Novák J. (1921-1984) Concentus biiugis, Concentus Eurydicae, Rustica Musa / Opera Diversa

1. Jan Novák (1921–1984) - Concentus biiugis pro klavír čtyřručně a smyčcový orchestr (1977)

2. Jan Novák - Concentus Eurydicae, sette tempi per chitarra ed orchestra d’archi (1971)

3. Jan Novák - Rustica Musa II, 8 divertimenti su canzoni popolari morave, per pianoforte a 4 mani (1975)

Lucie Schinzelová piano (1), Kristýna Znamenáčková piano (1,3), Pavla Marková piano (3), Vít Dvoráček guitar (2)

Opera Diversa, Gabriela Tardonová conductor / dirigentka

CD Jan Novák vol. 3 obsahuje poslední z dosud nenatočených kompozic Jana Nováka pro smyčcový orchestr, v tomto případě koncerty pro kytaru a klavír čtyřručně. Concentus Eurydicae pro kytaru a smyčce uvedl Ensemble Opera Diversa poprvé v roce 2017 se sólistou Rubénem Parejo a dirigentem Robertem Ferrerem v Brně i ve španělské Valencii. Energický Concentus biiugis pro čtyřruční klavír a smyčce pak soubor uvedl poprvé v roce 2019, účinkovaly Kristýna Znamenáčková a Lucie Pokorná (Schinzlová) pod taktovkou Gabriely Tardonové. Studiový snímek ve stejném obsazení vznikl jen krátce po koncertním provedení. Album doplňuje rozverný cyklus variací na moravské lidové písně Rustica Musa II v podání Kristýny Znamenáčkové a Pavly Markové, dostupný dosud jen z nahrávek zahraničních interpretů.

JAN NOVÁK (1921, Nová Říše, Czechoslovakia – 1984, Neu Ulm, West Germany) belongs to the leading figures of the post-WWII generation of Czech composers who formed modern music of the late 20th century. His style merges several influences: Stravinsky’s Neoclassical style as mediated by Pavel Bořkovec (1894–1972) and especially by Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959), with whom Novák studied in New York in 1947–1948; then contemporary popular music (jazz, swing); traditional Moravian folk music and more generally the Christian tradition of Nová Říše, where he grew up. Novák was renowned for his passion for Latin: he not only spoke Latin fluently but also wrote poems and translated into it. His vocal compositions work almost exclusively with Latin texts, with the exception of his early works in which he uses Russian, probably under the influence of the Jesuit grammar school he went to in Velehrad, which had strong Slavic leanings. Some of Novák’s instrumental works take inspiration in classical prosodic metres. Novák was a versatile composer, writing vocal and instrumental music as well as incidental music for theatre and film – such as the seventeen scores for the films of Karel Kachyňa, Karel Zeman, Jiří Brdečka, Jiří Trnka or Vojtěch Jasný. Novák’s most significant works are his ballets Svatební košile (The Wedding Shirt, 1954) and Aesopia (1981), the cantata Dido (1967), composed for the opening of the Classical Grammar School in Brno, the cantata Ignis pro Ioanne Palach (1969) or his opera Dulcitius (1974) on the medieval texts of Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim. Of great vitality are also his symphonies and string quartets. Due to his ongoing conflicts with the Communist regime, Novák decided to emigrate to Denmark in 1968, later moving to Italy and eventually to Germany, where he died. Only in 2010 were his remains ceremoniously transferred to the Central Cemetery of Brno.