Anyone familiar with the work of the Janácek Philharmonic knows what to expect from this orchestra: an idiomatic familiarity with its namesake’s idiom, one that suits the ensemble’s lean, unvarnished sound particularly well. Given the fact that we can take the execution for granted, the only serious question concerns the conductor, and here the news is wholly good. Christian Arming doesn’t get in the way of the music’s directness and passion, doesn’t try to prettify its raw emotional edge, and never drags. He directs swift, dynamically charged readings of all three scores.
Taras Bulba has plenty of bite in its first-movement battle scene and benefits from a gorgeous apotheosis at the end (though the organ is a touch wheezy). Arming tinkers with the orchestration a bit, adding some snare drum here and there (second movement particularly)–but then just about everyone does, given Janácek’s notoriously impractical if colorful scoring. In short, it’s a fine performance.
If anything, the two couplings are even better. The Ballad of Blanik seldom has sounded so cogent, with its moments of melting lyricism beautifully integrated into the larger whole. Arming also offers a terrific From the House of the Dead suite, far more exciting than Belohlavek’s for Supraphon. The overture is wonderful, and although I wish the ending followed that of the opera instead of opting for an affirmative apotheosis (not by Janácek), Arming makes it work. The sonics are extremely clear and natural, letting the music speak effortlessly. Even though the playing time isn’t very long–a bit more than 50 minutes–this disc still represents very good value.
