A solo for Jitka Hosprová and Jan Čmejla – ALTERNATIVE DATE

28. srpen 2020

Jitka Hosprová|foto:Lenka Hatašová

Out of the gate on 16 November PRSO is returning to the inspiring premises of the St Agnes Convent and kicking off another year of the popular chamber series.

We have settled on an alternative date for the 7.9.2020 concert that was cancelled. We will present this concert at 19:30 on Monday, 16.11.2020 in the Convent of Saint Agnes. The tickets for the 7.9.2020 concert, which was cancelled due to members of the orchestra being in quarantine, remain valid and do not need to be exchanged.

If you are unable to attend on the alternative date, please contact us at socr@rozhlas.cz by 16 November at the latest.

Thank you, and we apologise for any inconvenience.

Aside from the works of classics Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and Benjamin Britten, something completely new will also be on the programme. In its world premiere – and commissioned by PRSO – we will hear the concerto Virus for viola and chamber orchestra by Zbyněk Matějů.

Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
Chuhei Iwasaki – conductor
Jitka Hosprová – viola
Jan Čmejla – piano, winner of Concertino Prague 2019
ST AGNES CONVENT, 16 NOVEMBER 2020 / 7:30 PM
Live broadcast on ČRo Vltava hosted by Jitka Novotná

Its creation was initiated by the performer herself, Jitka Hosprová. While her position in the musical world is already unshakeable, pianist Jan Čmejla is still gradually establishing his, with great success. It is only natural that as the winner of the competition Concertino Prague 2019 he is being given space at a radio symphony concert that will be broadcast live by ČRo Vltava. Taking up the baton will be Chuhei Iwasaki.

Music of Benjamin Britten

The evening opens with the elegant and scintillating music of Benjamin Britten. His Prelude and Fugue for 18-part String Orchestra affirms the author's reputation as a restrained innovator, a synthesis of modernity and tradition, a distinct melodist and a composer with an exceptional aural imagination.

Virus

As you can deduce from the name of the viola concerto, Zbyněk Matějů drew inspiration from the events around the coronavirus, and naturally also from the work of Jitka Hosprová.

On this the composer states: „Jitka expressed the wish that I write a concerto for her. From previous concerts and recordings I know her as an excellent and very energetic player, so there was no reason to hesitate. We agreed on an open deadline because I had other commitments as well. In the meantime however the worldwide pandemic arrived and all dates began to change. The title Virus came to me as a synonym for the compositional approach, as well as for the hectic times.“

Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage

Subsequently the orchestra will expand and play Mendelssohn's overture Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, inspired by the verses of Johann Wolfgang Goethe. The composition was first heard in Berlin in 1828.

Concerto in G minor

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The concert is closed out by the Concerto in G minor by the same author. It was written in Rome at the same time as the Italian Symphony, i.e. at the turn of 1830 and 1831, when Mendelssohn was travelling around Italy. The composer had a variety of impressions from the country, but in the end pleasant feelings predominated, reinforced for the generally optimistically minded young musician by the southern climate. The Concerto in G minor premiered right away in 1831 in Munich. The solo part, at the time full of improvisation, was played by the author himself. In it we will hear the exceptionally talented young piano player Jan Čmejla.