Foerster: Orchestral Works Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra & Marek Štilec

• Josef Bohuslav Foerster (1859 - 1951): Festive Overture, Op. 70:
• 1 Foerster: Festive Overture, Op. 70 09:33
• Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 9:
• 2 Foerster: Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 9: I. Adagio - Allegro con brio 10:03
• 3 Foerster: Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 9: II. Andante sostenuto 05:23
• 4 Foerster: Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 9: III. Allegretto scherzando 03:58
• 5 Foerster: Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 9: IV. Allegro energico 08:55
• From Shakespeare, Op. 76:
• 6 Foerster: From Shakespeare, Op. 76: I. Introduction. Andante moderato "Zas, mrtvé postavy, mne oblétáte…" 01:04
• 7 Foerster: From Shakespeare, Op. 76: II. Perdita. Allegro scherzando 07:14
• 8 Foerster: From Shakespeare, Op. 76: III. Viola. Andante 04:55
• 9 Foerster: From Shakespeare, Op. 76: IV. Lady Macbeth. Andante sostenuto 05:40
• 10 Foerster: From Shakespeare, Op. 76: V. Katherina, Petruchio & Eros. Allegro energico 07:17
• Total Runtime 01:04:02

Info for Foerster: Orchestral Works

Josef Bohuslav Foerster was the successor to Dvorák as organist in Prague, a lifelong friend of Mahler, and a pivotal figure in Czech music, whose almost 200 compositions take in all the major genres. The three selected works here offer an overview of his orchestral music. Recalling several equally majestic pieces by Smetana, the arresting Festive Overture combines Czech flair with Viennese elegance, while From Shakespeare explores characterization with warmth and resourceful orchestration. The early Symphony No.1 in D minor offers a darkness-to-light trajectory suffused with rich mid-Romantic colors.

Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra
Marek Štilec, conductor

Marek Štilec
was born into a Prague musical family on 18 July, 1985. After studying the violin at Prague Conservatoryin the violin class of Dana Vlachová, he became a student of conducting at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts, where his professors were Oliver Dohnányi and Leoš Svárovský.

Marek Štilec is known as an interpreter of Classical orchestral repertoire and is a specialist in Czech Romantic and contemporary music. He has collaborated with orchestras the world over, including the New World Symphony, Ulster Orchestra, London Classical Soloists, Orchestra of the Swan, Berlin Camerata, Kammerphilharmonie Graz and Sinfonietta Bratislava.

A prolific recording artist, he has made over 30 discs for labels including Naxos, ArcoDiva, cpo and Supraphon. In the field of historically informed performance Štilec has collaborated with ensembles including Czech Ensemble Baroque and Ensemble 18+. He is also the founder of the Wranitzky Kapelle and artistic director of Academy Prague Mannheim with Das Kurpfälzische Kammerorchester Mannheim.

He attended the masterclasses of conductor Leonid Grin at the International Järvi Academy for Conducting, and also taken masterclasses with Michael Tilson Thomas, Jorma Panula and Gerd Albrecht. Since 2020 he has been the permanent principal choirmaster of the Czech Boys’ Choir, Boni Pueri.

Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra
is a world-class symphony orchestra based in Ostrava, Czech Republic and an emerging figure on the international performance scene. With over 100 top-level musicians, the orchestra aims to introduce unique, quality repertoire while showcasing their own recognizable sound.

Around the same time that Ostrava was being frequented by composers like Paul Hindemith, Leoš Janáček, Sergei Prokofiev, and Igor Stravinsky, a Radio Orchestra was formed in the city. In 1954, this ensemble was established as the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, and began touring two years later. The orchestra has appeared over its history with notable names such as Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Diana Ross, and Joseph Calleja to name a few, and it has remained one of the most notable orchestras in the Czech Republic.

Booklet for Foerster: Orchestral Works