Florence Ahn - A Survey of Czech Piano Cycles from Romanticism to Modernism (2020)

Tracklist

CD1
01. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 1, Our Evenings
02. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 2, A Blown-Away Leaf
03. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 3, Come with Us
04. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 4, The Madonna of Frydek
05. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 5, They Chattered Like Swallows
06. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 6, Words Fail!
07. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 7, Good Night!
08. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 8, Unutterable Anguish
09. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 9, In Tears
10. On an Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17, Book 1: No. 10, The Barn Owl Has Not Flown Away!
11. Piano Sonata 1.X.1905, JW VIII/17: I. Foreboding
12. Piano Sonata 1.X.1905, JW VIII/17: II. Death
13. In the Mists, JW VIII/22: I. Andante
14. In the Mists, JW VIII/22: II. Molto adagio
15. In the Mists, JW VIII/22: III. Andantino
16. In the Mists, JW VIII/22: IV. Presto

CD2
01. Czech Dances II, JB 1:114 (Excerpts): No. 1, Furiant
02. Czech Dances II, JB 1:114 (Excerpts): No. 2, The Little Hen
03. Czech Dances II, JB 1:114 (Excerpts): No. 3, Oats
04. 8 Humoresques, Op. 101, B. 187: No. 8 in B-Flat Minor
05. Things Lived & Dreamed, Op. 30 (Excerpts): No. 1, With Wit and Irony, Fuming in Places
06. Things Lived & Dreamed, Op. 30 (Excerpts): No. 2, Restlessly and Shyly, Without Strong Emotion
07. Things Lived & Dreamed, Op. 30 (Excerpts): No. 3, Mysteriously and Very Light
08. Things Lived & Dreamed, Op. 30 (Excerpts): No. 4, Contemplatively, Then Increasingly Aggressive
09. Things Lived & Dreamed, Op. 30 (Excerpts): No. 5, On the Recovery of My Son
10. 8 Preludes, H. 181: No. 1, Blues
11. 8 Preludes, H. 181: No. 2, Scherzo
12. 8 Preludes, H. 181: No. 3, Andante
13. 8 Preludes, H. 181: No. 4, Danse
14. 8 Preludes, H. 181: No. 5, Capriccio
15. 8 Preludes, H. 181: No. 6, Largo
16. 8 Preludes, H. 181: No. 7, Etude
17. 8 Preludes, H. 181: No. 8, Fox-Trot
18. 5 Etudes de Jazz: No. 1, Charleston
19. 5 Etudes de Jazz: No. 2, Blues
20. 5 Etudes de Jazz: No. 3, Chanson
21. 5 Etudes de Jazz: No. 4, Tango
22. 5 Etudes de Jazz: No. 5, Toccata sur le Shimmy "Kitten on the Keys"


The piano music of the Bohemian lands from the Romantic era to post World War I has been largely neglected by pianists and is not frequently heard in public performances. However, given an opportunity, one gains insight into the unique sound of the Czech piano repertoire and its contributions to the Western tradition of piano music. Nationalist Czech composers were inspired by the Bohemian landscape, folklore and historical events, and brought their sentiments to life in their symphonies, operas and chamber works, but little is known about the history of Czech piano literature. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the unique sentimentality, sensuality and expression in the piano literature of Czech composers whose style can be traced from the solo piano cycles of Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884), Antonín Dvorák (1841-1904), Leoš Janácek (1854-1928), Josef Suk (1874-1935), Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1935) to Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942). Florence brings these spirited works fully to life.

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