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Janáček: The Diary of One Who Disappeared / Breslik, Pechanec
Orfeo

Janáček: The Diary of One Who Disappeared / Breslik, Pechanec

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Details

Composer
JANACEK, LEOS
Artist
Breslik, Pechanec, Hanko, Marczelova, Kovacs, Pavlu
Format
CD
Label
Orfeo
Released
Feb 21, 2020
Catalog #
ORF-C989201
UPC
4011790989129

About

Leoš Janácek composed the song cycle The Diary Of One Who Disappeared at a time when many people already considered him on a par with the other two masters of Czech national music, Smetana and Dvorák. The inspiration for the autobiographical ‘Diary’ came from a few enigmatic lines of poetry in two editions of the “Lidove noviny” (People’s Newspaper) of May 1916. Although this work is Janácek’s most important original song cycle, his keen interest in the folk songs and dances of his Moravian homeland resulted in a plethora of arrangements, making this music also accessible to the classical concert hall. These include the Six Folk Songs Eva Gabel Sang (Šest národních písní jež zpívala Gabel Eva) and the Songs from Detva (Písne detvanské). Quite unlike the songs of the ‘Diary’, which chiefly make reference to the Moravian dialect, the arrangements evince the typically ethnic-sounding music Janácek refined, so to speak, by adding to adaptations of the existing song lines a sophisticated piano part in the tradition of the great song compositions of the 19th century.

REVIEW:

The Diary of One Who Disappeared, written in 1921, is one of Janáček’s finest yet strangest song cycles. It is not, as the title would suggest, about secret police or undercover spies, but about a young man who falls in love with a dark gypsy woman who lives in the woods, has an affair with her that produces a child, and eventually runs away from home to go and live with her. Because of this, it is not sung just the tenor but also by a mezzo or contralto who does the part of the gypsy woman Zelka. Moreover, there is also a small chorus of three female voices who also sing in two of the songs. This, I think, must be the only reason why it is seldom performed, because the music is simply wonderful.

Young tenor Pavol Breslik has a very fine voice marred only by a prominent vibrato, albeit a steady and well-controlled one. He sings with energy and tosses out a few excellent high notes near the end of the cycle. Mezzo-soprano Ester Pavlu is also an excellent singer; she, too has a vibrato, but a more regular and contained one, and her vocal timbre puts you in mind of a gypsy singer. The three ladies who perform in the chorus all have pure, lovely voices, and pianist Robert Pechanec is also very fine.

This is an excellent representation of wonderful music.

-- The Art Music Lounge (Lynn René Bayley)

Tracklist 36 tracks

  1. 1 Potkal jsem mladou cigánku (I met a young gypsy girl) 01:08
    Track
    1
    Title
    Potkal jsem mladou cigánku (I met a young gypsy girl)
    Duration
    01:08
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  2. 2 Ta černá cigánka (That black gypsy girl) 01:07
    Track
    2
    Title
    Ta černá cigánka (That black gypsy girl)
    Duration
    01:07
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  3. 3 Svatojanské musky (Fireflies) 01:34
    Track
    3
    Title
    Svatojanské musky (Fireflies)
    Duration
    01:34
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  4. 4 Už mladé vlaštúvky (Already young swallows) 00:44
    Track
    4
    Title
    Už mladé vlaštúvky (Already young swallows)
    Duration
    00:44
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  5. 5 Těžko sa mi oře (Heavy are my steeds) 00:35
    Track
    5
    Title
    Těžko sa mi oře (Heavy are my steeds)
    Duration
    00:35
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  6. 6 Hajsi, vy siví volci (Hay, you light-colored oxen) 01:30
    Track
    6
    Title
    Hajsi, vy siví volci (Hay, you light-colored oxen)
    Duration
    01:30
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  7. 7 Ztratil isem kolíček (I lost a peg) 00:43
    Track
    7
    Title
    Ztratil isem kolíček (I lost a peg)
    Duration
    00:43
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  8. 8 Nehled'te, volečci, tesklivo k úvratím (Don’t look so sadly after me) 00:59
    Track
    8
    Title
    Nehled'te, volečci, tesklivo k úvratím (Don’t look so sadly after me)
    Duration
    00:59
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  9. 9 Vítaj, Janíčku (Welcome, Janicek) 02:33
    Track
    9
    Title
    Vítaj, Janíčku (Welcome, Janicek)
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Ester Pavlů, Pavol Breslik, Dominika Hanko, Zuzana Marczelová, Mária Kovács, Robert Pechanec
  10. 10 Bože dálný, nesmrtelný (God in heaven, eternal one) 03:58
    Track
    10
    Title
    Bože dálný, nesmrtelný (God in heaven, eternal one)
    Duration
    03:58
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Ester Pavlů, Dominika Hanko, Zuzana Marczelová, Mária Kovács, Robert Pechanec
  11. 11 Tahne vůňa k lesu (A fragrance extends to the forest) 02:35
    Track
    11
    Title
    Tahne vůňa k lesu (A fragrance extends to the forest)
    Duration
    02:35
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Ester Pavlů, Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  12. 12 Tmavá olšinka, chladná studénka (The shady elder-grove) 00:52
    Track
    12
    Title
    Tmavá olšinka, chladná studénka (The shady elder-grove)
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  13. 13 Intermezzo: Piano solo 02:24
    Track
    13
    Title
    Intermezzo: Piano solo
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Robert Pechanec
  14. 14 Slnéčko sa zdvihá (The dear sun rises) 00:52
    Track
    14
    Title
    Slnéčko sa zdvihá (The dear sun rises)
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  15. 15 Moji siví volci (My gray oxen) 00:45
    Track
    15
    Title
    Moji siví volci (My gray oxen)
    Duration
    00:45
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  16. 16 Co sem to udělal? (What have I done?) 01:07
    Track
    16
    Title
    Co sem to udělal? (What have I done?)
    Duration
    01:07
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  17. 17 Co komu súzeno (What has been ordained) 01:32
    Track
    17
    Title
    Co komu súzeno (What has been ordained)
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  18. 18 Nedbám já včil o nic (Nothing matters to me) 01:01
    Track
    18
    Title
    Nedbám já včil o nic (Nothing matters to me)
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  19. 19 Letí straka, letí (The magpie flies away) 01:20
    Track
    19
    Title
    Letí straka, letí (The magpie flies away)
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  20. 20 Mám já panenku (I have a true love) 00:49
    Track
    20
    Title
    Mám já panenku (I have a true love)
    Duration
    00:49
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  21. 21 Můj drahý tatíčku (My dear father) 01:01
    Track
    21
    Title
    Můj drahý tatíčku (My dear father)
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  22. 22 Sbohem, rodný kraju (Farewell, my own country) 01:45
    Track
    22
    Title
    Sbohem, rodný kraju (Farewell, my own country)
    Duration
    01:45
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  23. 23 No. 1. Něumrem ja na zemi (I won't die on the ground) 00:54
    Track
    23
    Title
    No. 1. Něumrem ja na zemi (I won't die on the ground)
    Duration
    00:54
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  24. 24 No. 2. Šiel som cez mesto (I walked through the town) 01:28
    Track
    24
    Title
    No. 2. Šiel som cez mesto (I walked through the town)
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  25. 25 No. 3. Štyri kosy (Four scythes) 00:46
    Track
    25
    Title
    No. 3. Štyri kosy (Four scythes)
    Duration
    00:46
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  26. 26 No. 4. Na Slatinských lúkach (In the meadows of Slatina) 01:06
    Track
    26
    Title
    No. 4. Na Slatinských lúkach (In the meadows of Slatina)
    Duration
    01:06
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  27. 27 No. 5. Široko ďaleko (Far and wide the bird flew) 00:55
    Track
    27
    Title
    No. 5. Široko ďaleko (Far and wide the bird flew)
    Duration
    00:55
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  28. 28 No. 6. Už tebe, Anička (For you, Anička) 02:07
    Track
    28
    Title
    No. 6. Už tebe, Anička (For you, Anička)
    Duration
    02:07
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  29. 29 No. 1. Ej nebudu já dobrý (I won't be good) 01:42
    Track
    29
    Title
    No. 1. Ej nebudu já dobrý (I won't be good)
    Duration
    01:42
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  30. 30 No. 2. Ej, sedeu sem ja sedeu (I sat, I sat) 00:58
    Track
    30
    Title
    No. 2. Ej, sedeu sem ja sedeu (I sat, I sat)
    Duration
    00:58
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  31. 31 No. 3. Ej šetko luďia vravia (Everybody says all sorts of things) 00:53
    Track
    31
    Title
    No. 3. Ej šetko luďia vravia (Everybody says all sorts of things)
    Duration
    00:53
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  32. 32 No. 4. Pod javorkom, pod zeleným (Under the green maple tree) 01:25
    Track
    32
    Title
    No. 4. Pod javorkom, pod zeleným (Under the green maple tree)
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  33. 33 No. 5. Ide Kračuň, ide (Christmas is coming) 01:30
    Track
    33
    Title
    No. 5. Ide Kračuň, ide (Christmas is coming)
    Duration
    01:30
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  34. 34 No. 6. Byľa jedna sirá vdova (There was a forlorn widow) 03:04
    Track
    34
    Title
    No. 6. Byľa jedna sirá vdova (There was a forlorn widow)
    Duration
    03:04
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  35. 35 No. 7. Na horách, na doľách (In the mountains, in the valleys) 02:39
    Track
    35
    Title
    No. 7. Na horách, na doľách (In the mountains, in the valleys)
    Duration
    02:39
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec
  36. 36 No. 8. Šla milá na zdávání (My darling was going to her wedding) 02:32
    Track
    36
    Title
    No. 8. Šla milá na zdávání (My darling was going to her wedding)
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Performer
    Pavol Breslik, Robert Pechanec