蜜芽传媒

Kate Molleson explores the struggles of Jan谩膷ek's long-awaited breakthrough era.

Leo拧 Jan谩膷ek was a true Czech original. He heard music in the way people talk on the streets, loved the local and made it universal - pouring his 鈥渟peech melodies鈥� into pioneering, devastating operas, and writing some of the most intimate confessionals in instrumental music. His life also came with a major plot twist 鈥� after years of toiling away unappreciated, he suddenly found fame in his 60s. Instead of winding down, Jan谩膷ek revved up. All this week, Kate Molleson explores his maverick spirit, his fierce passions, and the phenomenal flood of inspiration of his twilight years.

Today, we catch up with Janacek in the 1910s. It鈥檚 a time of grief, war, creative listlessness, and feeling out of the loop. But at the age of 62, that鈥檚 all about to change...

Sinfonietta (i. Fanfare)
London Symphony Orchestra
Simon Rattle, conductor

The Wild Duck
Cappella Amsterdam
Daniel Reuss, conductor

In the Mists (ii. Molto adagio)
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano

Zdenka Variations (arr Wesly for winds)
Calefax Wind Ensemble

The Fiddler鈥檚 Child
蜜芽传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Ilan Volkov, conductor

Songs of Hrad膷any (The Weeping Fountain)
Netherlands Chamber Choir
Tannie Willemstijn, soprano
Pameijer Elenore, flute
Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor

Jen暖fa, Act II: Jen暖fa鈥檚 Prayer
Karita Mattila, soprano (Jen暖fa)
London Phiharmonic Orchestra
Yutaka Sado, conductor

Produced by Amelia Parker for 蜜芽传媒 Audio Wales and West