Wind Echoes of the Classics
Ondřej Vrabec, principal horn of the Czech Philharmonic and chief conductor of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, brings together a wind octet composed of members from both ensembles. The program features works by Hummel, Beethoven, and Prokofiev.
Program:
Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Octet-Partita in E-Flat Major
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sextet for 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, and 2 French Horns in E-flat Major, op. 71
Sergei Prokofiev (arr. Andreas Tarkmann): Romeo and Juliet, suite from the ballet in an arrangement for wind octet
Performed by:
A wind octet composed of members of the Czech Philharmonic and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra
Artistic director: Ondřej Vrabec
Jana Brožková 1. hoboj (ČF)
Jan Kubiska 2. hoboj / anglický roh (KSO)
Jan Mach 1. klarinet (ČF)
Lukáš Böhm 2. klarinet (KSO)
Ondřej Roskovec 1. fagot (ČF)
Marek Rothbauer 2. fagot (KSO)
Ondřej Vrabec 1. lesní roh (ČF)
Aleš Janoušek 2. lesní roh (KSO)
About program
Johann Nepomuk Hummel, a student of Mozart and Haydn, was one of the most versatile musicians of his era – a pianist, composer, and conductor who combined Classical purity with subtle hints of Romanticism. His Octet-Partita in E-Flat Major, written around 1802, is considered a major work of the turn-of-the-century wind repertoire. Working with eight musicians (two oboes, two clarinets, two French horns, and two bassoons), Hummel has written a piece characterized by a bright palette of colors, brilliant melodies, and a clever dialogue among the instruments. It has the verve of Viennese serenades but also possesses a sense of drama that heralds the coming of Romantic era.
Ludwig van Beethoven apparently wrote his Sextet in E-flat Major, op. 71, around the same time that he was composing his First Symphony. It, too, reflects his sense for contrast and rhythmic energy, as well as the lightness with which he mastered the style known as “social music.” The sextet was written for two clarinets, two bassoons, and two French horns – a combination that allows for rich dynamic layers and subtle humor. The piece was a success at its premiere in 1805 and remains one of the most widely performed works of chamber music for wind instruments.
The evening closes with the suite from Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet as arranged for a wind octet by Andreas Tarkmann. This brilliant arranger has managed to preserve the dramatic arcs and characteristic sharpness of Prokofiev’s orchestral vocabulary, recast into a more intimate form. We hear the irony, love, and tragedy that make his music for the ballet Romeo and Juliet one of the most moving works of the 20th century – here with a sense of lightness, wit, and the magic color of wind instruments. Suitě z baletu Romeo a Julie v úpravě pro dechový oktet od Andrease Tarkmanna. Tento brilantní aranžér dokázal zachovat dramatické oblouky i charakteristickou ostrost Prokofjevovy orchestrální řeči, přetavenou do intimnější, komorní podoby. Zaslechneme tu ironii, lásku i tragiku, které z Romea a Julie dělají jedno z nejpůsobivějších děl 20. století – tentokrát s kouzlem dechových barev, lehkosti a vtipu.
The general partner of the admission free public concerts in Karlovy Vary is the ČEZ GROUP.
Ondřej Vrabec and a wind octet
Conductor and horn player Ondřej Vrabec combines an exceptional versality with a profound sense for orchestral and chamber music. He was just seventeen when he became a solo horn player for the Czech Philharmonic, for which he still plays today while simultaneously developing his successful career as a conductor. He has worked with most Czech orchestras and with a number of foreign ensembles as well, including the Japan Philharmonic and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. In his musical activities, he is focused on chamber music, recording, and teaching at HAMU in Prague. Since 2021, he has also been the chief conductor of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra.
The wind ensemble that will perform at today’s concert brings together two orchestral worlds to which Ondřej Vrabec has close artistic and personal ties – the Czech Philharmonic and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. The chamber format lets the experience of the two orchestras’ musical experience fully stand out. Under Vrabec’s direction, the wind octet takes a new look at the tradition of Czech wind harmony, confirming that shared joy from music can bring together the orchestras and places that the musicians call home. The ensemble has been a great success at previous concerts by the Czech Philharmonic and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra.
Conductor and horn player Ondřej Vrabec combines an exceptional versality with a profound sense for orchestral and chamber music. He was just seventeen when he became a solo horn player for the Czech Philharmonic, for which he still plays today while simultaneously developing his successful career as a conductor. He has worked with most Czech orchestras and with a number of foreign ensembles as well, including the Japan Philharmonic and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. In his musical activities, he is focused on chamber music, recording, and teaching at HAMU in Prague. Since 2021, he has also been the chief conductor of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra.
The wind ensemble that will perform at today’s concert brings together two orchestral worlds to which Ondřej Vrabec has close artistic and personal ties – the Czech Philharmonic and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. The chamber format lets the experience of the two orchestras’ musical experience fully stand out. Under Vrabec’s direction, the wind octet takes a new look at the tradition of Czech wind harmony, confirming that shared joy from music can bring together the orchestras and places that the musicians call home. The ensemble has been a great success at previous concerts by the Czech Philharmonic and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra.
Conductor and horn player Ondřej Vrabec combines an exceptional versality with a profound sense for orchestral and chamber music. He was just seventeen when he became a solo horn player for the Czech Philharmonic, for which he still plays today while simultaneously developing his successful career as a conductor. He has worked with most Czech orchestras and with a number of foreign ensembles as well, including the Japan Philharmonic and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. In his musical activities, he is focused on chamber music, recording, and teaching at HAMU in Prague. Since 2021, he has also been the chief conductor of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra.
The wind ensemble that will perform at today’s concert brings together two orchestral worlds to which Ondřej Vrabec has close artistic and personal ties – the Czech Philharmonic and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. The chamber format lets the experience of the two orchestras’ musical experience fully stand out. Under Vrabec’s direction, the wind octet takes a new look at the tradition of Czech wind harmony, confirming that shared joy from music can bring together the orchestras and places that the musicians call home. The ensemble has been a great success at previous concerts by the Czech Philharmonic and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra.