Biblical Songs Op. 99 B 185

Lord My Shield, My Refuge and Hope Art Thou - Andante


  • Recorded: 7th July 1972
  • Record Place: the Czech Radio Studio, Prague
  • First Release: 1988
  • (P) 1988 SUPRAPHON a.s.
  • Genre: Vocal

Artists

  • music by: Antonín Dvořák
  • original lyrics by: Sacred Lyrics
  • tenor: Vilém Přibyl
  • piano: Milan Máša

Album

Vilém Přibyl

Janáček: The Diary of One Who Disappeared - Dvořák: Biblical Songs - Smetana: Evening Songs

Digital services

Catalogue Number: SU 4269-2
Published: 30th August 2019
Genre: Vocal
Format: 1 CD
Leoš Janáček (1854-1928) - The Diary of One Who Disappeared (1917-1919) for tenor, contralto, three female voices and piano on poetry by Ozef Kalda. Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) - Biblical Songs, Op. 99 (B. 185, 1894). Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) - Evening Songs (1879) on lyrics by Vítězslav Hálek

Vilém Přibyl - tenor

Libuše Márová - mezzo-soprano, members of the Kühn Choir of Prague, choir master: Pavel Kühn, Milan Máša, Josef Páleníček - piano

The reissue of the recordings made in 1978 and 1988 pays tribute to the unforgettable Czech tenor Vilém Přibyl's superb performance of three extraordinary Czech song cycles. The artist dazzled several generations of music-lovers in Bedřich Smetana's and Leoš Janáček's operas. His professional career was mainly connected with Brno, where he lived and worked for three decades. Moreover, Přibyl performed as a guest at the National Theatre in Prague, and he also impressed audiences in Edinburgh, London (Royal Opera House), as well as in France, Italy and the USA.
The three song cycles are deemed to be the best works in the genre created by Smetana, Dvořák and Janáček. They are fundamentally different in terms of inspiration. While in his short cycle Evening Songs Smetana sumps up his lifelong endeavours and experiences, Dvořák's Biblical Songs represent the composer's intimate prayer and thanksgiving. In The Diary of One Who Disappeared, Janáček' depicts the story of a village boy who madly falls in love with a beautiful gypsy girl.
The benchmark historical albums are as enchanting today as they were decades ago.

An engrossing recording of three Czech mature song cycles, as performed by Vilém Přibyl.

Reviews

“Přibyl’s voice is superbly secure and characterful – and often very beautiful in its distinctive colour… No Janáček fan will want to be without this in their collection, and the excellent couplings only heighten the appeal: a wonderfully noble account of Dvořák’s Biblical Songs and a touching performance of Smetana’s Five Evening Songs, a collection notably badly served in the catalogue. A very welcome reissue.”
Gramophone, November 2019

“In the years since it was issued on LP a number of recordings have sought to scale the heights of the Janáček songs in particular but none has threatened Přibyl’s authority and Josef Páleníček’s piano contribution served only to reinforce the clarion and declamatory qualities generated in this performance… These outstanding performances have withstood time’s scrutiny with the greatest authority.”
MusicWeb International, November 2019

“Le présent disque est conçu comme une sorte d’hommage à ce grand artiste, dont on est aussitôt saisi par la fermeté d’une voix pleine de solidité virile et par la facilité avec laquelle celle-ci savait s’élancer dans l’aigu.”
Forumopera.com, September 2019

“The performances are strong and vivid. His voice is clear and expressive… these Supraphon recordings are of high quality.”
American Record Guide, January/Febru­ary 2020

“Vilém Přibyl and Libuše Márová’s singing of The Diary of One Who Disappeared make this a disc to treasure.”
Fanfare, March/April 2020

Bedřich Smetana
Evening Songs
1. Who’s Master of the Golden Strings 01:38
2. Don’t Throw Against the Prophets Stones 01:43
3. I Fancied Once 01:39
4. Hey, What a Joyful Pleasure 00:53
5. Out of My Songs I Build for Thee 01:56
Antonín Dvořák
Biblical Songs Op. 99 B 185
6. Darkness and Thunderclouds Are Round About Him - Andantino 02:33
7. Lord My Shield, My Refuge and Hope Art Thou - Andante 02:01
8. Hear, Oh Hear My Prayer, Lord My God - Andante 03:31
9. Oh, My Shepherd Is the Lord - Andante 02:45
10. Songs of Gladness Will I Sing Thee - Risoluto maestoso 03:15
11. Hear, Oh Lord, My Bitter Cry. Andante 03:27
12. By the Shore of the River Babylon. Andante 03:15
13. Oh, Lord, Have Mercy and Turn Thou Thy Face to Me. Andante 03:23
14. My Eyes Will I to the Hills Lift Up. Andante con moto 02:18
15. Oh, Sing unto the Lord a Joyful Song. Allegro moderato 02:24
Leoš Janáček
The Diary of One Who Disappeared
16. I Have Seen a Young Gipsy Girl. Andante 01:09
17. This Dark-Eyed Young Gipsy. Con moto 01:05
18. Along the Lakeside the Air Is Soft with Glow-Worms. Andante 01:36
19. Twittering in Their Nests. Andante /att./ 00:48
20. Ploughing Now Is Painful. Adagio 00:45
21. Whoa, There, You Grey Oxen. Allegro 01:42
22. Now Has a Peg Fallen. Con moto 00:48
23. Do Not Gaze, Oxen. Andante 01:04
24. Welcome, Janíček, Welcome to the Forest! 02:38
25. God Above U, Lord Immortal. Un poco piu mosso 04:17
26. Scent of Millet Blooming. Con moto 02:44
27. Darkness ‘neath the Trees, Coolness by the Spring /att./ 00:49
28. Piano Solo. Andante 02:42
29. The Sun Is Rising! Adagio 00:58
30. My Grey Oxen. Allegro 00:54
31. What I Have Done, Alas! Adagio 01:02
32. When Fate Has Been Decreed. Recitativo /att./ 01:39
33. One Thought Have I the Whole Day 01:10
34. Magpie Flying Over. Andante 01:13
35. I’ve a fair lassie. Con moto 00:47
36. Father, oh, Father dear. Meno mosso 01:04
37. I Must Leave This Spot Where. Andante 01:51

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