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KAPRAL String Quartet in C Minor / KAPRALOVA String Quartet op 8 / MARTINU String Quartet No. 5. Radioservis CRO 618-2.
This disc will particularly interest those intrigued by the links between the three composers. The disc opens with a quartet by Vaclav Kapral, a pupil of Janacek whose influence is apparent in this engaging work. Martinu's 5th Quartet is already well represented in the catalogues but this new recording brings us a fresh interpretation from the admirable Skampa Quartet. Kapralova's own quartet pre-dates her meeting with Martinu. It has been recorded before but this performance presents a more authentic edition of the score, restoring previous cuts. It shows that at the time of its composition in 1936, Kapralova's idiom had evolved beyond the influence of her father and was developing a distinctive and appealing voice of its own.
From a review by Greg Terian for Martinu Revue 8, no. 1 (January-April 2013).

Jewish Music and Poetry Project Premieres. Old First Concerts.
Earlier in the program . . . Tsang-Hall performed Osvaldo Golijov's lovely and romantic Zz's Dream (2008) and Vitezslava Kapralova's spicier Grotesque Passacaglia (1936). The latter cried for the full tones and force of the Steinway.
From a review by Jason Victor Serinus for San Francisco Classical Voice, April 5, 2013.

Kaprál – Kaprálová – Martinu: Smyccové kvartety. Skampovo kvarteto. Radioservis CRO618-2 (2012).
Z poslechu kvarteta Vitezslavy Kapralove bychom jiste nehadali, ze ho zkomponovala ve dvaceti letech a uprostred studií, nebot skladba pusobí vyzrale. Ma na tom bezesporu svuj podil take naprosto presvedciva interpretace protagonistu CD, kterymi jsou Helena Jirikovska – prim, Daniela Souckova – sekund, Radim Sedmidubsky – viola a Lukas Polak – violoncello. Jejich pojeti ma v sobe jak vyrazovou nalehavost (napr. v krasne vystavenych dlouhych frazich v pomale vete), tak brilanci ve zvladani nemalych technickych naroku dila a v neposledni rade svezest a vtip, ktery je pro skladatelku tak typicky. [. . . ] Milovnici kvartetni hudby by si toto CD, ktere je navic vydareno i z hlediska grafiky a urovne textu bookletu, rozhodne nemeli nechat ujit.
From a review by Alice Rajnohova for Opus Musicum 45, no. 1 (2013).

Kaprál – Kaprálová – Martinu: Smyccové kvartety. TIP HARMONIE.
Škampovo kvarteto: Daniela Soucková, Helena Jiríkovská – housle, Radim Sedmidubský – viola, Lukáš Polák – violoncello. Nahráno: 2012, Ceský rozhlas. Vydáno: 2012. TT: 67:43. DDD. 1 CD Radioservis CR0618-2.
[. . . ] Všichni tri skladatelé mají k sobe v techto dílech zjevne blízko i myšlenkove, a to tak dalece, že spolecné provedení jejich kvartetu na tomto CD budí až dojem „prokomponovaného“ triptychu. Tento triptych pochopitelne vrcholí závažným 5. kvartetem B. Martinu, jedním z nejvýznamnejších del kvartetní literatury 20. století. Ale predchozí dve skladby – ac jejich autori nedosáhli vehlasu Martinu – tvorí tomuto slavnému dílu dustojné spolecenství, a to jak osobitý Smyccový kvartet Václava Kaprála, oscilující mezi pozdním romantismem a janáckovskou reflexí moravského folkloru, tak i mladistvý Smyccový kvartet Vítezslavy Kaprálové, který okouzlí posluchace už od prvních taktu svou svežestí a vitalitou. Škampovo kvarteto nezustalo na této nahrávce nic dlužno svému renomé. Jeho hra se vyznacuje obdivuhodnou kultivovaností, emotivností a neobycejnou hudební fantazií. Interpreti nejenže bezpochyby vnímali skrytou programnost všech trí skladeb, ale dokázali onen „program“ tlumocit posluchacum do nejjemnejších výrazových záchvevu. Už jen pro tuto „programnost“ se poslech všech trí kvartetu stává témer dobrodružnou výpravou – a rozhodne stojí za to se na ni s Kaprálovými a s Martinu vydat.
From a review by Veroslav Nemec for Harmonie 3 (2013): 54.

Karla Hartl, Erik Entwistle, eds: The Kapralova Companion. Lexington Books, Lanham, MD, 228 pages (2011). ISBN 978-0-7391-6723-6
[...] The Kapralova Companion is a welcome addition to the body of texts on women composers. Vitezslava Kapralova's music is beautiful, haunting, and distinct, and deserves to be heard more frequently on concert hall stages across the U.S. One hopes that this long-awaited and superbly-written book will provide inspiration and motivation to those who are interested in learning more about Vitezslava Kapralova.
From a review by Michelle Latour for the IAWM Journal 18, no. 2 (Fall 2012): 32-33.

The Kaprálová Companion. Edited by Karla Hartl and Erik Entwistle. Lexington Books, USA, 2011, 228 stran. ISBN 978-0-7391-6723-6
[...] Editory knihy jsou Karla Hartl a Erik Entwistle. Karla Hartl, absolventka pražské Univerzity Karlovy a univerzity v Torontu, se autorsky ujala úvodní životopisné kapitoly a všech dokumentacne bohatých príspevku soustredených do druhého oddílu knihy. Jsou venovány životopisu Kaprálové, zpracovanému tentokrát v chronologickém poradí s bohatým vysvetlujícím a komentujícím poznámkovým aparátem. Dlužno podotknout, že je obdivuhodné, kolik detailních poznatku ze života Kaprálové Karla Hartl soustredila a ješte obdivuhodnejší jsou její poznámky, rozestrené na ploše plných trinácti tiskových stran, pracující velmi casto s dosud neznámými prameny z archivu soukromých osob. Stejne koncipuje autorka i katalog díla Vítezslavy Kaprálové, k nemuž lze vyslovit stejne obdivné stanovisko. Následuje podobne obsažná bibliografie a seznam publikovaných del Kaprálové a diskografie, vše na náležité dokumentacní úrovni a – zdurazneme – bez chyb, prestože je text mnohdy až cesko-anglický (všechny citace apod. jsou uvedeny v puvodním, tedy ceském jazyce!).
Druhý z editoru, Erik Entwistle, je muzikolog se zamerením na klavírní literaturu a s blízkým vztahem k ceské hudbe (jeho disertacní práce na University of California, Santa Barbara, byla venována Bohuslavu Martinu). Jeho rozsáhlá kapitola v knize o Kaprálové (42 stran) se zabývá podrobne a zasvecene skladatelcinou klavírní tvorbou jak z hlediska vlivu, jež na Kaprálovou pusobily, tak posléze se zduraznením jejího skladatelského prínosu. Kapitola je vybavena množstvím notových príkladu, na nichž Entwistle své poznatky dokumentuje.
Další studie v první cásti knihy pocházejí rovnež od zahranicních odborníku venujících se mimo jiné ceské hudbe. Timothy Cheek, profesor na univerzite v Michiganu, vydal nekolik knih zabývajících se ceskou vokální tvorbou od Smetanovy Prodané nevesty až po libreta Janáckových oper. Vokální tvorbou Vítezslavy Kaprálové se zabývá už delší dobu, jak dokazuje jeho autorský a interpretacní podíl na CD se skladatelcinými písnemi, vydaným Supraphonem. Ve své nejnovejší studii publikované v knize The Kaprálová Companion tyto dlouhodobe získávané poznatky presvedcivým zpusobem sumarizuje.
Podobne reprezentativní jsou i dve kapitoly, jejichž autorkou je Judith Mabary z University of Missouri-Columbia. I ona se zabývá dlouhodobe problematikou bezprostredne související s ceskou hudbou. Její disertacní práce byla venována melodramu a ceským príspevkum k nemu a v knize o Kaprálové Mabary nabízí zajímavý pohled na využití melodramatických prvku ve skladatelcine díle a nadto studi venovanou orchestrálním dílum Vojenská symfonietta, Partita a Suita rustica.
Jak je z predchozích rádku zrejmé, je kniha výsledkem bádání prevážne zahranicních odborníku, pouze studii o Vítezslave Kaprálové v kontextu ceské hudby napsala profesorka JAMU Jindriška Bártová, specializující se na ceskou hudbu 20. století. Vítezslava Kaprálová se tak dostala mezi ty nemnohé ceské skladatele, o nichž vyšly monografie v cizím jazyce, a to nejen monografie preložené z puvodní ceské predlohy, ale sepsané v cizine, tedy Dvoráka, Janácka a Martinu. Kniha byla velmi kladne hodnocena svetovými recenzenty, v Cesku byla navržena na Cenu F. X. Šaldy, která je udelovaná mimo jiné za mimorádné edicní pociny. Jen knihovny o ní zatím jaksi nevedí...
From a review by Monika Hola for Opus Musicum 44, no. 5 (November 2012).

Vitezslava Kapralova. Alice Rajnohova, piano; Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra; Tomas Hanus, conductor. Radioservis CR0577-2 (2011).
The 2011 compact disc recording featuring four of Vitezslava Kapralova’s piano works, one for piano with orchestra and three for solo piano, is an important addition to the growing oeuvre of CDs showcasing Kapralova’s compositions. Not only does this recording contain representative works from the span of her career, but it also marks the first recording of her Piano Concerto in D Minor. The entire CD is expertly played by pianist Alice Rajnohova and matched in passion and precision by the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Tomas Hanus.
The CD opens with Piano Concerto in D Minor, Opus 7, which has three movements and was composed in 1935 when Kapralova was a mere twenty years old. [...] Movement I, Allegro entusiastico (track one), earns its enthusiastic title by being a dramatic and bold movement with a highly virtuosic piano part, practically utilizing the entire keyboard. Ms. Rajnohova is simply wonderful in this movement, and the orchestra displays a tight ensemble full of lush and beautiful moments. Here the listener is taken on an emotional roller coaster with musical highs and lows, running the gamut from sweeping, bold gestures to haunting, melancholy utterances. Piano and orchestra swirl continuously with a seamless interweaving of textures. I especially loved how Kapralova ended the movement, beginning with bombastic, octave chordal passages, coupled with unexpected harmonic shifts in the piano, and then rushing into a trill in the piano, which in turn is answered by the orchestra. It then builds in drama and intensity to a forceful and triumphant conclusion.
The second movement, Largo (track two), completely shifts gears with a dark and menacing melody heard in the low strings. At only three minutes long and thirty-five measures in length, this solemn and pensive movement is incredibly interesting and well executed by both piano and orchestra. This movement primarily features polyphonic development, yet the overall texture remains sparse with moments of dissonance. The piano solo remains reserved yet is still highly emotional. The end of the Largo is a processional-like dance that splinters off, only to drive right into the final movement without stopping. Track three, Allegro, begins with an almost frenzied feeling, which soon melts into more subdued music. This movement is full of humor, contrasting sharply with the preceding two movements. From the late romantic yearning of movement I, to the sparse contrapuntal development of movement II, movement III showcases neoclassical elements and lush instrumentation.
[...] Track seven, Variations sur le carillon de l’église St-Étienne du Mont, op. 16 (1938), is by far my favorite number of the entire CD, not only because Rajnohova expertly captures the myriad of exquisite moods, but also because this work captures Kapralova’s evolving and diverse compositional style at her finest. This one movement work, comprising of a theme and six variations, was written while Kapralova was furthering her studies in Paris and was inspired in general by the culturally cosmopolitan city itself, and specifically, by the church bells she could hear ringing from her apartment window. [...] Despite the brevity of the theme, the piece is full of delightful surprises, abrupt contrasts, and highly dramatic intensity. Again Rajnohova is to be commended for her ability to master this piece as Kapralova adeptly exploits the possibilities of the keyboard, predominantly through the juxtaposition of unexpected elements such as melodic and percussive sections, consonant and dissonant harmonies, introverted and extroverted moods, and bell-like sparse and densely polyphonic textures.
[...] In addition to the artful mastery of both Alice Rajnohova and the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra, the liner notes are insightful and well written. They include a brief background on Vitezslava Kapralova, biographical information on Ms. Rajnohova, the orchestra and its conductor, Tomas Hanus, and analyses of each work featured on the compact disc. For admirers and enthusiasts of Vitezslava Kapralova’s music, this is a recording not to miss.
From a review by Michelle Latour for the Kapralova Society Journal 10, no. 2 (Fall 2012): 10-11.

CTK Praha 1.6.2012- Cenu F. X. Saldy za rok 2011 dostane historicka umeni Hana Rousova. Porota slozena z odborniku napric umeleckymi obory ji cenu udeluje za projekt Konec avantgardy? Stejnojmenna vystava s podtitulem Od mnichovske dohody ke komunistickemu prevratu, ktera predstavila ceske vytvarne umeni z let 1938 až 1948, se loni konala v Galerii hlavniho mesta Prahy, knihu vydalo nakladatelstvi Arbor vitae. Hana Rousova bude sestnactou laureatkou ceny, kterou udeluje Nadacni fond Spolecnosti F. X. Saldy za mimoradny kriticky ci edicni pocin v umelecke a duchovedne oblasti. Cena se bude udelovat v utery 19. cervna v prostorech v Museu Kampa, rekla CTK predsedkyne nadacniho fondu Libuse Heczkova. Na cenu odkazujici k zakladatelske osobnosti ceské moderni kritiky byli nominovani v oblasti vytvarne kritiky vedle Rousove jeste Jana a Jiri Sevcikovi za svou knihu s nazvem Texty. Rozsahla publikace vydana v nakladatelstvi tranzit.cz obsahuje vybor ze studii, eseji a z prispevku do katalogu napsanych v letech 1973 až 2010. V oblasti vytvarneho umeni a vizualni kultury mela nominaci kniha Ladislava Kesnera Obrazy mysli/Mysl v obrazech, kterou vydala Moravska galerie v Brne, jez take hostila stejnojmennou vystavu. V oblasti literární kritiky a teorie mela nominaci kniha Hany Šmahelové V síti dejin literatury národního obrození (nakladatelství Karolinum) a v oblasti hudební kritiky a hudební historie byla nominovaná kniha Karly Hartl a Erika Entwistle The Kaprálová Companion (Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group). Spolecnost F.X. Saldy obnovila svou cinnost v roce 1990. Saldovu cenu udelovala od roku 1995 do roku 1998 a po nekolika letech prodlevy ji udili znovu od roku 2002. Jejimi laureaty se stali Milan Jungmann, Vladimir Just, Jiri Cieslar, Lubomir Doruzka, Karel Kraus, Karel Thein, Jindrich Cerný ci Vera Linhartova.

The Kaprálová Companion. Edited by Karla Hartl and Erik Entwistle. Lexington Books, Lanham, Boulder, New York, Toronto, Plymouth. November 2011.
This immensely valuable work deserves a place on the shelves of every serious follower of Czech music. What adds inestimably to the value of the book is the quality of the contributors. Packed with vital information about a little known but important composer of the first half of the 20th century, this volume should stand as a signpost for future scholars to delve into a surprisingly important life.
From a review by Peter Herbert for the Dvorak Society for Czech and Slovak Music Newsletter, 100 (July 2012): 11.

Vitezslava Kapralova: Brani per pianoforte Radioservis CRO577-2 (2011). Alice Rajnohova, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra, Tomas Hanus.
[...] “Un cenno ora agli interpreti, iniziando dalla pianista Alice Rajhohova, che ha curato anche le note illustrative del cd, indiscussa protagonista di una registrazione effettuata interamente “dal vivo.” La sua bravura si puo apprezzare sia nel concerto iniziale, quando ricopre il ruolo di sloista, sia nei brani per pianoforte solo. In entrambi i casi evidenzia grande raffinatezza ed una estrema sensibilita, trasmettendo notevoli emozioni. Molto buona anche la prova della Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra, diretta da Tomas Hanus, che si dimostra compagine di sicura affidabilita, contribuendo ad evidenziare il valore di una compositrice che, pur essendo vissuta appena 25 anni, ha lasciato una forte impronta nella musica del secolo scorso.”
From a review by Marco del Vaglio for Nuova e Nostre, May 20, 2012.

Jeune femme oubliée trouve compagnon idéal. Karla Hartl, Erik Entwistle (dir.), The Kaprálová Companion, Lexington Books, Décembre 2011-228 pages.
[...] Jindriška Bartová signe un excellent article replaçant Kaprálová dans le contexte de la musique tchčque de son époque. Tout l’intéręt du travail de la musicologue réside dans le fait qu’elle ne tient (heureusement) pas uniquement compte des « grandes figures » nationales mais qu’elle considčre surtout les artistes qui ont influencé – directement ou non – la jeune Vitezslava. Beaucoup ont été élčves de Janácek (comme Václav Kaprál, pčre de Kaprálová, basé ŕ Brno), męme si certains ont pris leurs distances par rapport ŕ la pensée et ŕ l’esthétique du compositeur de Jenufa. Dans son analyse des pages pianistique de « Vitulka », Erik Entwistle examine lui aussi les śuvres paternelles pour trouver les traces tangibles d’une influence naturelle. Allant bien plus loin que l’étude que Ludvík Kundera (ami de Kaprálová et pčre de Milan Kundera) avait consacré au męme sujet dans le livre de Premysl, Entwistle explore avec brio un répertoire bigarré contenant quelques chefs-d’śuvre (dont les Préludes d’avril et les Variations sur le carillon de Saint-Etienne du Mont). Judith Mabary signe quant ŕ elle deux articles tout aussi passionnants. Le premier concerne les essais et intentions de Kaprálová en matičre de mélodrame, genre souvent abordé par les Tchčques, de Benda au jeune Martinu en passant par Dušek – si la jeune femme ne concrétisa qu’un seul de ses projets dans le genre, d’autres pičces furent transformées en mélodies géniales. Dans sa seconde étude, Mabary analyse les trois pičces orchestrales importantes que sont la Vojenská Symfonieta [Sinfonietta militaire], la Partita op.20 composée sous le tutorat de Martinu et la Suita Rustica, page d’inspiration folklorique influencée par Stravinsky (non-éditée ŕ ce jour). S’il est difficile de faire le tour complet de la question en un peu moins de trente pages, la musicologue pose de solides bases pour les futures recherches analytiques autour de ces śuvres.
From a review by Nicolas Derny for forumopera.com, April 16, 2012.

Premiere Recording of Kapralova's Piano Concerto
[...] The latest of these CDs comes from the Czech Radio Service label [CRO577-2] and brings together four works for piano including the world premiere recording of Kapralova's Piano Concerto. The works are performed by the talented young Czech pianist Alice Rajnohova who has become a persuasive advocate of the composer's cause. The earliest work featured is the Sonata Appassionata, op. 6, dating from 1933, when the composer was 18 years of age. It is a remarkably accomplished piece [...and] Rajnohova considers [it] to be "one of the finest piano sonatas composed by any Czech compser in the first half of the 20th century." Her impassioned reading of the piece powefully supports that contention. [...] The [Piano Concerto] assumes a late romantic idiom, suggestive of Rachmaninov [... and ] was recorded at concert performance in Zlin in November 2010 while the recordings of the solo piano pieces date from June 2011. The piano sound is well captured in both instances. [...]
From a review by Greg Terian for the Dvorak Society Newsletter 99 (April 2012): 25.

Vitezslava Kaprálová: Concerto per pianoforte e orchestra e altri brani
Il capitolo relativo alla compositrice ceca Vitezslava Kaprálová, nata a Brno nel 1915 e morta a Montpellier nel 1940, si arricchisce di un ulteriore contributo, grazie al recente cd della casa discografica praghese Radioservis, pubblicato con il supporto economico della Kapralova Society, istituzione che ha sede a Toronto in Canada.
[...] L’apertura č dedicata al Concerto per pianoforte ed orchestra in re minore, op. 7, con il quale l’autrice debuttň a Brno nel 1935, riscuotendo un enorme successo sia per l’elevato valore del brano, che riusciva ad abbinare romanticismo e nuove istanze, sia per la sua abilitŕ nel dirigere, prima donna a salire sul podio della locale orchestra sinfonica.
[...] La conclusiva Sonata Appassionata, op. 6 (1933) ci riporta a Brno, dove muoveva i primi passi una diciottenne particolarmente promettente, che non poteva immaginare il suo brevissimo futuro, ma il cui contributo alla letteratura pianistica del Novecento risulta ancora oggi notevolissimo.
Un cenno ora agli interpreti, iniziando dalla pianista Alice Rajnohová [...] La sua bravura si puň apprezzare sia nel concerto iniziale, quando ricopre il ruolo di solista, sia nei brani per pianoforte solo. In entrambi i casi evidenzia un tocco di grande raffinatezza ed una estrema sensibilitŕ, trasmettendo notevoli emozioni. Molto buona anche la prova della Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra, diretta da Tomáš Hanus, che si dimostra compagine di sicura affidabilitŕ, contribuendo ad evidenziare il valore di una compositrice che, pur essendo vissuta appena 25 anni, ha lasciato una forte impronta nella musica del secolo scorso.
From a review by Marco del Vaglio, criticlassica.com, February 28, 2012.

The Kapralova Companion. Lexington Books, 2011. ISBN 978-0-7391-6723-6 (cloth)—ISBN 978-0-7391-6724-3 (electronic)
Well written and informative.—Susan E. Pickett, amazon.com

The Kapralova Companion. Lexington Books, 2011. ISBN 978-0-7391-6723-6 (cloth)—ISBN 978-0-7391-6724-3 (electronic)
Vitezslava Kapralova was a remarkable personality, a gifted composer-conductor who died much too young. But so did Keats, Schubert, and even Otis Redding. Once we get over how young she was, there is her music and artistic activity to consider. This volume is a splendid introduction to her life and work, by the leading specialists in the field. Hopefully it will be the first of many volumes dealing with her life and music.
Michael Beckerman, amazon.com

Poslední cédécko z Lodenic putovalo do Brna
[...] Také další titul z produkce Radioservisu ze sklonku roku 2011 znamená mimorádný pocin: jde o CD Alice Rajnohové, venované klavírní tvorbe Vítezslavy Kaprálové. Stejne jako interpreti predchozího CD i Alice Rajnohová pusobí pedagogicky na Hudební fakulte JAMU. Její pozornost se upíná prednostne na osobnost skladatelky Kaprálové, jejímuž klavírnímu dílu venuje v soucasnosti svoji disertacní práci. CD je vysoce reprezentativním výsledkem tohoto soustredeného studia a soucasne dukazem toho, jak dílo Kaprálové úspešne odolává casu, ci lépe - jak cas víc a víc odhaluje jeho kvality.
From a review by Jindra Bartova for Opus Musicum, 2 (2012)

Vítezslava Kaprálová: Klavírní koncert d moll, op. 7*, Tri klavírní kusy, op. 9, Variations sur le carillon de l’église St-Étienne du Mont, op. 16, Sonata Appassionata, op. 6. Alice Rajnohová – klavír, Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinu, dirigent Tomáš Hanus. Produkce: neuvedeno. Text: C, A. Nahráno: Klavírní koncert (live) 11/2010, Dum umení, Zlín, ostatní skladby 6/2011, Kongresové centrum, Zlín. Vydáno: 2011. TT: 53:32. DDD. 1 CD Radioservis CRO577-2.
Reprezentativní výber z klavírní tvorby nejzajímavejší ceské skladatelky první poloviny 20. století zahajuje Klavírní koncert d moll, op. 7, jímž dvacetiletá Kaprálová absolvovala r. 1935 brnenskou konzervator. [...] Klavírní koncert hraje Alice Rajnohová s mimorádným elánem a pochopením, takže pri její hre nelze nepomyslet na dvacetiletou skladatelku, plnou energie a chuti do života. První veta hýrí takovou spoustou nápadu – kompozicních i interpretacních – a deje se v ní toho tolik, až máme dojem, že se jedná o filmovou hudbu. Volná veta prekvapí svou strucností a potemnelostí, která tvorí skvelý kontrast k hravé a pritom rytmicky strhující vete finální. Zlínská Filharmonie B. Martinu rízená Tomášem Hanusem hraje s velkým nasazením a se stejným mladistvým elánem jako sólistka. [...] Oproti velkoryse pojatému Klavírnímu koncertu predstavují skladby pro sólový klavír spíše intimnejší oblast tvorby V. Kaprálové. Ale i v nich nabízí autorka nepreberné množství výrazových a náladových kontrastu a je skutecne požitkem poslouchat, jak jemne a citlive je dokáže Alice Rajnohová odstínit. [...] Vydání CD sponzorovala kanadská hudební spolecnost The Kapralova Society a jsem si jist, že mezi projekty, které tato spolecnost podporila, bude zaujímat nahrávka Alice Rajnohové jedno z nejcestnejších míst.
From a review by Veroslav Nemec for Harmonie, 2 (February 2012).

The Kapralova Companion. Lexington Books, 2011. ISBN 978-0-7391-6723-6 (cloth)—ISBN 978-0-7391-6724-3 (electronic)
A remarkable book! Since her death at age twenty-five in the midst of WWII, Kaprálová’s brilliant musical legacy and story have fallen through the cracks. But now this book brings her music, in all its variety and power, to the fore. This collection, by a range of distinguished scholars, offers insights and investigation into Kaprálová’s creative work and life. Nothing short of a revelation!”
Liane Curtis, Brandeis University

Vítezslava Kaprálová Songs: Forever Kaprálová. Dana Burešová, Timothy Cheek, Magda Cáslavová, Petr Zdvihal, Jan Valta, David Havelík. Supraphon SU 3752-2 231 (2003).
[...] Kaprálová’s songs, most of which are brief emotional utterances, exhibit an innate ability to create evocative moods, full of interesting harmonies and unexpected modulations. Her vocal music also demonstrates sensitivity to text as she showed an interest in poetry at a very young age. The result is careful and masterful attention to setting Czech inflection all the while writing lovely and soaring melodies. As she was also an accomplished pianist, Kaprálová’s accompaniments are interesting, frequently adding commentary to the text.
The first two tracks feature Dve písne, op. 4 (Two songs, from 1932), utilizing the poetry of R. Bojko (pseudonym of Alois Horák, 1877–1952). Although considered early works (Kaprálová was a mere seventeen years old), the hallmarks of her mature style are already beginning to emerge, most arguably her remarkable ability to create mood and atmosphere in her piano accompaniments. Also evident is her capacity for matching musical and linguistic prosody. She shows a unique gift for setting the natural inflection of the Czech language, which is of course enhanced by Burešová’s consummate ability to shape phrases. “Jitro” (Morning), the first song, is one of Kaprálová’s few songs that is upbeat throughout. It is more exuberant and virtuosic for both voice and piano than many of her later works. It begins with a joyous arpeggio figure in the piano, reminiscent of the sun rising, followed soon thereafter by Kaprálová’s characteristic use of unexpected harmonic turns. As evidenced throughout the CD, Burešová and Cheek work extremely well together. Burešová’s ability to change her vocal timbre to match the mood of each song, coupled with her ease of negotiating dynamic contrasts and consistent tone quality throughout all her registers is to be commended. Kaprálová exhibits a predilection for wide intervallic leaps in her vocal melodies, and Burešová soars through registration shifts with ease. The brilliant and cheerful quality Cheek elicits from the piano contrasts expertly with Burešová’s creamy tone quality. The second song, “Osirelý” (Orphaned), in complete contrast to “Jitro,” is more introverted, with brief emotional outbursts and a constant yearning quality through recurring descending figures. As outlined in Cheek’s liner notes, it is perhaps autobiographical, as it was composed during a 1932 summer stay at a spa, reminding her of “extended visits to a sanatorium following her parents’ separation.” This forlorn work contrasts to “Jitro’s” sunny and bright disposition through a sparse and haunting opening, a piano accompaniment scored lower, and ending with a brief and moving piano postlude that slowly unwinds and fades away.
This is followed with the four-song cycle Jiskry z popele, op. 5 (Sparks from ashes, from 1932–1933). These songs display her mature compositional style through utilization of an impressionistic approach, intricate motivic writing, and piano figurations based on intervals derived from the natural inflection of the poetry. These songs were dedicated to her Brno Conservatory classmate and lifelong friend, Ota Vach, with the inscription, “my only love.” He was responsible for introducing Kaprálová to the poetry of Bohdan Jelínek (1851–1874). With the exception of several folk texts, Jelínek was the only non-living Czech poet whose texts she set to music and is the poetry used for this cycle. Although the entire set is stunningly rendered and interpreted by Burešová and Cheek, a mention must be made of tracks four and five, “Jak na hedvábný mech jsem hlavu kladl na bílá nadra tvá” (Like on silk moss I laid my head on your white bosom) and “Ó zustan ješte, moje dívko drahá” (Oh, stay yet, my dear girl). The fourth track begins with a highly effective and atmospheric eight-measure opening section featuring a brief descending piano arpeggio in the right hand, immediately followed by a simple triad in the left hand. This is answered in the vocal line with a static, chant-like melody with a passing a cappella moment. This is repeated with slight variation in measures six through eight. The splendor here is in its simplicity, made even more impactful through Burešová’s exquisite shaping of Kaprálová’s inert vocal line. The song “Ó zustan ješte, moje dívko drahá” (Oh, stay yet, my dear girl), opens with a jubilant trill in the piano introduction, providing an effective contrast to the previous song. The trill figure ties the piece together, like a recurring motive throughout. Additionally, this song is more virtuosic for the voice and the piano, with the vocal line displaying a wide melodic range with much of the melody scored above and below the staff, and the piano accompaniment featuring a swirling figure that comments on the poetry. The triplet figure in the piano is often pitted against a duple figure in the melody throughout much of the song, yet Burešová and Cheek make this difficult song seems effortless.
The set is followed by Leden (January), composed in 1933 and scored for soprano, piano, flute, two violins, and cello. Utilizing sparse textures and constantly evolving sonorities, this atmospheric miniature is expertly played by all. Again, Burešová displays her flair for successfully negotiating vocal register shifts. Her vocal quality is consistent throughout, even when pitted against instruments while singing in a low range.
Tracks eight through eleven include the cycle Jablko z klína, op. 10 (Apple from the lap, from 1934–1936). This masterful set was composed when Kaprálová was only twenty years old, and uses the poetry of Jaroslav Seifert (1901–1986), from a poetry collection of the same name. As revealed in Cheek’s liner notes, with the exception of the last song, “the cycle portrays a sense of impending doom,” yet each song remains distinct. The cycle opens with “Písen na vrbovou píštalku” (Song on the willow fife), beginning the set with a burst of energy complete with sweeping descending lines in the piano and mostly descending figures in the vocal line. It features a constant ebb and flow of sounds and emotional outbursts from soprano and pianist. This is followed with “Ukolébavka” (Lullaby), a strophic song full of bitterness and distrust. Burešová convincingly sings with a sweet and soothing tone befitting of a lullaby despite the angry tone of the poetry. One of my favorite tracks is “Bezvetrí” (Calm), the third song from the cycle. It begins with the highly effective use of contrary motion between voice and piano, setting the stage with simple and gloomy beauty. This is one of Kaprálová’s darkest songs, and it is a haunting and disturbing journey for the listener. Although Burešová and Cheek use completely different colors and timbres, they perfectly match each other’s emotional intent in this fascinating juxtaposition. This is followed with Navždy, op. 12 (Forever), on tracks twelve through fourteen. Composed between 1936–1937, this cycle uses the poetry of Jan Carek (1898–1966) for the first two songs and of Seifert for the final song. The first piece of the set, also entitled “Navždy,” is in ABA form, and opens with a slow and sustained vocal line that requires excellent breath control. This is followed with “Cím je muj žal” (What is my grief), which contrasts between beautiful lyricism and parlando passages for the singer, and is expertly negotiated by Burešová. The final song of the set, “Ruce” (Hands), illustrates the ecstasy of a wedding night. The accompaniment highlights an almost impressionistic quality that is interwoven with a syllabic vocal melody. It ends dramatically with a substantial and virtuosic postlude by Cheek and a diva-worthy melismatic phrase expressed joyously by Burešová.
The next three tracks are stand-alone songs, beginning with Sbohem a šátecek, op. 14 (Waving farewell, from 1937). At over six minutes in length, this is Kaprálová’s longest song, befitting for her farewell to Prague before embarking on her journey to Paris to study at the École normale de musique and with Martinu. According to Cheek, “the entire song is based on a falling major second that appears in the first word, ‘sbohem’ (farewell). This motif, then, fills the entire song with farewells.” The beautiful and exquisite poetry, by Vítezslav Nezval (1900–1958), matched in splendor of music, results in a complicated and bittersweet farewell, both strikingly performed by Cheek and Burešová.
Koleda (Carol), also from 1937, is a concise and entertaining song, dedicated to “my feathered friends.” Most memorable is Burešová’s facility with mimicking the many animal noises Kaprálová ingeniously employs.
Between 1936–1939, Kaprálová composed the song collection Vteriny, op. 18 (Seconds), which on the CD includes tracks eighteen through twenty-five. This interesting compilation of songs was written in Paris, Brno, and Prague for friends, family members, or special occasions. One of my favorite recordings on this CD is the first song of the collection, “Bílým šátkem mává kdo se loucí” (With a white kerchief he waves). It displays an exquisite marriage between language and melodic rhythm. Burešová’s last note is extraordinary, and she is to be commended in her ability to sustain a pianissimo note so effortlessly in a problematic part of the voice. Another highlight of this set is the third song, track eighteen, entitled “Písen milostná” (Love song). In this 1938 composition, dedicated to a friend on her wedding, Cheek adeptly portrays the three-hundred chirping birds with exhuberant chaos as described in František Sušil’s (1804–1868) Moravian folk poem.
This is followed with the three–song cycle, Zpíváno do dálky, op. 22 (Sung into the distance, from 1939). The poetry is by Viktor Kripner (1906–1956), and the songs are also dedicated to him. This magnificent and highly contrasting set exemplifies Kaprálová’s natural gift with prosody, and her innate ability to write piano accompaniments that provide observations on the text. Burešová and Cheek present a superb collaboration throughout the entire set, displaying lovely interplay between voice and piano and exquisitely interweaving textures.
Dana Burešová and Timothy Cheek provide flawless performances in this important addition to the recordings of Vítezslava Kaprálová. Both Burešová and Cheek display expertise in portraying the many intricate and complicated facets of this hauntingly beautiful vocal music, and their CD is a must-have for anyone interested in the music of Kaprálová. The CD tracks (in mp3 format) are offered through ITunes and amazon.com.
From a review by Michelle Latour for Kapralova Society Journal 9, no. 2 (2011): 10-11.

Women of Firsts. Daniel Weeks.
The romantic intensity of all the songs is noteworthy; all these composers avoided the conventional, and the whole group carries an intriguing interior mood, often expressed in one kind of symbolic language or another [...]. The most experimental songs are those by Kaprálová, who died at age 25 and whose works are yielding unsuspected riches; she expanded an Impressionist language into a slightly polytonal realm.
From a review by James Manheim for allmusic.com

Festival uprostred Evropy slavil se svetovou premierou
[...] Na zamku Decin zazilo festivalove publikum hudebni svetovou premieru. V prostredi potemnele klenby [...] vystoupilo renomovane nemecke dechove Trio Lézard s programem nazvanym "Z Parize do Prahy - prazdniny pana Ferrouda" [...]. Prekvapeni navstevnici zde byli jako prvni na svete svedky Tria pro dechove nastroje od Vitezslavy Kapralove z roku 1937, jehoz fragment v brnenskem muzeu nalezl a doplnil hobojista Lézardu Stéphane Egeling. Zvukomalebna, divoka skladba okouzlujicim zpusobem pripomnela kratky zivot velmi nadejne skladatelky [...]. Na nasledne velmi vrele a nadsene ovace publika reagovali hudebnici jeste rozloucenim v podobe kultivovane rozevlate jazzove improvizace na bashoboj, kontrafagot a saxofon.
From a review by Tomas Kabrt, written for Harmonie 9 (September 2011): 62.

Vítezslava Kaprálová - songs of Czech independence. Forever Kapralova: Songs. Supraphon SU 3752-2 231 (2003).
[...] January, for voice, piano, flute, two violins and cello [...] is a beautiful piece. [...] Exquisite balance, the instruments (especially seductive cello) curving round the voice, slowly encircling it, and this is just Kapralova's op. 5!
[...] An Apple from the Lap is another group of songs to texts by Jaroslav Seifert, another avant-garde liberal and colleague of Nezval - Kapralova chooses contemporary texts, nothing safe or easy. [..] Like her poets, much older and cannier than she is, Kapralova mixes different moods deftly. [...]
Sbohem a satecek (Waving Farewell) [...] is a masterpiece. The text is Nezval, not symbolist but extremely sophisticated emotionally. [...] Had she lived, Kapralova might have eclipsed Martinu altogether, much as I like him, as she was such an individualistic original.
From a review by Doundou Tchil, classical-iconoclast.blogspot.com, August 14, 2011.

Compositrici da primato nella musica cameristica. La Centaur Records propone un cd rivolto a prestigiose figure della musica al femminile.
Il loro perfetto affiatamento, inoltre, crea una giusta atmosfera, che restituisce la forte intensita, legata a testi per la maggior parte nostalgici e struggenti, contribuendo anche ad evidenziare i diversi stili delle quattro compositrici, il che rende il cd, nel suo complesso, imperdibile per tutti gli appassionati di musica cameristica.
From a review by Marco del Vaglio for AGIRE, June 2011.

Women of Firsts
A partire dalla fine dell’Ottocento, e per tutto il Novecento, la storia della musica č ricca di figure femminili di notevole spessore, la cui notorietŕ non si limitň al paese di nascita, ma raggiunse tutto il mondo. Ce lo ricorda un cd della Centaur Records, intitolato “Women of First”, che ha affidato al tenore Daniel Weeks e alla pianista Naomi Oliphant quattro brani, di altrettante compositrici, distintesi in un settore considerato di stretta competenza maschile L’apertura č dedicata a Vitezlava Kaprálová (Brno, 1915-Montpellier, 1940) che, nonostante la brevissima esistenza, stroncata dalla tisi, ancora oggi rimane un saldo punto di riferimento della musica ceca e detiene diversi primati.
Fu, infatti, la prima donna a diplomarsi in composizione e direzione d’orchestra, nonché la prima rappresentante femminile a condurre l’Orchestra Filarmonica Ceca e l’Orchestra della BBC, in quest’ultimo caso durante il Festival di Musica Contemporanea che si svolse a Londra nel 1938. Nel disco č presente con Forever, op. 12 (1936-37), tre brevi pezzi scritti nel 1936-37 su liriche dei poeti cechi Jan Carek e Jaroslav Seifert (premio Nobel per la letteratura nel 1984), in cui vi č quasi un presagio di una fine che sarebbe avvenuta lontana da casa.
Seconda autrice in programma, Grazyna Bacewicz (1909-1969), in assoluto la prima compositrice polacca ad ottenere riconoscimenti nazionali ed internazionali, cosa ancora piů rimarchevole, se consideriamo il suo stile musicale, molto moderno e quindi in aperto contrasto con il regime stalinista. Alla sua produzione appartengono i Tre canti per tenore ed orchestra, risalenti al 1938, su testi di un ignoto autore arabo, poi arrangiati nel 1958 nella versione per tenore e pianoforte registrata nel cd. Anche la statunitense Amy Cheney (1867-1944) meriterebbe un articolo a parte per la sua lunga carriera.
Pianista prodigio, interruppe l’attivitŕ di solista dopo il matrimonio con il fisico Henry Beach, continuando quella di compositrice, per tornare alla ribalta concertistica una volta diventata vedova. A lei si deve, fra l’altro, la prima sinfonia scritta da una donna americana (pubblicata sotto lo pseudonimo Mrs. H.H.A.). Il disco della Centaur mette in evidenza le Three Browning Songs, scritte tra il 1895 ed il 1900 attingendo alla produzione poetica del britannico Robert Browning.
La chiusura dell’incisione č sotto il segno di Lili Boulanger (1893-1918), prima donna a vincere il prestigiosissimo Prix de Rome nel 1913. Sorella della leggendaria Nadia, docente che formň generazioni di compositori, ebbe una carriera luminosa, prematuramente interrotta a causa della sindrome di Crohn, una malattia rara e devastante, diagnosticatale da bambina, che la accompagnň per tutta la sua brevissima esistenza. Ottimo esempio della sua produzione č rappresentato da Clairičres dans le Ciel (1913-14), che copre piů della metŕ del cd, ciclo formato da tredici pezzi tratti dall’omonima raccolta del poeta simbolista francese Francis Jammes. Alle origini della raccolta vi sarebbe probabilmente una storia d’amore fra Lili e David Devričs, tenore che eseguě in prima assoluta la composizione nel 1918, giusto una settimana prima della morte della Boulanger.
Uno sguardo, ora, ai due interpreti, il tenore Daniel Weeks e la pianista Naomi Oliphant. Il primo evidenzia una voce molto bella ed espressiva, mentre la seconda risulta dotata di un tocco raffinato ed elegante. Insieme, grazie ad un perfetto affiatamento e ad una innata sensibilitŕ, riescono a creare un’ atmosfera che restituisce integralmente la forte intensitŕ legata a testi sovente nostalgici e struggenti.
In conclusione un cd di grande interesse, prodotto grazie agli sforzi dei due esecutori, ed al contributo finanziario congiunto dell’Universitŕ di Louisville e della Kapralova Society, che aggiunge un altro tassello alla conoscenza della musica al femminile.
A review by Marco del Vaglio for critica classica, June 5, 2011. Reprinted by permission.

Umelci na koncerte vyjadrili poctu Gustavu Mahlerovi
Úvod vecera patril výberu z písní výjimecné skladatelky první poloviny dvacátého století Vítezslavy Kaprálové. Celkem pet písní, v nichž skladatelka dokázala na velmi malém prostoru vystihnout vnitrní atmosféru textu, vyjádrila Polášková nadmíru expresivne, avšak zároven nesmírne citlive.
From a review by David Kanovsky for Olomoucky denik, 5.4.2011.

Women of Firsts: Art songs by the first important Twentieth Century women composers from the Czech Republic, Poland, United States, and France. Composers: Vítezslava Kaprálová, Grazyna Bacewicz, Amy Beach, Lili Boulanger. Performers: Daniel Weeks, tenor; Naomi Oliphant, piano. Centaur Recordings, CRC 2966 (2008). Upon first glance, one would assume that a CD entitled Women of Firsts would feature a female voice and piano duo. However, this CD features tenor Daniel Weeks and pianist Naomi Oliphant in a wonderful recording of familiar and unfamiliar vocal compositions from four female composers who were “true pioneers in their field.” Kaprálová was the first woman to conduct the Czech Philharmonic; Bacewicz was the first female composer in Poland to receive national and international attention; Beach was one of the first American women composers to successfully compose in large compositional forms in addition to garnering critical acclaim in Europe; Boulanger was the first female composer to win the famed Prix de Rome at only 19 years old.
The first three tracks on this recording feature the cycle Navždy (Forever) by Vítezslava Kaprálová. These evocative songs are typical of Kaprálová’s compositional style, displaying an ethereal and otherworldly quality through the use of interesting harmonies and unexpected modulations coupled with expansive vocal lines and frequent wide intervallic leaps in the melody. This set is beautifully performed by Weeks and Oliphant, with Weeks demonstrating exquisite phrasing and musicality, in addition to expertly negotiating the contrasting demands of parlando and bel canto singing.
This is followed with Grazyna Bacewicz’s song cycle, Trzy piesni do slów arabskich z X wieku (Three songs to words from the tenth century Arab poetry), originally scored for tenor and orchestra in 1938, and later arranged for tenor and piano. This brief yet highly varied set certainly deserves its place in art song repertoire. "Mamidlo" (Mirage) was a lovely surprise for me, as it is accessible and tonal, yet with brief flashes of chromaticism and a melancholy sensation all at once. However, the highlight of this cycle is the second song, "Inna" (Other Woman). A mere 43 seconds in length, the song features the piano as the more prominent character, employing “a polytonal, ostinato pattern to invoke the nearby lover, while more lyrical and flowing material is used with expressive and tonal harmonies to illustrate the other woman.”
Although Amy Beach’s cycle, Three Browning Songs, have been recorded by numerous artists, Weeks' and Oliphant’s version is to be commended. The best part of this set is Weeks’ high notes—they are glorious and plentiful. Although the tempo in the first song, “The Year’s at the Spring,” is a bit slow, Weeks and Oliphant make up for this in the second song, “Ah, Love, but a day!” This is their best performance of the entire CD. Oliphant plays the poignant piano part with utmost clarity, and Weeks’ facility with his upper register is quite remarkable. His high notes are loud, resonant, and beautiful.
The final cycle on the recording is Clairičres dans le Ciel, by Lili Boulanger. This cycle is also well-represented in numerous recordings, although it is performed by more sopranos despite the fact that it was composed for tenor, David Devričs. Although many of the tempi are too fast in this recording, mention must be made of Par ce que j’ai souffert. The dramatic and intense suffering in this piece is expertly performed, and the duo makes this extremely difficult song sound incredibly easy, with seamless transitions between tempi, dynamic, expressive, and harmonic changes.
The CD liner notes are thorough, well-written and insightful, offering information on each composer, describing compositional techniques, discussing historical context, and providing translations. Women of Firsts is a thoughtful and musical presentation of important female composers whose music deserves to be heard more often.
From a review by Michelle Latour written for the Kapralova society Journal, 9, no. 1 (2011), 11.

Preludium Renaty Bialasove pro V. Kapralovou a B. Martinu.
[...] Dila V. Kapralove a B. Martinu fascinuji formou i brilantnim sarmem. A stejny sarm nachazime ve skvele interpretaci R. Bialasove...[..].
From a CD review by Kvetuse Lepilova for KAM (February 2011).