“What next for Martinů fanciers? This, perhaps: the best of a clutch of releases exploring the music of his student, Jan Novák… Only you won’t hear more authentic performances than these, with one or other of the composer’s daughters involved in every rendition… Tomáš Netopil secures a tighter, fuller response from the strings of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.”
Gramophone, December 2023
“Predominantly pastoral in mood, the Choreae vernales has its edgier moments and Clara provides both amplitude of tone and beguiling virtuosity in its charming middle movement. In the spikier outer movements of the piano concertos Dora and her fellow pianist Karel Košárek’s tight sense of ensemble generates exhilarating impetus while reserving more full-throated emotion for the beguilingly romantic slow movements. The recorded sound manages to capture the way Novák embeds the solo piano sound in the orchestral texture; Tomáš Netopil and the Prague Radio Symphony are on splendid form supplying attentive and idiomatic accompaniment.”
BBC Music Magazine, Christmas issue 2023
“…the Prague Radio Symphony under Tomáš Netopil offer an altogether superior accompaniment with spatial separation of the two players audible… The charm and elegance of the writing is perfectly calibrated for Clare, for whom it was written, though moments of Bacchic vehemence allow her more athletic opportunities… This is a more-than-satisfactory release, finely recorded – well-balanced too – and annotated.”
MusicWeb International, December 2023
“Cet hommage familial, bien épaulé par l’Orchestre symphonique de la Radio de Prague, dirigé avec clarté par Tomáš Netopil, s’inscrit dans la discographie de Jan Novák comme une référence qui coule de source.”
Crescendo, January 2024
Jan Novák
Concentus biiugis for Piano Four-hands and String Orchestra
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1. | Allegro energico | 06:30 | |
2. | Lento | 08:27 | |
3. | Allegro | 08:47 | |
Jan Novák
Choreae vernales for Flute, String Orchestra and Harp with Celesta
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4. | Con liberta. Allegretto | 06:11 | |
5. | Andante – Agitato | 05:01 | |
6. | Lento – Allegro | 05:58 | |
Jan Novák
Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra
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7. | Allegro | 12:33 | |
8. | Andante | 07:46 | |
9. | Allegro molto | 10:28 |