Salon – jazz – classical – tango… and a couple of puzzles
The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra has prepared another batch of novel, perhaps surprising compositions for you on Monday 25 April.
The Jazz Suites were among the opuses by the young Shostakovich that were no doubt a provocation to his more mature colleagues. Nevertheless, today they are regarded as very pleasant and appealing music. Alongside jazz inflections they contain elements of salon music and Russian romans, meaning that suites entitled “Jazz” do not leave a typically jazzy impression.
Tune in to a live broadcast on Czech Radio Vltava from 19:30 on Monday 25 April
Like his Sabre Dance, Aram Khachaturian’s waltz from the incidental music for Lermontov’s play Masquerade achieved great popularity. The basic melody is one of those that we are familiar though we can’t recall who wrote it or “where it’s from”. After the concert at the Municipal House you’ll have no trouble answering that brain-teaser!
And another puzzle: It’ll be relatively easy for you to find the explanation for the name of Ervín Schulhoff’s jazz oratorio H.M.S. Royal Oats. It refers to a battleship on which a rebellion took place in 1928 for rather a peculiar reason. The commander banned jazz! He was fined for the impertinence by a naval court. The current of music never abates…
… and carries us as far as Argentina and the avid tango devotee Astor Piazzolla, whose Concerto for Bandoneon, Chamber Orchestra and Percussion contains the inspiration of tango. Alongside a sizable dollop of energy and lyricism.
Together with the PRSO, the concert at the Smetana Hall will feature bandoneon player Bjarke Mogensen, soprano Petra Froese, tenor Jaroslav Březina and the Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno helmed by Jan Ocetek. Tomáš Brauner will conduct. Do come. It’s on 25 April from 19:30.
