Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
Martinů: The Symphonies / Meister, VRSO
Capriccio

Martinů: The Symphonies / Meister, VRSO

$29.99

Details

Composer
MARTINU, BOHUSLAV
Artist
Meister
Format
CD
Label
Capriccio
Released
Oct 06, 2017
Catalog #
C5320
UPC
845221053202

About

Bohuslav Martinů has suffered the fate of not enjoying the same popularity and wide appeal like Bedrich Smetana, Antonín Dvorák und Leoš Janácek on the podium. This often goes so far that his singular skill is referred to, but that the wealth of his oeuvre in all the salient genres is hardly familiar. For decades, Martinu had shied away from composing a symphony. The first one was finally to be written in the USA in 1942, followed by another one every year until 1946 (the sixth was only added to the work catalogue in 1953). For this reason, there is sometimes talk of the ‘American’ symphonies. The symphonies do mirror the events of the time, but at the same time long passages must be regarded as absolute music. Cornelius Meister is regarded as one of the finest young conductors of our day and age, and here he fantastically interprets these six symphonies with transparency, emotion, and aplomb.

REVIEWS:

It is always good to discover new recordings of Martinů’s symphonies, a sequence all the more remarkable for the short period, in which the first five symphonies were composed. Cornelius Meister, with the ORF Orchestra, provides us with a distinctive vision of Martinů’s symphonies. These performances sit very much in the Austro-German traditions of interpretation. Some moments are almost Brahmsian, phrasing is weighty, structure is emphasized.

Cornelius Meister is one of the most interesting of the younger conductors around. He has a superb rapport with his orchestra, whose playing is very fine throughout.

-- MusicWeb International

The appearance of this complete set of six symphonies on three CDs, recorded live in Vienna from 2011 to 2017, serves to reinforce the essential importance of Martinů as a 20th century orchestral composer. Although it doesn’t supplant the splendid Belohlávek Onyx set, it's nonetheless a very fine cycle. The sound is clear and lifelike, with most of the advantages of live recording, a sense of occasion and excitement and a more organic and natural arc to the performance, without too many of the disadvantages. The audience is mainly well-behaved and the applause is edited out.

-- Music for Several Instruments

Tracklist 21 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Moderato 10:24
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Moderato
    Duration
    10:24
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  3. 2 II. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio: Poco moderato 07:22
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio: Poco moderato
    Duration
    07:22
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  4. 3 III. Largo 08:24
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Largo
    Duration
    08:24
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  5. 4 IV. Allegro non troppo 09:27
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    09:27
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  6. 5 I. Allegro moderato 06:54
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    06:54
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  7. 6 II. Andante moderato 06:30
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Andante moderato
    Duration
    06:30
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  8. 7 III. Poco allegro 04:28
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Poco allegro
    Duration
    04:28
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  9. 8 IV. Allegro 04:57
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Allegro
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  10. Disc 2
  11. 1 I. Allegro poco moderato 10:15
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro poco moderato
    Duration
    10:15
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  12. 2 II. Largo 09:35
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Largo
    Duration
    09:35
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  13. 3 III. Allegro - Andante 09:26
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro - Andante
    Duration
    09:26
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  14. 4 I. Poco moderato 07:18
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Poco moderato
    Duration
    07:18
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  15. 5 II. Allegro vivo - Trio: Moderato - Allegro vivo 09:30
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Allegro vivo - Trio: Moderato - Allegro vivo
    Duration
    09:30
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  16. 6 III. Largo 10:49
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Largo
    Duration
    10:49
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  17. 7 IV. Poco allegro 07:15
    Track
    7
    Title
    IV. Poco allegro
    Duration
    07:15
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  18. Disc 3
  19. 1 I. Adagio - Allegro 08:28
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Adagio - Allegro
    Duration
    08:28
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  20. 2 II. Larghetto 09:16
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Larghetto
    Duration
    09:16
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  21. 3 III. Lento - Allegro 11:51
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Lento - Allegro
    Duration
    11:51
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  22. 4 I. Lento - Allegro 09:32
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Lento - Allegro
    Duration
    09:32
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  23. 5 II. Poco Allegro 08:20
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Poco Allegro
    Duration
    08:20
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister
  24. 6 III. Lento 11:29
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Lento
    Duration
    11:29
    Composer
    Bohuslav Martinů
    Ensemble
    Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
    Conductor
    Cornelius Meister