Czech Philharmonic © Martin Kabát |
Josef Špaček photo credit Radovan Subin |
But in Prague, where the orchestra does a regular concert series at the Rudolfinum, they play the whole spectrum of orchestral music though Josef says that the audience is somewhat more conservative, though they do try and programme more modern pieces too.
When I ask where it is not too demanding to combine being a concert master of such a busy orchestra with a solo career, Josef says that it is very demanding but that he feels he is at the time of life when he can rise to such challenges, though on the tour to Vienna, Poland and the UK he will have no concert master duties as he is the soloist in the concerts.
The Rudolfinum, which is the orchestra's home in Prague |
His time at the Curtis Institute opened his eyes more to a wider culture and broadened his horizons. He feels that the best part of his training in the USA was that he now thinks and feels differently. He came back to the Czech Republic to join the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 24. When I comment on his youth he says that nowadays this is far less of a surprise and that other colleagues from his Curtis Institute days went on to join orchestras. He had a lot of orchestral training and was concert master of both the Curtis and Juilliard orchestras. Also, when he became concert master of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra his father was playing in the cello section which helped a lot.
The orchestra's recording of the complete symphonies and concertos by Dvořák goes on international release in April at the same time as their UK tour. Also in April, Josef Špaček's Janáček, Dvořák and Suk disc is released on Supraphon. When I ask if he worries about recording such repertoire when the orchestra has recorded it all, often under very distinguished conductors, Josef says that we are living in an age when everything has been recorded. It makes it difficult to record things again, but the musicians must work to make it different and special, and make the recording something which will last.
The orchestra's tour opens on 18 April 2015 at Leeds Town Hall with Jiří Bělohlávek conducting the orchestra in Dvořák's Seventh Symphony, plus some Slavonic Dances. Josef Špaček is the soloist in Bruch's violin concerto and RVW's The Lark Ascending. The tour then takes in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh (19 April 2015), Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham (21 April 2015), Colston Hall, Bristol (22 April 2015), The Anvil, Basingstoke (23 April 2015), Symphony Hall, Birmingham (24 April 2015) and Saffron Hall (25 April 2015). In addition to the Dvořák symphony they will be performing Mahler's Second symphony in Birmingham, and Josef Špaček will also be playing Mendelssohn's violin concerto.
Elsewhere on this blog:
- Visual epic: Dara - theatre review
- Eastern inspiration: Felicien David's Le Desert - CD review
- Is this a crossover disc? My encounter with tenor Matthew Long - interview
- A Musical Dedication: Homages from Christoph Denoth - CD review
- Palate cleanser: The Indian Queen from The Sixteen - CD review
- 18 century Viennese court style: Raffaella Milanesi - CD review
- Exploring Beethoven: Jonathan Biss - CD review
- New light on old forms: Iestyn Davies in lute songs old and new - CD review
- Celebrating magna carta: Temple Church Choir - CD review
- Bravura brilliance and expressive singing: Lucy Crowe, Tim Mead, David Bates and La Nuova Musica - concert review
- A passion for Gilbert and Sullivan: My encounter with John Savournin of Charles Court Opera - interview
- Sheer beauty of sound: The Holst Singers in Frank Martin - concert review
- Home
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