Glagolitic Mass for Chorus, Soloists, Orchestra and Organ after an Old Slavonic Text

Agneče Božij / Agnus Dei


  • Recorded: 3rd September 2013
  • Record Place: The Dvořák Hall of Rudolfinum, Prague
  • First Release: 2014
  • (P) 2014 SUPRAPHON a.s.
  • Genre: Chamber Music

Artists

  • music by: Leoš Janáček
  • original lyrics by: Sacred Lyrics
  • soprano: Andrea Danková
  • contralto: Jana Sýkorová
  • tenor: Tomáš Juhás
  • bass: Jozef Benci
  • chorus master: Lukáš Vasilek
  • conductor: Tomáš Netopil
  • musical group: Prague Philharmonic Choir
  • musical group: Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra

Album

Prague Philharmonic Choir, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Tomáš Netopil

Janáček: Glagolitic Mass, The Eternal Gospel

Catalogue Number: SU 4150-2
Published: 19th September 2014
Genre: Vocal
Format: 1 CD
This album has received following awards:
  • Gramophone Editor´s Choice (2014)
  • Recording of the Month, MusicWeb International (2014)
  • Sinfini Music Album of the Week (2014)
Leoš Janáček - Glagolitic Mass (the "September 1927" version - world premiere recording), The Eternal Gospel (1914) - Legend for soloists, mixed choir and orchestra, based on Jaroslav Vrchlický's poem

Glagolitic Mass: Andrea Danková - soprano, Jana Sýkorová - alto, Tomáš Juhás - tenor, Jozef Benci - bass. The Eternal Gospel: Pavel Černoch - tenor, Alžběta Poláčková - soprano.
Prague Philharmonic Choir, chorus master: Lukáš Vasilek, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Tomáš Netopil

In the wake of the highly acclaimed recording of Janáček's symphonic works (Sinfonietta, Taras Bulba, etc., SU 4131; Orchestral Choice, Gramophone, August 2013), Tomáš Netopil and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra have focused on the composer's vocal- instrumental pieces. The Glagolitic Mass is a generally known work, yet not in the composer's original "September 1927" version, as it was performed at the premiere in Brno, which has been recorded for the very first time for this CD. It is fascinating to observe how many distinct traits of Janáček's expressive musical language have vanished from the work as a result of its later modifications. The Eternal Gospel, on the other hand, is a piece virtually unknown worldwide (the only previous Supraphon recording was made almost fifty years ago). Janáček was inspired by, and created the libretto on the basis of, Jaroslav Vrchlický's poem about the medieval monk Joachim de Fiore, to whom an angel appeared, bringing tidings of the arrival of a realm of love. Janáček worked on the piece concurrently with the opera The Excursion of Mr. Brouček to the Moon and completed it in the spring of 1914, a few months prior to the outbreak of World War I. Netopil's new recording may facilitate bringing the remarkable work back to concert stages.

A premiere recording of the Glagolitic Mass's original version.

Reviews

“Netopil's per­formance seethes with nervous energy, his soloists are dedicated, and so are his chorus and orchestra…The Eternal Gospel hasn't been recorded in aeons…Again, the performance is excellent.“
Gramophone, October 2014

“Raw and thrilling, this is Janácek’s Gla­golitic Mass in its never-before-recorded original 1927 version, later toned down by the composer for practical rather than aesthetic reasons. It’s performed with suitably full-throated vigour by Czech forces under Tomas Netopil.“
The Times, 4th October 2014

“Elements of drama and complex discourse that had to be toned down in the interests of performers also assert themselves with a special impact here, with chorus and soloists fearless and forthright in expression and the orchestra dynamic and propulsive. The Eternal Gospel of 1914 makes for a radiant coupling.“
The Daily Telegraph, 4th November 2014

“It’s rawer, more stringent, and more confrontational than what we are used to hearing now, and even more difficult to perform; many of the revisions that Janáček made were to reduce the demands on the singers and players, and he took away some of the piece’s wildness in the process. The performance is a nicely detailed one, with adequate rather than outstanding soloists.“
The Guardian, 5th November 2014

“Netopil directs an excellent performance which, appropriately enough, reflects the operatic world of The Cunning Little Vixen and the Excursions of Mr Broucek…[the Credo] is beautifully shaped and genuinely thrilling. If not entirely perfect, this reading, along with a fine performance of The Eternal Gospel is well worth investigating.“
BBC Music Magazine, January 2015

Leoš Janáček
Glagolitic Mass for Chorus, Soloists, Orchestra and Organ after an Old Slavonic Text
1. Introduction / Introitus 02:20
2. Gospodi pomiluj / Kyrie eleison 03:39
3. Slava / Gloria 06:10
4. Věruju / Credo 11:18
5. Svet / Sanctus 05:44
6. Agneče Božij / Agnus Dei 04:58
7. Postludium 02:47
8. Intrada 01:56
Leoš Janáček
The Eternal Gospel. Legend for Soloists, Mixed Choir and Orchestra after the poem by Jaroslav Vrchlický
9. Nuž stane se, co v zjevení je psáno. Con moto 03:21
10. Kdo vidí anděla, jak letí mračny. Adagio 05:40
11. Ó, slyšte, jejichž srdce mdlé a zvadlé. Con moto 07:07
12. To všecko děl mi anděl v noci tmavé. Andante 03:15

Linked video