Jindich Feld String Quartet No. 4, Clarinet Quintet, Two Pieces for Cello, Viola Concerto Prazak Quartet, Jan Mach, Michal Kanka, Jaromir Klepac, Raphaël Oleg, Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, Prague, Vladimir Valek

• Jindrich Feld (1925 - 2007): String Quartet No. 4, J. 61:
• 1 Feld: String Quartet No. 4, J. 61: I. Adagio 06:38
• 2 Feld: String Quartet No. 4, J. 61: II. Allegro 02:56
• 3 Feld: String Quartet No. 4, J. 61: III. Scherzo. Allegro molto 02:33
• 4 Feld: String Quartet No. 4, J. 61: IV. Adagio 05:33
• Clarinet Quintet, J. 194:
• 5 Feld: Clarinet Quintet, J. 194: I. Allegro moderato 05:16
• 6 Feld: Clarinet Quintet, J. 194: II. Grave 05:32
• 7 Feld: Clarinet Quintet, J. 194: III. Lento - Allegro agile - Lento - Allegro agile 07:38
• Two Compositions for Cello and Piano, J. 22:
• 8 Feld: Two Compositions for Cello and Piano, J. 22: I. Elegie. Lento 04:40
• 9 Feld: Two Compositions for Cello and Piano, J. 22: II. Burleska 03:16
• Concerto for Alto and Full Orchestra, J. 208:
• 10 Feld: Concerto for Alto and Full Orchestra, J. 208: I. Lento ma non troppo 08:11
• 11 Feld: Concerto for Alto and Full Orchestra, J. 208: II. Allegro con spirito 10:11
• 12 Feld: Concerto for Alto and Full Orchestra, J. 208: III. Lento ma non troppo - Allegro vivo 10:01
• Total Runtime 01:12:25

Info for Jindich Feld String Quartet No. 4, Clarinet Quintet, Two Pieces for Cello, Viola Concerto

Anthology dedicated to one of the great contemporary Czech composer, Jindřich Feld, successor and spiritual heir to Martinů through his non-conformism and his francophilia, humanistic having built a language „out of time“, on the basis of Stravinsky, Bartók and then Berg without erasing his atavistic Slavonic expressionism. He dedicated one of his last major works to the viola, the instrument of its youth, of which Feld knows the song and the nostalgic splendor. The viola main song is supported by a spacious and well worked orchestration.

"It was at the instigation of the celebrated French engineer, musicologist and music critic Pierre-Emile Barbier that Feld composed a concerto for his own instrument, the viola (2003–4). The result, recorded live in Dijon’s Franck auditorium, indulges the viola’s autumnal expressive voice in the outer movements while also ensuring, à la Walton, that the central Allegro provides plenty of opportunity for virtuoso agility. Raphaël Oleg gives a masterly account of the high-octane solo part and is supported to the hilt by the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra and Vladimír Válek. Michal Kanka’s haunting interpretations of the two cello pieces (1954–5) round out a highly diverting programme." (thestrad.com)

Pražák Quartet
Jan Mach, clarinet
Raphael Oleg, viola
Michal Kanka, cello
Jaromir Klepac, piano
Sinfonisches Orchester des Prager Rundfunks
Vladimír Válek, conductor

Digitally remastered

The Pražák Quartet
one of today’s leading international chamber music ensembles - was established in 1972 while its members were students at the Prague Conservatory, and won major chamber music prizes early on, including first prize at the prestigious Evian String Quartet Competition, along with a special recording prize from Radio France. Since then, the quartet has gained attention for its place in the unique Czech quartet tradition, and for its musical virtuosity.

For more than 30 years, the Prazak Quartet has been at home on music stages worldwide. They are regular guests in the major European musical capitals such as Prague, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan, Madrid, London, Berlin, and Munich, and have been invited to participate at numerous international festivals, where they have collaborated with such artists as Menahem Pressler, Jon Nakamatsu, Cynthia Phelps, Roberto Diaz, Josef Suk, and Sharon Kam.

The quartet has toured widely in North America, having performed in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Washington, Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal and many others. The quartet returns to the US and Canada every other year.

The Prazak Quartet has recorded extensively for Praga/Harmonia Mundi which, to date, has released 50 award-winning CDs. In addition to numerous radio recordings in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, the Prazak Quartet has also made recordings for Supraphon, Panton, Orfeo, Ottavo, Bonton, and Nuova Era.

As of 2020, violinist Marie Fuxová and cellist Jonáš Krejčí joined the quartet. The new members bring their extensive string quartet and chamber music experience, having played with the Pavel Haas, Škampa, Petersen and Schulhoff quartets as well as in many chamber orchestras and ensembles. They bring their experience and energy into the group while remaining faithful to the Czech quartet tradition, character and quality which are the longtime hallmarks of the Pražák Quartet. A new CD with the last string quartets of Josef Haydn will be released on the Aparté/Praga label in August 2021.

Booklet for Jindich Feld String Quartet No. 4, Clarinet Quintet, Two Pieces for Cello, Viola Concerto