Suk, Josef Meditation on the Old Czech Hymn St Wenceslas for String Quartet op. 35a Josef Suk played second violin in the Bohemian String Quartet. Since 1914 the ensemble was obliged to perform the Austrian national anthem at the opening of every concert. Suk decided to supplement this obligatory piece with a work inspired by the ancient sacred Bohemian 'St. Wenceslas' hymn. The hymn's message ' a plea for the well-being of the Czech people, directed at their patron saint ' was immediately understood by the audience. The Bohemian String Quartet performed this single-movement Meditation for the first time on 27 September 1914; the premiere of the version for string orchestra followed on 22 November 1914, played by the Czech Philharmonic. That same year the piece was published by Fr. A. Urbánek together with arrangements for piano and organ. This first Urtext edition, prepared by the Suk scholar Zdenek Nouza, is published in two scorings, one for string quartet (BA 9583; study score TP 583) and another for string orchestra (BA 9584). The orchestral version differs in some details and has an added part for double bass. ' First Urtext edition Edition no. TP 583 ISMN 9790260107809 Editor Nouza, Zdenek Language(s) of text Czech, English, German Product format Study score, Urtext edition Binding Stapled Pages / Format XI, 6 S. - 22,5 x 16,5 cm

Rameau's 'Les Fêtes de l'Hymen et de l'Amour? was long considered second-rate because its première was associated with a political event. Yet this ballet abounds in novel dramaturgical effects that foreshadow his later operas, such as 'Zaïs?, 'Zoroastre? and 'Les Boréades?. Working together with his librettist Cahusac, Rameau sought to weave the dance numbers, choruses and stage machinery more tightly into the main plot. He also experimented with stylistic devices unique to this work, the most famous being unquestionably the scene in which the Nile overflows its banks (an impressive ten-voice double chorus with solo voices and orchestra) and the sextet from 'Aruéris?, a scoring found nowhere else in his oeuvre.For the first time, this scholarly-critical edition of 'Les Fêtes de l'Hymen et de l'Amour? presents a reference version of the work that is based on all the major sources for both the libretto and the music, including two recent musical discoveries. As most of the performance material for the première has vanished, our edition is based on the version prepared for the Académie Royale de Musique in 1748.- Milestone of French Baroque opera in performance practice orientated vocal score- With a brief foreword (Fr/Eng) containing salient information on the genesis of the work, the synopsis and the edition / Orchestre

With his cantata 'Meine Seel erhebt den Herren? which Bach composed for the Visitation of Mary (2 July), he created a Magnificat setting of a different kind: The German text source is a combination of biblical text and a free interpretation, the basis being the Marian hymn of praise from the Gospel according to Luke. The 9th psalm tone acts as the chorale melody and becomes a recurring musical theme.With a small scoring of one trumpet (which if need be can be omitted), two oboes, strings and basso continuo along with four soloists and choir, Bach succeeds in writing a festive music of 20-25 minutes. This performing edition is based on the Urtext of the 'New Bach Edition?.- Festive cantata based on the Urtext of the 'New Bach Edition?- With a duration of 20-25 minutes / Conducteur De Poche

Par RAMEAU JEAN-PHILIPPE. Richer than ever – Rameau’s “Zoroastre” in the version of 1756. Opera in five acts. Rameau’s revised version of his opera “Zoroastre”, which could be heard and seen between 20 January 1756 and 26 March 1757 at the Académie royale de musique, was favourably received. Also from today’s point of view the work profits dramaturgically from many of the changes and seems altogether richer and more tightly woven than the original of 1749. The subject matter of the libretto, derived from Ancient Persian sources, is timeless: the struggle between good and bad. The good is embodied by the religious reformer Zoroastre, a representative of the supreme light being Orosmade. He is opposed by the ambitious magician Abramane who serves Ariman, the spirit of the dark. The opera includes some of Rameau’s most ecstatic and spiritual musical numbers, such as the episode of sun worship in Act 3 with the sublime „Hymne à la Lumière“, which, for unknown reasons, was not integrated in the revision of 1756. It is therefore included in Appendix 3 of this Bärenreiter edition. Incidentally, with “Zoroastre” the prologue, wh ich had been customary since the beginnings of French opera in the 1670s, was abandoned. Instead Rameau was the first to introduce an overture which set the scene for the entire drama and thereby anticipated Gluck’s opera reform by many years. Here we present the instrumental numbers for concert performance. - Based on the first scholarly-critical edition, published as part of “Opera Omnia Rameau” - Instrumental numbers in order of performance, but also grouped by key in the list of contents, enabling them to be combined freely into orchestral suites - Published with performance material on hire / Date parution : 2022-11-08/ Répertoire / Orchestre