SKU: BR.EOS-8063-26

ISBN 9790004789810. 8.5 x 11.5 inches.

The Ode was admirably set by Mr. Henry Purcell, and performed twice with universal applause.
(The Gentlemen's Journal, 1692)

The popularity of Purcell's setting is apparent from the many sources that survive and from the printed extracts which appeared almost immediately after its first performance. The primary source for this edition is the largely autograph manuscript in the Bodleian Library. Rather to reduce the orthography to a norm, the capitalization of the vocal text favours Purcell's preferences.
(Christopher Hogwood) Vokalensemble Stuttgart und den Kammerchor des Kopernikus-Gymnasiums Wasseralfingen. Fur diese beiden ganz unterschiedlichen Chorformationen hat Martin Smolka 2012 auch gezielt seine Partitur angelegt. Biografisch ist das Agnus Dei eine Art kleines Requiem fur seinen kurz zuvor verstorbenen Vater. Das liturgische Agnus Dei rahmt den deutschen Text Eh das Madchen entschlief ... der bei Auffuhrungen in anderen Landern durch eine Ubersetzung ersetzt werden soll.

Der SWR-Redakteur Hans-Peter Jahn schreibt dazu im Programmheft: Die fur Smolka typischen minimalistischen Taktzellen schaffen eine archaische Sinnlichkeit. Eine einfache und zugleich streng gebaute Vokalmusik mit Tiefenwirkung.

Nach der Urauffuhrung war die Esslinger Zeitung hellauf begeistert: Smolka ist ein Meister der Stimmbehandlung und der chorischen Klanggestaltung. Im Zentrum des Stucks gerat die Musik zum Stillstand: im leisen gleichmassigen Summen uber dem plotzlich fortissimo ein tschechisches Kinderlied erklingt eines das der Vater seinen Kindern haufig vorgesungen hat. Das alles war sehr beruhrend. Und eigentlich noch mehr als das. My father PhDr. Jaroslav Smolka (1933-2011) was a leading Czech musicologist author of books Czech Cantata and Oratorium Fuga in Czech Music Smetana's Orchestra Music Smetana's Vocal Music monography of Jan Dismas Zelenka and many others. He was a legendary teacher of Music History at Prague Music Academy critic recording producer composer; for almost 50 years he was an important and highly respected personality of Prague musical life.
My father devoted a lot of time and energy to musical education and activities of my sister and me using often quite original methods such as teaching of intervals and counterpoint through Bartok's Microcosmos ear training filling all imaginable moments of everyday life or lessons of harmony analysis starting with Overture to Tristan and Musorgsky's Catacombs. The Martinu song Wondering Maiden was his solo number in our home vocal productions which he used to sing with amazing devotion while his huge voice was audible in several neighboring streets.
My Agnus Dei is closely bound to all this history e.g. by using canon and preferring beauty of dissonant seconds like Bartok or quoting Martinu and his refined neoclassical harmony. Father would be probably a bit critical about the minimalistic monotony of the main body of the piece. Nevertheless firstly he would improvise a short lecture of history of Agnus Dei in Requiem in Czech Music naming by heart many dates and all examples of changes of order of the traditional text by composers. Examples would be sung probably.
(Martin Smolka).

SKU: BR.EOS-8063-30

ISBN 9790004789827. 8.5 x 11.5 inches.

The Ode was admirably set by Mr. Henry Purcell, and performed twice with universal applause.
(The Gentlemen's Journal, 1692)

The popularity of Purcell's setting is apparent from the many sources that survive and from the printed extracts which appeared almost immediately after its first performance. The primary source for this edition is the largely autograph manuscript in the Bodleian Library. Rather to reduce the orthography to a norm, the capitalization of the vocal text favours Purcell's preferences.
(Christopher Hogwood) Vokalensemble Stuttgart und den Kammerchor des Kopernikus-Gymnasiums Wasseralfingen. Fur diese beiden ganz unterschiedlichen Chorformationen hat Martin Smolka 2012 auch gezielt seine Partitur angelegt. Biografisch ist das Agnus Dei eine Art kleines Requiem fur seinen kurz zuvor verstorbenen Vater. Das liturgische Agnus Dei rahmt den deutschen Text Eh das Madchen entschlief ... der bei Auffuhrungen in anderen Landern durch eine Ubersetzung ersetzt werden soll.

Der SWR-Redakteur Hans-Peter Jahn schreibt dazu im Programmheft: Die fur Smolka typischen minimalistischen Taktzellen schaffen eine archaische Sinnlichkeit. Eine einfache und zugleich streng gebaute Vokalmusik mit Tiefenwirkung.

Nach der Urauffuhrung war die Esslinger Zeitung hellauf begeistert: Smolka ist ein Meister der Stimmbehandlung und der chorischen Klanggestaltung. Im Zentrum des Stucks gerat die Musik zum Stillstand: im leisen gleichmassigen Summen uber dem plotzlich fortissimo ein tschechisches Kinderlied erklingt eines das der Vater seinen Kindern haufig vorgesungen hat. Das alles war sehr beruhrend. Und eigentlich noch mehr als das. My father PhDr. Jaroslav Smolka (1933-2011) was a leading Czech musicologist author of books Czech Cantata and Oratorium Fuga in Czech Music Smetana's Orchestra Music Smetana's Vocal Music monography of Jan Dismas Zelenka and many others. He was a legendary teacher of Music History at Prague Music Academy critic recording producer composer; for almost 50 years he was an important and highly respected personality of Prague musical life.
My father devoted a lot of time and energy to musical education and activities of my sister and me using often quite original methods such as teaching of intervals and counterpoint through Bartok's Microcosmos ear training filling all imaginable moments of everyday life or lessons of harmony analysis starting with Overture to Tristan and Musorgsky's Catacombs. The Martinu song Wondering Maiden was his solo number in our home vocal productions which he used to sing with amazing devotion while his huge voice was audible in several neighboring streets.
My Agnus Dei is closely bound to all this history e.g. by using canon and preferring beauty of dissonant seconds like Bartok or quoting Martinu and his refined neoclassical harmony. Father would be probably a bit critical about the minimalistic monotony of the main body of the piece. Nevertheless firstly he would improvise a short lecture of history of Agnus Dei in Requiem in Czech Music naming by heart many dates and all examples of changes of order of the traditional text by composers. Examples would be sung probably.
(Martin Smolka).

SKU: BR.OB-5555-17

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

ISBN 9790004342411. 10 x 12.5 inches.

In 1936 Bela Bartok was commissioned by his Swiss patron Paul Sacher to write the Music for Stringed Instruments, Percussion and Celesta. What Bartok created was nothing less than one of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century that beguiles the listener through its extraordinarily refined construction and lushly expressive rhythms and melodies.Also remarkable is that Bartok jotted down the four-movement orchestral work very rapidly and without a short score. Breitkopf's new edition is based on the autograph, on the first editions of the conducting and pocket score, and in particular on the composer's personal copy of the pocket score, in which Bartok later entered the corrections that he had discovered - alterations that were taken into consideration for the first time in this new edition.

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

SKU: BR.OB-5555-12

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

ISBN 9790004342381. 10 x 12.5 inches.

In 1936 Bela Bartok was commissioned by his Swiss patron Paul Sacher to write the Music for Stringed Instruments, Percussion and Celesta. What Bartok created was nothing less than one of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century that beguiles the listener through its extraordinarily refined construction and lushly expressive rhythms and melodies.Also remarkable is that Bartok jotted down the four-movement orchestral work very rapidly and without a short score. Breitkopf's new edition is based on the autograph, on the first editions of the conducting and pocket score, and in particular on the composer's personal copy of the pocket score, in which Bartok later entered the corrections that he had discovered - alterations that were taken into consideration for the first time in this new edition.

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

SKU: BR.OB-5555-24

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

ISBN 9790004342466. 10 x 12.5 inches.

In 1936 Bela Bartok was commissioned by his Swiss patron Paul Sacher to write the Music for Stringed Instruments, Percussion and Celesta. What Bartok created was nothing less than one of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century that beguiles the listener through its extraordinarily refined construction and lushly expressive rhythms and melodies.Also remarkable is that Bartok jotted down the four-movement orchestral work very rapidly and without a short score. Breitkopf's new edition is based on the autograph, on the first editions of the conducting and pocket score, and in particular on the composer's personal copy of the pocket score, in which Bartok later entered the corrections that he had discovered - alterations that were taken into consideration for the first time in this new edition.

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

SKU: BR.OB-5555-75

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

ISBN 9790004342503. 10 x 12.5 inches.

In 1936 Bela Bartok was commissioned by his Swiss patron Paul Sacher to write the Music for Stringed Instruments, Percussion and Celesta. What Bartok created was nothing less than one of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century that beguiles the listener through its extraordinarily refined construction and lushly expressive rhythms and melodies.Also remarkable is that Bartok jotted down the four-movement orchestral work very rapidly and without a short score. Breitkopf's new edition is based on the autograph, on the first editions of the conducting and pocket score, and in particular on the composer's personal copy of the pocket score, in which Bartok later entered the corrections that he had discovered - alterations that were taken into consideration for the first time in this new edition.

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

SKU: BR.OB-5555-20

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

ISBN 9790004342442. 10 x 12.5 inches.

In 1936 Bela Bartok was commissioned by his Swiss patron Paul Sacher to write the Music for Stringed Instruments, Percussion and Celesta. What Bartok created was nothing less than one of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century that beguiles the listener through its extraordinarily refined construction and lushly expressive rhythms and melodies.Also remarkable is that Bartok jotted down the four-movement orchestral work very rapidly and without a short score. Breitkopf's new edition is based on the autograph, on the first editions of the conducting and pocket score, and in particular on the composer's personal copy of the pocket score, in which Bartok later entered the corrections that he had discovered - alterations that were taken into consideration for the first time in this new edition.

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

SKU: BR.OB-5555-16

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.

ISBN 9790004342404. 10 x 12.5 inches.

In 1936 Bela Bartok was commissioned by his Swiss patron Paul Sacher to write the Music for Stringed Instruments, Percussion and Celesta. What Bartok created was nothing less than one of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century that beguiles the listener through its extraordinarily refined construction and lushly expressive rhythms and melodies.Also remarkable is that Bartok jotted down the four-movement orchestral work very rapidly and without a short score. Breitkopf's new edition is based on the autograph, on the first editions of the conducting and pocket score, and in particular on the composer's personal copy of the pocket score, in which Bartok later entered the corrections that he had discovered - alterations that were taken into consideration for the first time in this new edition.

One of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century! It has lost nothing of its fascination to this day.