Posts by Alistair

  • New Missa Omnium Sanctorum recording by Ensemble Inégal.

    This is to announce an upcoming recording of Zelenka's last mass, Missa Omnium Sanctorum ZWV 21, by Ensemble Inégal conducted by Adam Viktora. The supporting work will be Barbara dira effera (ZWV 164), which has not been recorded before. The recording is planned for the end of June/beginning of July.


    I am particularly excited about this because the existing recording of ZWV 21 (by Frieder Bernius on Sony) was never released internationally, is currently unavailable, and will probably never be released again.


    It looks as if Ensemble Inégal has done it again! They will release another CD with a world-première recording. But this time it will also contain the ultimate Zelenka mass.

  • New recording of Missa Votiva

    I received the CD a couple of days ago. It is a live recording, and the absence of a proper booklet or "sleeve note" made me suspect that the actual performance might not be too good.


    To my great surprise, this turns out to be a very respectable reading and a very nice recording. (I haven't heard it through loudspeakers yet, only through open headphones - which was a holographic experience). The "Christe eleison" gave me tingles down my spine. The "Quoniam tu solus sanctus" is taken at speed. This is a very rewarding double CD issue, and it even has a surprise at the start. If you are a collector, consider it seriously!

  • Zelenka in Massachussetts

    Cameron Kirkpatrick, the general manager/oboist for the The Boston Zelenka Project - a small chamber ensemble dedicated to playing the works of Jan Dismas - has contacted me about 2 upcoming concerts in the US. Please see their website at http://www.bostonzelenka.wordpress.com for more details!


    Jan. 20, 7 pm, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain, MA; and they also have another concert on Feb. 23 at Boston College.

  • Requiem & Officium Defunctorum

    Thanks, SK!


    And thanks, l'infastidito, for the information on where to order the CD.


    Interesting that this is coming out on the Accent label instead of Zig-Zag. They must have finished their contract with Zig-Zag(?).


    Does anyone know if this recording is a live recording from the performance? Or is it something done afterwards?


    Wonderful cover picture!


    Alistair

  • "Gramophone Awards"

    Hi David,


    Well, you've had feedback from me. This document represents a huge amount of work, and I for one appreciate it a great deal.


    I wonder what you are going to write about the next offering from Adam Viktora and company, which is due out any day...


    Best wishes.


    Alistair

  • Visiting the Saxon State Library

    Hi. As far as I know, the manuscript you want has the number 2358-D-15. I have looked through it with my own bare hands. The staff are usually very helpful, but Dr Geck is not famous for answering his e-mails! The best thing you can do is phone and talk to someone who is comfortable with English, and explain the situation. Give them the exact date you are coming at least a few days in advance, so that the ms can be ready for you. They will also prepare a visitor's security card for you to collect at the front desk. Find out the times they open and close, and remember that weekend visits are out. You are only allowed to see about 5 works at a time, and you must do it in their special reading room. No photographs can be taken, but the ones they supply (after ordering) are excellent.


    You will certainly get a buzz out of going there. If you walk out from town, past the main railway station, be sure to take a look at Lukaskirche (St. Luke's Church; a famous venue for recording), which is on a side street not far from the library.

  • Première of the Serenata ZWV177

    Hi, Andrew. Everyone I know who has listened to the Il Diamante recording has nothing but praise for it. I agree with you that it should be an "outstanding recording" on the Discover Zelenka website. If there is anyone who thinks differently, speak now or forever hold your peace... :)

  • Missa Sancti Josephi (ZWV 14) to be recorded

    I must say that it is a pleasure to announce that Ensemble Inégal under Adam Viktora will be recording Missa Sancti Josephi (ZWV 14) next month for the Nibiru label. I believe that they will also record Da pacem Domine (ZWV 167) - from about 1740 - at the same time. As far as I know, both recordings will be world-premières. I guess we can expect the CD to be issued before midsummer!

  • Missa Dei Patris (ZWV 19) in Devon, UK

    For those within reach of the South-West of England, Westbarok under Brian Northcott is going ahead with two performances of Missa Dei Patris this spring in Devon. The dates are 17th and 18th April, 2010. It should appear on their website fairly soon: http://www.westbarok.org.uk


    This is not the first time that Zelenka masses have featured there. Brian Northcott has also recently conducted performances of Missa Dei Filii (ZWV 20) and Missa Omnium Sanctorum (ZWV 21). What enterprise, especially considering that ZWV 21 - Zelenka's "ultimate" mass - is so very poorly known. If you can make it, please support this latest venture.

  • Jan Smolka

    There is another interesting theory about the change of name to Dismas by alexwent in the main forum under the thread "Zelenka's name".

  • Composer of the Week

    The times of the 5 program parts are as follows:


    Monday 18th January - Friday 22nd January on a daily basis:


    12:00-13:00 GMT (13:00-14:00 CET), with a direct repeat at 22:00-23:00 GMT (23:00-24:00 CET).


    GMT = British time; CET = central European time.


    Here is how the main British TV/radio magazine Radio Times describes the last installment (Friday): "Donald Macleod traces Zelenka's final years, when his Dresden employers seemed more interested in hunting parties than musical ambition. And yet the composer managed to produce some of his finest works, including a serenata generously augmented with a bolt-on finale to show off the singing talents of his greatest rival's wife."


    It promises to be an interesting (perhaps even controversial) and up-to-date introduction to Zelenka's life and works, so don't miss it! Remember that you have a second chance to hear it on the same day.

  • Jan Smolka

    "for his ever strong feeling of guilt and submissiveness".


    Hmm. I'm not sure that there is any evidence that he felt guilty or submissive, except that from financial frustration he was forced to ask for more money from his employer. And this was the way everyone wrote such letters to their employers in those days, especially the ones with power.


    Let's face it. We just don't know why he changed his name from Lukas. Perhaps he didn't like the name "Lukas". Or perhaps he particularly liked the name "Dismas" because it was exotic, or perhaps it gave him a religious buzz to have a biblical name (even though the name can't even be found in the bible). People often try to make sweeping conclusions from things like this, and there is absolutely no evidence one way or another.


    As for his sexual orientation, apart from Wolfgang Reich nobody else seems to be particularly interested in this when there is nothing at all explicitly documented.

  • Jan Smolka

    "for his ever strong feeling of guilt and submissiveness".


    Hmm. I'm not sure that there is any evidence that he felt guilty or submissive, except that from financial frustration he was forced to ask for more money from his employer. And this was the way everyone wrote such letters to their employers in those days, especially the ones with power.


    Let's face it. We just don't know why he changed his name from Lukas. Perhaps he didn't like his own name "Lukas", perhaps he liked the name "Dismas" because it was exotic, or perhaps it gave him a religious buzz to have a biblical name (even though it can't even be found in the bible). People often try to make sweeping conclusions from things like this, and there is absolutely no evidence one way or another.

  • Composer of the Week

    As an update for those of you who have so far missed the news, Zelenka will be Composer of the Week on BBC Radio 3, on the week starting 18th January, 2010.


    The station can be listened to live on the web using a plug-in for your browser. The broadcast times, etc. will appear in January at www.bbc.co.uk/radio/ . Choose Radio 3 and follow the link to the Radio 3 home page.


    I have seen the line-up of recordings, and it's a good one. It will be even more interesting to hear what kind of picture they paint of Zelenka.