Janacek and Smetana and Dvorak. (or my classical/Romantic heroes, all from the Czech Republic)

Just Bedrich Smetana sitting in the snow, next to the Vltava

No, I haven’t forgotten about Prague, nor my project in writing about Prague and the Czech Republic; photos from the trip still cycle on my computer desktop.

Whilst I am not a fan of classical music – I can unabashedly say I cannot distinguish between Beethoven and Mozart, and I do not care about Bach – for some reason I love Czech classical music. Especially music from the Romantic period, and especially music by Leos Janacek; they just seem to hit the right spot.

On our first trip ever to Montreal, we randomly walked into a music hall at McGill and listened to free concerts held by MISQA. With little education and exposure to classical concerts, I am in no place to judge the music, though it was an interesting experience, and perhaps slightly pretentious of me. However, one of the pieces made a heavy impression of me, and I had to look it up after.

It was Janacek’s String Quartet No. 1, “Kreutzer.”

Since that experience, I have listened to several interpretations of said piece; and I enjoy the recording by Alban Berg Quartet the most. Their technique is masterful – well, all of the recordings I listened to were masterful – but the tensions and subsequent releases make the music breathless and amazing.

Other than listening to Janacek’s String Quartet No. 1, together with the No.2 that is usually thrown in the same CDs, I rarely listen to other classical music. (Maybe Grieg’s Concerto in A minor sometimes, but I am particular to pieces and don’t listen comprehensively.)

Until I was introduced to Smetana’s Vltava (aka Die Moldau). My first impression of this music is through Terrence Malick’s Tree of Life, where the majestic music is set against petri dishes of cinematography, representing the infinite universe. I did not give it the music much thought either, until I heard it again from my friend and listened more closely.

As cliché as it sounds, I listened to the Vltava and Janacek’s quartets as I did my research for the Czech trip; and I did have Vltava in my head when I crossed it on the Airport Express bus.

I guess there I couldn’t really describe Czech classical music without mentioning Antonin Dvorak. After all, he is the guy with the statue standing in front of the Rudolfinum – home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra – and the first concert at this site was conducted by none other than Dvorak himself.

Again, I did not really care about Dvorak’s music. I have heard his music on the radio and in other media, but it made little impression. Unlike Janacek’s first quartet, it was not some music that I felt a burning need to look up. Well, at least until I heard the live performance of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 in the Dvorak Hall at the Rudolfinum.

I intended to write, as a tourist, about classical concerts in the Czech Republic. But that will have to wait until another post.

Antonin Dvorak facing the Rudolfinum. (source: Wikipedia)

 

On departing from YYZ. Again.

Not a “Please Pay Again!”

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Yes, Shakespeare is still valid to this day, especially considering how I won my first “Rrroll up the rim” in three years, only for it to be the last cup of coffee in my short stay.

And I won a free donut, which in other times would entice me in getting a Canadian Maple. Needless to say, such a prize is not found in the People’s Republic of China.

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My wits and energy withstanding, I will write a series of articles about travelling in the Czech Republic. It was an amazing experience and there are lots of observations worth transcribing.