÏel za tutéÏ skladbu Cenu
Gideona Kleina. V roce 2010 získal jeho melodram „PraÏsk˘ chodec“ 2. cenu v SoutûÏi pro
mladé umûlce vyhla‰ované Mûstskou ãástí Praha 1. Za hudbu k nûmému filmu „Dítû ghetta“
získal v soutûÏi NUBERG 2011 Cenu vefiejnosti. Jeho skladby si objednávají ãeské festivaly
(napfi. Mezinárodní festival koncertního melodramu), pfiední ãe‰tí sólisté (napfi. klarinetista
Irvin Veny‰ – Koncert pro klarinet a orchestr ãi hráãka na bicí nástroje Markéta Mazourová)
i komorní soubory (napfi. Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Holandsko). Jan Du‰ek je ãlenem
Umûlecké besedy a Spoleãnosti ZdeÀka Fibicha. O své skladbû Meanwhile for Clarinet and
Strings uvedl:
...jako nasednout do vlaku a nechat se uná‰et krajinou, pozorovat povûdomá místa, vídat je znovu,
na jiném místû a v jiném svûtle, uvûdomovat si podobnosti i rozdílnosti svûta a lidí kolem sebe.
V‰ude kolem nás se mezitím nûco dûje. Vlak odjíÏdí a ãlovûk stojící na nástupi‰ti ví, Ïe to v‰echno
pokraãuje...
TomበPálka (1978) vystudoval kompozici na brnûnské konzervatofii u Pavla Zemka-Nováka
a dále na hudební fakultû AMU u Marka Kopelenta. V roce 2002 spoluzaloÏil skladatelské
sdruÏení KONVERGENCE (Praha), jehoÏ náplní ãinnosti je vefiejné uvádûní dûl skladatelÛ
mladé generace z celého svûta. K inspiraci své tvorby tento autor uvádí: „Ve sv˘ch skladbách
se zamûfiuji k vyjadfiování svého vztahu k duchovním hodnotám. Souãasnû se v nich pfiikláním spí‰e
ke statickému plynutí hudebního dûní v hladinû niωí dynamiky. Hudební dynamika a také
18
Jan Du‰ek (b. 1985) graduated from the Teplice Conservatoire in piano and composition.
From 2004 to 2009 he studied composition with Hanu‰ BartoÀ at the Prague Academy of
Performing Arts where he is now studying for a doctorate in the same subject. As a pianist he
took part in several master courses (with Cyprien Katsaris and Irina Ossipova) and received
prizes and honorary mentions in competitions (Concertino Praga, Bedfiich Smetana International Piano Competition, Conservatoires’ Competition Review, International Zdenûk Fibich
Competition in melodrama performance). He regularly makes recordings of Czech contemporary music for the Czech Radio. In 2006 he received the first prize in the Generace composition competition for his “…just in seven days I shall send rain on Earth…” and in 2007 another
first prize at the same competition for Gradation for Organ. In the 2008 NUBERG competition he received the audience’s prize for his composition Chalomot jehudi’im and a year later
for the same work the Gideon Klein Prize. His melodrama The Prague Pedestrian earned him
the second prize in the Prague 1 Young Artists’ Competition and for his music to the silent
film A Child of the Ghetto the audience prize in the NUBERG 2011 competition. His compositions are being commissioned by Czech festivals (for instance the International Concert
Melodrama Competition), by leading soloists (e.g. the clarinettist Irvin Veny‰ and the percussionist Markéta Mazourová) and by chamber ensembles (e.g. the Nederlands Blazers
Ensemble). Jan Du‰ek is a member of the Umûlecká beseda association and the Zdenûk Fibich
Society. About his composition Meanwhile for Clarinet and Strings he writes:
…it is like boarding a train and letting oneself be carried over the landscape, observe familiar
places, see them again at a different juncture and in different light, notice similarities as well as the
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wedding celebrations which lasted two days, with music being played the whole night through. The
bride and groom danced an extraordinary dance which kept getting faster and faster, while the
Roma band played in a peculiar rhythm which it would be very difficult to write down using our
notation system. About thirty Roma including children were dancing, it was after midnight, the
moon was shining, and the music was only punctuated by shouting and clapping. It was an unforgettable experience as the hubbub was suddenly interrupted by a long drawn-out note on the E flat
clarinet – so ardent, so pressing, as if calling on life, but death too, as if something was being born
but at the same time something was dying…That is the basic impulse of my composition Babadag.
The clarinet is often being made to work with rich and complex melismatic melodies, while the
metrorhythmics take as their point of departure the typically odd-numbered quaver rhythms from
the Balkans and the alternation of metrorhythmic patterns (including bimetres), while in some
places I make use of the string instruments for percussive effects. The clarinet is presented in all its
registers and timbres, as only it can be.
hudební ãas se staly v mé kompoziãní práci jednûmi z nejdÛleÏitûj‰ích hudebních parametrÛ.
Celkovû se v kompozici pfiikláním k jednodu‰‰í strukturaci. To je v˘znamn˘m faktorem pfiispívajícím ke srozumitelnosti mé hudby smûfiující k subtilním, introvertním a kontemplativním rovinám.
K m˘m hudebním vzorÛm se fiadí pfiedev‰ím skladatelé jako Anton von Webern, Morton Feldman,
Giacinto Scelsi, György Ligeti, Pavel Zemek-Novák, Olivier Messiaen, Witold Lutos∏awski, Arvo
Pärt, György Kurtág..."
Od poloviny devadesát˘ch let dvacátého století napsal TomበPálka více neÏ tfiicet hudebních
dûl a ke své skladbû natoãené na tomto kompaktním disku uvádí následující komentáfi:
MetaFolkPhoses je reakcí na mÛj dlouhodob˘ zájem v oblasti folklóru. V minulosti aktivní,
v dne‰ní dobû v‰ak stále zainteresovan˘ v podobû mnoh˘ch úprav pro soubory, které se interpretací
lidové hudby zab˘vají. V rovinû, která se objevila v podobû nabídky vytvofiit skladbu pro uskupení
na tomto CD, se otevfiela moÏnost, jít v úpravách a inspiraci mnohem dál, nad rámec bûÏn˘ch
aranÏí. Skladba je fie‰ena konceptuálnû a mûla by b˘t jakousi ozvûnou na lidové melodie. Uchopením a zpÛsobem interpretace (a samotné inspirace) se v‰ak dostáváme na pomezí mezi experimentem, principy soudobé hudební tvorby a lidové tvofiivosti obecnû.
Ondfiej Kukal (b. 1964) is a very versatile musician and a notable member of his generation.
He works primarily as a conductor, but he is also a composer and violinist. He graduated from
the Prague Academy of Performing Arts where he studied violin playing with Prof. Josef Vlach
and composition with Jindfiich Feld. The completion of his studies was marked by a performance of his own Violin Concerto and his Danse symphonique for large orchestra conducted by
himself. From 1985 to 1995 he was a member of the New Vlach Quartet (later just Vlach
Quartet). From 1991 to 1996 he was chief conductor of the South Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic and from 1996 to 1999 a permanent conductor of the Czech Radio Symphony
Orchestra with which he continues to make regular appearances. He was leader of the Prague
Chamber Orchestra without Conductor (1996–2003) with which he appeared at the New
York Lincoln Center, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and the Vienna Musikverein. To date he
has conducted many orchestras, including the Czech Philharmonic, Prague Symphony
Orchestra, Janáãek Philharmonic Ostrava, Czech Chamber Orchestra and others. Since 2002
he has been chief conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra Hradec Králové and has been
making guest appearances abroad with the Slovak Philharmonic, the State Philharmonic
Ko‰ice and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. When in 2006 he conducted the opening concert
of The Prague Spring Festival the critics favourably compared his performance with Rafael
Kubelík’s legendary rendering of Smetana’s Má vlast. Ondfiej Kukal has made many CD and
radio recordings. Most of his own compositions (numbering more than 30) have been
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Jan Kuãera (1977) je podobnû jako Ondfiej Kukal v‰estrannou hudební osobností, pÛsobí
pfiedev‰ím jako dirigent, ale je i aranÏérem, klavíristou a skladatelem. Na praÏské konzervatofii
absolvoval u prof. Bohuslava ¤ehofie skladatelsk˘ obor, u profesorÛ Miriam Nûmcové a Miroslava Ko‰lera dirigování, v nûmÏ pokraãoval na HAMU u Vladimíra Válka. V rámci svého
absolventského dirigentského koncertu v roce 2002 debutoval se Symfonick˘m orchestrem
âeského rozhlasu a provedl v premiéfie své tfii symfonické básnû na motivy ãesk˘ch spisovatelÛ
(Kundera, Hrabal, Koláfi). Jako skladatel zasahuje do nûkolika Ïánrov˘ch oblastí. Tvofií kompozice symfonické i komorní, kantátové i písÀové, zároveÀ pí‰e scénickou hudbu k inscenacím
praÏsk˘ch i oblastních divadelních scén (Vinohradské divadlo, Rokoko, Divadlo âesk˘ Tû‰ín
aj.). Plodná je i jeho tvorba v oblasti aranÏérské – pro silvestrovsk˘ koncert âeské filharmonie
2003 upravil písnû Jaroslava JeÏka a písnû z ãesk˘ch filmÛ. Kuãera se ve své tvorbû nevyh˘bá
ani jazzu. Z jeho úzké spolupráce se smyãcov˘m kvartetem Epoque Quartet a ze spojení s jeho
vlastním jazzov˘m klavírním triem mimo jiné vze‰el autorsk˘ CD Stav beztíÏe.
V souãasné dobû dopisuje komickou komorní operu „Rudá Marie“ podle rozhlasového seriálu
Rodinka Tluãhofiov˘ch Oldfiicha Kaisera a Jifiího Lábuse. Na objednávku Mezinárodní soutûÏe
hudebního festivalu PraÏské jaro 2010 napsal povinnou skladbu do druhého kola pro trubku
a klavír. O své skladbû pro tento kompaktní disk napsal:
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Skladba Zrození je jednou z ãástí scénické hudby pro soubor Spitfire Company a jeho pfiedstavení
13. mûsíc – Requiem za Bruno Schulze. Neodluãitelnou sloÏkou tohoto expresivního taneãního
divadla je Ïivû hrající smyãcové kvarteto – Epoque Quartet, pro nûjÏ kontinuálnû pí‰u a aranÏuji
od jeho zaloÏení. Speciálnû pro tuto nahrávku jsem do této své minimalistické skladby pfiipsal klarinetov˘ part.
Alan Shulman (1915–2002) byl americk˘ skladatel a violoncellista, od dûtství se vûnoval
hudbû stejnû jako jeho dva sourozenci. Od roku 1932 studoval na Juilliard School violoncello
a kompozici, Ïivil se i hrou v smyãcov˘ch kvartetech, která hrála populární hudbu pro rozhlasové sítû jako NBC, vûnoval se rovnûÏ aranÏování. Komponoval i pro dûtská divadla a v roce
1942 studoval kompozici dokonce u Paula Hindemitha. Vûnoval se jako violoncellista i propagaci soudobé hudby, zejména jako ãlen Stuyvesant String Quartet. Tento soubor zaloÏil v roce
1938 se sv˘m bratrem – ansámbl uvádûl díla Prokofjeva, Blocha, Malipiera, ·ostakoviãe
a dal‰ích. Ve ãtyfiicát˘ch letech byly uvedeny Shulmanovy nejúspû‰nûj‰í kompozice – Theme
and Variations for Viola and Orchestra, Suite on American Folk Songs a Pastorale and Dance.
V padesát˘ch letech napsal Alan Shulman mnoÏství populárních písní a drobn˘ch ÏánrÛ.
Skladbu Rendezvous ("Rendezvous with Benny") pro klarinet a smyãcové kvarteto z roku
1946 sloÏil Alan Shulman pro Bennyho Goodmanna a Stuyvesant Quartet, ve kterém sám
pÛsobil jako violoncellista. Goodman pozval kvarteto k úãinkování ve své rozhlasové show
„Homecoming stars“, jeÏ kaÏd˘ t˘den uvádûl, aby spolu s ním zahráli jednu z vût Mozartova
Klarinetového kvintetu. Shulmanovi se v‰ak nechtûlo cestovat kvÛli nûkolika minutám hudby,
a proto nabídl Goodmanovi, Ïe sloÏí pro totoÏn˘ ansámbl novou krátkou skladbu. Ze skladby
Rendezvous with Benny tak vznikla kompozice Rendezvous for Clarinet and Strings.
Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992) se narodil v Argentinû, ale dûtství strávil v newyorském Bronxu.
V tomto mûstû také ve tfiinácti letech úãinkoval jako hráã na bandoneon (varianta akordeonu
a typick˘ nástroj pro tango, pÛvodnû v‰ak nástroj, kterému dal jméno nûmeck˘ nástrojafi Heinrich Band) a získal zde jak klasické, tak jazzové ‰kolení. V roce 1937 se vrátil do Argentiny.
V Buenos Aires studoval od roku 1940 na doporuãení Arthura Rubinsteina u Alberta Ginastery. V roce 1950 získal stipendium francouzské vlády a vzdûlával se v PafiíÏi u Hermanna
Scherchena (dirigování) a u Nadji Boulanger (kompozice). Po definitivním návratu do Argentiny komponuje „tango nuevo“ a v roce 1960 zakládá svûtovû proslul˘ soubor Quintetto
Nuevo Tango. To byl poãátek jakéhosi „druhého dechu“ tanga a jeho celosvûtové exploze.
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5
Rendezvous for Clarinet and Strings
The piece with which it all began…
Sylvie Bodorová (b.1954) is an important Czech composer who studied at the conservatoire
in Bratislava, at the Janáãek Academy in Brno and the Prague Academy of Performing Arts.
She made her acquaintance of new composition techniques during stays in Siena (Franco
Donatoni), Poland and Amsterdam (Ton de Leeuw). In the 90s she taught at the university in
Cincinnati and other places in the USA. In 1996 she and the composers Lubo‰ Fi‰er, Zdenûk
Lukበand Otmar Mácha founded the creative group “Quattro”. Sylvie Bodorová is one of the
most sought after and performed Czech composers, her works having been played abroad and
representing contemporary Czech music culture at prestigious concert venues and festivals. She
wrote her very successful full-length oratorio Juda Maccabeus (2002) for The Prague Spring
Festival, and for the Smetana’s Litomy‰l jubilee festival another large-scale oratorio Moses
(2008). In 2009 she created a folk-song project based on Balkan and Gypsy music for the
tenor ·tefan Margita with violin, viola, clarinet, harp, percussion and strings, representing her
original approach to the area of world music. In 2011 she wrote her Symphony No. 1 “Con le
campane” for the Prague Symphony Orchestra and its chief conductor Jifií Kout. Her latest
successful commission has been the large-scale song cycle Lingua angelorum for the worldfamous baritone Thomas Hampson. It was first performaed at the Smetana’s Litomy‰l Festival
in 2012. Writing about her work, Sylvie Bodorová says:
I composed Babadag for Clarinet and String Quartet in 2010, originally for the opening
concert of the Prague d’Or International Television Festival. The one-movement work’s first
version was for clarinet and string orchestra. I drew inspiration from the brilliant playing of the
clarinettist Irvin Veny‰ and some of my own experiences from childhood long ago. To me, the
clarinet has two aspects – the first a virtuoso, bravura, captivating, motoric dance-like csárdás one,
and the other a nostalgic, contemplative, lyrical one. It evokes a number of images in my mind,
reminiscent of things I saw and snatches I heard as a child in Slovakia, especially in the Gypsy
village of ·a‰ov which I often used to pass. Both these aspects led my mind also to the Balkans
whose music and thinking had loosely inspired my work. Babadag is a small town in Romania.
Some of the Roma I met in Slovakia had their roots there and snatches of their music have left their
mark loosely on some parts of my piece. I remember I also experienced one of their wonderful
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Birth
The idea for this work was “born” during a casual jam session on the occasion of the Epoque
Quartet cellist Vítek Petrá‰ek’s birthday celebration. I happened to wander unwittingly onto
the freshly composed piece by Jan Kuãera who was there, failing to object. Later on he wrote
in a clarinet part for me. We thank the ladies and gentlemen of the KuÏelka pub for tirelessly
and regularly supplying us with the excellent amber nectar from Pilsen, and Mr Petr Malásek
for his 53% “order” with which he evaluated our musical production.
Zatímco v Evropû slaví koncerty a nahrávky Piazzollova souboru velké úspûchy, v rodné Argentinû je povaÏován za jakéhosi „odpadlíka“ od pÛvodního ryze taneãního tanga. Astor Piazzolla
komponoval kromû taneãních kompozic (více neÏ tfii stovky skladeb, jejichÏ základem je argentinské tango) i dal‰í Ïánry – scénickou hudbu a dokonce i symfonická díla.
Se sv˘m souborem naposledy koncertoval Piazzolla v Amsterdamu v roce 1989. Svoji tvorbu,
která se po roce 1980 dostává do repertoáru svûtov˘ch hvûzd jako Kronos Quartet (tento
soubor pfiedstavil Piazzollu na PraÏském jaru 1991) nebo Gidon Kremer (zahrál Piazzollu na
PraÏském jaru 1996 a 1999), Piazzolla nejãastûji oznaãoval jako „hudbu z Buenos Aires“.
Jednou z jeho nejznámûj‰ích kompozic je Oblivion. Piazzolla ji napsal v roce 1982 a od té
doby stále zÛstává jeho nejpopulárnûj‰ím tangem. Je velmi komplexní a vyzafiuje velkou emocionální sílu. Smyãce pfiicházejí pravidelnû s velmi prÛzraãn˘m a klidn˘m doprovodem, melodická linie je melancholická aÏ mírnû depresivní. Oblivion je píseÀ o lásce a smutku. Je to
pfiekrásná skladba plná citÛ a elegance. I kdyÏ se v polovinû tanga melodie ponûkud promûÀuje
a pfiichází kontrastní téma, pfiesto tato „píseÀ“ zÛstává smutná. Melodie získala hlavní popularitu, kdyÏ se stala souãástí sound tracku filmu Henry IV, the Mad King, jehoÏ reÏisérem byl
Marco Bellochio. Spojení lásky a smutku uchvacuje kaÏdého, kdo tuto melodii poslouchá a je
tím zvlá‰tním, co na tomto tangu a hudbû Piazzolly posluchaãe stále pfiitahuje.
Ve sv˘ch pamûtech Astor Piazzolla o charakteru této melancholicky zvlá‰tní a zároveÀ rytmicky
pregnantní hudby i o sobû samém napsal:
„Hrál jsem snad v‰ude, buì jsem mûl pocit, Ïe to tak má b˘t nebo jsem nûkdy ani nemûl moÏnost
v˘bûru. Bylo pro mne lhostejné, zda to bylo v „bordelu“, kde chtûl bohat˘ majitel, aby Piazzolla hrál
jeho klientÛm, nebo v New Yorku v síni Filharmonie.
Ale nemám rád extrémy, ani jedno ani druhé místo nebylo to pravé. Má tvorba je v pravém smyslu
komorní, nejlépe mi „sedí“ kvintet nebo nonet. Proto miluji hru v men‰ích sálech jako je Divadlo
„En la Regina“ v Buenos Aires. VÏdy jsem trpûl, kdyÏ jsem hrál na velk˘ch jazzov˘ch festivalech
v Evropû. Nemohl jsem ãasto vydrÏet pfiehnan˘ zájem lidí, ktefií mne okukovali, nebo stále nûco
chtûli, ani prÛvan, kter˘ nám strhával party z pultÛ…“
Metafolkphoses
Our links with TomበPálka go back to our studies at the Conservatoire in Brno, the Prague
Academy and even our sojourn at the famous Consérvatoire National Supérieur de Musique
et de Danse in Paris. We share even our music history as amateurs, since at our early age we
played in rival children’s folklore groups in Brno (he was actually the leader). Of course,
I gave Tomበa free rein to compose his folk-inspired piece as he wished, though its final
shape came as a bit of a surprise to us. I am, however, really glad that it’s a composition
which clearly shows motives of wonderful folk songs of South Moravia and Slovakia, combining them in a non-traditional, though unaffected way with modern instrumental techniques. Bringing these two musical worlds together creates an extraordinarily powerful
atmosphere.
Oblivion
We have included the much performed tango by Astor Piazzolla for its sentimentally sultry
atmosphere and its distant musical affinity to Ondfiej Kukal’s Clarinettino. It seemed to us that
the CD needed a well-known work as counterbalance to the newly created compositions of
a more “contrived” character.
Stolen Moments
As we travelled to our first joint concert at the chateau at Moravsk˘ Krumlov (still with its
Mucha Slav Epos canvasses inside), we confidently thought that the audience would applaud
but realised that we had no encore ready for that eventuality. The Epoque Quartet gentlemen
mentioned a piece for which they had no music at hand but which “they might perhaps be
able to play from memory”. Myself, I could join in, improvising a bit. The work, originally
with no place for the clarinet in it, is different every time we play it.
4
Oliver Edward Nelson (1932–1975) byl americk˘ jazzov˘ saxofonista, klarinetista, aranÏér
a skladatel, kter˘ pocházel z hudební rodiny. UÏ v ‰esti letech se zaãal uãit hrát na klavír
a v jedenácti na saxofon, od roku 1947 hrál v místních bandech v okolí Saint Louis. Studoval
hudební teorii a kompozici ve Washingtonu a na Lincoln University, kde dokonãil studia
v roce 1958. PÛsobil v New Yorku jako instrumentalista a aranÏér v divadlu Apollo v Harlemu,
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v letech 1960–1961 hrál na tenorsaxofon s Qunicy Jonesem v USA i na cestách po Evropû.
Vrcholná doba Nelsonovy kariéry pfii‰la v ‰edesát˘ch letech, kdy spolupracoval s prestiÏními
gramofonov˘mi spoleãnostmi a skvûl˘mi jazzov˘mi i rockov˘mi hudebníky a zpûváky (mj.
Nancy Wilson, James Brown, Temptations a Diana Ross), jeho skladba „Stolen Moments“ se
stala standardem. Stal se i leaderem velkého big bandu a pfiestûhoval se do Los Angeles. Vedle
svého big bandu a men‰ího ansámblu se stále ãastûji objevoval i jako sólista na sopránsaxofon.
Daleko ménû znám˘ fakt je, Ïe Nelson komponoval i velké symfonické kompozice a byl velmi
zainteresován v oblasti jazzového vzdûlávání, vracel se stále ãastûji na svoji domovskou universitu do Washingtonu, aby zde vedl prázdninové kursy.
Epoque Quartet
Members of the Epoque Quartet play “classic” brilliantly, but they don’t crumple up as many
“classicists” do if suddenly they see in the music instead of black dots chord boxes or no notes
at all. They in fact excel in such situations. At their concerts they press their listeners and coperformers to join in the rhythm of their dynamic presentations by stamping their feet – be it
in classical music or in mixed genres. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to do a bit of “jamming”
with them many more times.
Irvin Veny‰ je právem fiazen k nejv˘raznûj‰ím umûlcÛm mladé ãeské generace. Je drÏitelem
mnoha ocenûní ze svûtovû uznávan˘ch soutûÏí – PraÏské jaro, Pacem in Terris Bayreuth, EBU
New Talent, Zurich, Madeira. Tato ocenûní opakovanû obhajuje na prestiÏních festivalech –
Festival Mitte Europa, Pablo Casals festival v Prades, Mozart der Europaer Mannheim, Mezinárodní hudební festival PraÏské jaro, JanáãkÛv máj – a pódiích celé fiady zemí – Japonsko,
Nûmecko, Francie, ·panûlsko atd. Pozoruhodn˘ je pfiesah jeho hudebních aktivit, od klasického klarinetového repertoáru pfies extrémnû nároãné skladby 20. a 21. století – ãeské a svûtové
premiéry – Osvaldo Golijov, Betty Oliveiro, Isang Yun, Jan Du‰ek, N-Tech atd. – aÏ po
folklór. Spolupracuje s pfiedními svûtov˘mi sólisty a dirigenty – Heinz-Jörg Schellenberger,
Radovan Vlatkoviã, Zakhar Bron, Peter Czaba, Martin Kasík, Ivo Kahánek, Igor Arda‰ev nebo
Libor Pe‰ek. Za zmínku stojí i rozsah jeho hudebního vzdûlání. Absolvoval Konzervatofi v Brnû
ve tfiídû prof. B. Winklera, magistersk˘ a následnû doktorsk˘ cyklus na Hudební a taneãní
fakultû Akademie múzick˘ch umûní v Praze u profesorÛ Jifiího Hlaváãe a Vlastimila Mare‰e, kde
v souãasné dobû pÛsobí jako pedagog. Své vzdûlání doplnil roãní stáÏí na Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique et de Danse v PafiíÏi v prestiÏní tfiídû Michela Arrignona.V poslední dobû
nahrával napfiíklad pro âesk˘ rozhlas, âeskou televizi, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk ãi ArcoDiva.
www.irvinvenys.cz
Epoque Quartet (David Pokorn˘ – housle, Vladimír Klánsk˘ – housle,
Vladimír Kroupa – viola, Vít Petrá‰ek – violoncello
PraÏské smyãcové kvarteto Epoque Quartet vzniklo na poãátku roku 1999. âtyfii vynikající
sólisty a komorní hráãe s bohat˘mi pódiov˘mi zku‰enostmi pfiivedla ke spoleãné práci nejen
názorová shoda a pfiíbuznost umûleckého naturelu, ale pfiedev‰ím mimofiádné nad‰ení pro
22
Crossover??
Works specially written for us, works often played on concert platforms, or works which
I intruded upon with or without permission. One can say that we gently cross the borders not
just in original “art” works, but also in newly composed or reshaped works. I shadow the
Epoques with compositions inspired by Romanian and Moravian folklore which is close to my
heart, and they pay me back in jazzy pieces or improvisations.
Babadag
I thank the composer Sylvie Bodorová for her patience and tolerance she showed towards my
instrumental ideas and amendments with which I tried to contribute to the folk-like colouring
of her work as it was coming into being. Her kindness during the recording created the perfect
conditions for us, enabling us to master the rhythmically and technically demanding passages in
the work inspired by Romanian folklore and the matchless artistry of the Romanian clarinettists.
Clarinettino
I met the composer Ondfiej Kukal just a few days before the start of the recording for this CD.
The act of handing over his score turned into a debate lasting several hours – a debate not
merely about music…He kept accepting our musical ideas with undying enthusiasm which, in
the late night hours of the recording session, poured energy into our veins.
Meanwhile for Clarinet and Strings
After the clarinet concerto which he had dedicated to me, I asked my friend and brilliant
composer to write something that would fit the plans for the present CD. The work which
pleased us straight away at the first run through, was delivered by him to me, printed and
bound, just two days before the agreed deadline.
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2
1/ SYLVIE BODOROVÁ (1954)
Babadag for Clarinet and String Quartet
2/ OND¤EJ KUKAL (1964)
Clarinettino, Concertino for Clarinet and Strings, Op. 11
13:28
3/ JAN DU·EK (1985)
Meanwhile for Clarinet and Strings
6:55
4/ TOMÁ· PÁLKA (1978)
Metafolkphoses for Clarinet and String Quartet
8:54
5/ JAN KUâERA (1977)
Zrození / Birth
6:18
6/ ALAN SHULMAN (1915–2002)
Rendezvous for Clarinet and Strings
4:50
7/ ASTOR PIAZZOLLA (1921–1992)
Oblivion
4:31
8/ OLIVER EDWARD NELSON (1932–1975)
Stolen Moments
4:10
Irvin Veny‰ – clarinet
Epoque Quartet (David Pokorn˘ – violin, Vladimír Klánsk˘ – violin,
Vladimír Kroupa – viola, Vít Petrá‰ek – violoncello)
David Pavelka – double bass (2, 7)
Recorded in MartinÛ Hall at Prague Academy of Performing Arts in December 2011
Music directors Jifií ·tilec and Jaroslav Krãek (3, 8)
Sound engineers, editing Václav Roubal, Karel Soukeník • Producer Jana âerná
2
6:51
Ïánry obvykle nezafiazované pod hlaviãku „váÏné hudby“ – jazz, rock a funk. Aãkoliv skladby
klasické kvartetní literatury zÛstávají nedílnou souãástí programÛ tohoto tûlesa, citliv˘ pfiístup
k netradiãním aranÏmá mu pfiiná‰í nové moÏnosti vyuÏití smyãcov˘ch nástrojÛ a zároveÀ
umoÏÀuje neb˘valou ‰ífii repertoárového zábûru, na na‰ich i zahraniãních pódiích ojedinûlou.
âlenové kvarteta jsou laureáty nûkolika svûtov˘ch soutûÏí (dvojnásobná první cena soutûÏe
v rakouském Liezenu, první cena Mezinárodní kvartetní soutûÏe Ludwiga van Beethovena,
Cena Jeunesses Musicales) a soubor se úspû‰nû zúãastnil i dal‰ích soutûÏí (napfi. Paolo Borciani
Competition). Ze zahraniãních zemí úãinkoval mj. v Nûmecku, Rakousku, ·v˘carsku, Francii,
Itálii, Anglii, Izraeli, Japonsku, ¤ecku, Holandsku, Polsku, Bosnû a Hercegovinû.
Epoque Quartet pravidelnû hraje v abonentních cyklech Symfonického orchestru âeského
rozhlasu, âeského Noneta, âeského spolku pro komorní hudbu, spolupracuje s âeskou televizí i rozhlasem a je ãast˘m hostem prestiÏních mezinárodních hudebních festivalÛ napfi.
Schleswig-Holstein Festival (Nûmecko), Stuttgarter Philharmoniker Zyklus, Metamorphosen
(·v˘carsko), âeské sny, Concentus Moraviae, Hudební festival âesk˘ Krumlov, Festival
Ludwiga van Beethovena, Moravsk˘ podzim aj. V roce 2000 vedli ãlenové kvarteta mistrovské
kursy jazzové improvizace na hudební akademii v Jeruzalémû. Na poli jazzové hudby se soubor
setkal mimo jiné s George Mrazem, Benny Beaileym, Yoshiko Kishino. Soustavnû spolupracuje
s Robert Balzar triem.
David Pavelka (1980) studoval v letech 1992–2000 na Konzervatofii Jana Deyla v Praze ve
tfiídû prof. Miloslava Ledvinky. V roce 1999 se zúãastnil soutûÏe konzervatofií, kde získal
1. cenu. Po ukonãení studií na konzervatofii absolvoval jeden semestr na Toho Gakuen
Orchestra Academy v Toyamû v Japonsku. V letech 2000–2005 studoval na Hudební fakultû
AMU v Praze ve tfiídû prof. Radomíra Îaluda. Od roku 1997 pÛsobil v orchestru Státní opery
Praha. V roce 2000 úspû‰nû vykonal konkurz do Symfonického orchestru âeského rozhlasu,
kde pÛsobí dodnes. Od roku 2009 je ãlenem âeského noneta.
Front cover photo © 2012 Lukáš Hausenblas
Sleeve note © 2012 Irvin Venyš, Jiří Štilec, archives
Translation © 2012 Karel Janovický
Design © 2012 Peter Vrábel
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