Posts by rnkt

  • Psalm 113 - In exitu Israel, ZWV 83


    I now listened again on headphones which were more forgiving than my computer speakers and of course you are right, it is too much of a 21st century period interpretation (!) to be either of the known older recordings (Kühn Mixed Choir 1972 on Panton, Devos 1982 on Erato). I am really looking to get my hands on the Inegal CD when it comes out. Thanks for the tip about that (I also found the other thread on this site about it - should have seen earlier).


    "Officially" atonal or not, Zelenka appears to me to deliberately avoid any obvious hints of tonality in that opening passage of the fugue, perhaps because he chose a subject that does not seem to resolve to anything. The tonal context of that first subject seems to me to become clearer when it is presented in the double fugue that follows in the next section. Maybe I am just being ignorant but cannot figure out why more is not being made of this extraordinary work - I know no other baroque (or classical for that matter) composition like it. Even Bach's F-minor fugue of WTC book I does not come close (there the fugue subject definitely resolves). I cannot wait to play this Zelenka fugue on the piano (or even better a big scary organ!).


    RNKT

  • Psalm 113 - In exitu Israel, ZWV 83

    I wanted to start a thread on ZWV 83 but I discovered there already is one, so I'll keep things tidy and just reopen it!


    I recently discovered this fascinating work through the recording posted at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnJux9TXqN4


    As part of my Zelenka keyboard project I would like to transcribe the Amen fugue, which to my untrained ear, sounds like a rare bit of early 18th century atonality, at least up to the first cadence. I noticed that the autograph in Dresden has not yet been scanned and so also does not appear in IMSLP. Anyone know why this is or if it is imminent? Besides the Bärenreiter edition noted above is there a public domain score available elsewhere?
    djdresden - I would love to hear the Luks performance which you posted here some time ago if you still have it (link is dead).


    Ultimately it would be fantastic if someone would record this piece - it deserve a lot more attention.


    - RNKT

  • Zelenka - Master of Musical Chills

    I can relate to these experiences, but not in climactic or enharmonically shifting music but rather at moments of resolution. To be honest, I can only think of three works which consistently produce a strong response like that described in the article. One is the final bars of "Valiant for Truth" by Vaughan-Williams, a second is during the final phrase of "When David Heard" by Weelkes and the third is in the Amen of "Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice" by Finzi. Obviously the building of tension and subsequent resolution is completely ubiquitous in music (with plenty of good examples in Zelenka's output, my favorite being the Mortuorum-Et Vitam transition in Votiva). So I cannot explain why the three abovementioned instances stand out for me.


    RNKT

  • First in (hopefully) a series of Zelenka keyboard transcriptions

    Quote from Xanaseb

    Here's the MP3 file [the ones Skiaouros synthesised from the score] from the E-download section of that Et Vitam triple fugue. Great to read the music and listen at the same time (though this score version doesn't include the 3 Trombones found in the full mass). A definite wow, is this one: http://jdzelenka.net/Public/ZW…V%202-17%20Et%20vitam.mp3


    Also, that 'Credo della Messa' title page looks stunning!! Zelenka doodling, who'd have thought!


    Thanks guys for introducing me to that. I didn't get down to low ZWV numbers yet :) That fugue is indeed stunning and the choir on the mp3 does a good job to keep up ;) ;). I listened to some of the other MP3s in the ZWV 2 folder and was surprised to hear that the Gloria setting is the same as ZWV 30 (the one I am currently transcribing). However, on IMSLP there is only the credo posted. Also ZWV 2 was supposedly composed in 1714 and ZWV 30 ten years later. So, my question, is ZWV 2 a complete mass of just a credo fragment?


    - RNKT

  • First in (hopefully) a series of Zelenka keyboard transcriptions

    Thanks! My current projects are another Quoniam, this time from ZWV 20 (this will be *really* fun to play - actually sounds rather like beethovenian scarlatti once the strings figurations are converted to something that works on the keyboard ) and the Cum sancto double fugue from ZWV 30, mainly because it is one of my most favourite Zelenka works, though sadly not yet (professionally) recorded. I'll probably return to ZWV 14 at some point to do the quite miraculous Cum sancto fugue as well but I have serious concerns that I won't be able to play it :D.


    -RNKT

  • First in (hopefully) a series of Zelenka keyboard transcriptions

    It is about time that Zelenka's apparent omission to write for the keyboard is rectified. A first attempt has been uploaded to IMSLP here. It is a transcription of the wonderfully quirky almost waltz-like Quoniam from his totally brilliant Missa Sancti Josephi (ZWV 14). Kindly Zelenka included two copies of this number (anyone know why?) so where there was damage (or simply his dreadful handwriting!) in the manuscript there was always a second opinion at hand. I hope someone enjoys playing it!


    -RNKT