Leoš Janáček

Donald Macleod illustrates Leos Janacek’s inner tensions through five key relationships

One of the most original voices of the twentieth century, Leoš Janáček was a composer, musical theorist, folklorist and teacher. Born in 1854 in the Moravian village of Hukvaldy, which was then part of the Austrian Empire, in his youth German was the language of government, education and social influence. Having returned from studies in Germany, Janáček made detailed studies of native folk song and spent years annotating the natural rhythms of the Czech language. He was to write all his works for stage in his native language. The range of his professional activities gave him a range of outlets to voice what quickly became a life-long commitment to Czech culture.

Janáček was a contradictory man, who spent much of his life feeling at odds with his circumstances. Through five of his closest relationships, Donald Macleod builds a picture of how his inner tensions found expression in his music.

Music featured:
Suite for Strings, Andante con moto (3rd movement)
Four male-voice choruses
Lachian Dances
Šárka (excerpt from Act 1)
Sinfonietta
Lavečka (The Bench)
Theme with variations (Zdenka Variations)
Amarus (3rd movement)
Janacek, rev. Mackerras: The Cunning Little Vixen Orchestral Suite JW 1/9
Quartet no.1 (The Kreutzer Quartet)
Nejistota JW V/2
Hukvaldy Songs
Taras Bulba
Pohádka
Jenůfa – excerpt from Act 1
Kat’a Kabanova – Act 3 excerpt
The diary of one who disappeared (excerpt)
Quartet for strings no. 2: Intimate Letters
Glagolitic Mass – Credo
Žárlivost
On the overgrown path (excerpts)
The Excursions of Mr Brouček
The Fiddler’s Child
Potulný šílenec

Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC Wales

For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Leoš Janáček https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cr48

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z