For the month of September, the Classics a Day team chose a controversial theme. There is a small subset of symphonic works within the classical repertoire that appear misnamed. Most composers choose their titles carefully. But when the title runs counter to expectations, disagreements arise. What does the title “symphony” mean? Can a composition be […]
Leos Janacek
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Janacek Choral Works Return to Czech Roots
It’s no secret that Czech composer Leos Janacek used the folk traditions of Bohemia and Moravia for the basis of his own musical language. In his most advanced works (like his string quartets), those folk traditions are heard but faintly in the background. As this new collection shows, the folk music of Janacek’s native land […]
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Janacek Piano Works
Who better to present a recital of a composer’s music than an artist who studied with him? Rudolf Firkusny began his musical career under the tutelage of Leos Janacek, which gives his interpretation of Janacek’s solo piano works special significance. All of Janacek’s major works for the instrument are present: Piano Sonata 1.X.1905, On an […]