Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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Josef Suk (1874-1935) was a prominent Czech composer and violinist, born in Křečovice, near Prague. A student of the famous composer Antonín Dvořák, he expertly bridged the gap between the late Romantic era and the emerging modernist style of the next generation; he is celebrated for seamlessly infusing Czech music with a sense of modernity while preserving its nationalistic roots.
Suk composed much for the piano, and twelve of his more accessible works have now been brought together for a new collection in Bärenreiter’s popular Easy Piano Pieces and Dances series, offering an ideal introduction to this repertoire…
Suk’s Piano Works
Displaying musical talent from a young age, Suk studied at the Prague Conservatoire, where he became known as one of Dvořák’s most devoted students. Developing a strong bond with his mentor, rooted in a shared and deep musical and personal respect, he went on to marry his teacher’s daughter Otilie in 1898 (whose own piano music I previously reviewed here).
Suk’s compositions helped to consolidate a distinctive national Czech musical identity. Early successes include his Serenade for Strings Op.6, and the symphonic poem Pohádka (Fairy Tale) Op.16, works which combine drama, lyricism, and a rich harmonic language.
After this happy period in Suk’s life, his later years were overshadowed by profound tragedy. Within just 14 months around 1905, Suk faced the heartbreaking loss of both his mentor Dvořák and his beloved Otilie, inspiring his funereal Asrael Symphony, named after the Old Testament angel of death.
Suk’s piano works span his entire career, and are filled with emotive depth and intricate craftsmanship. The most popular are sets of miniatures, which include his Piano Pieces Op.7, Moods Op.10, Piano Pieces Op.12, Suite for Piano Op.21, Spring Op.22a, and Summer Impressions Op.22b, About Mother Op.28, Things Lived and Dreamt Op.30, and Lullabies Op.33.
Merging tradition with innovation, Suk’s piano music made a significant impact on the development of Czech piano music, and these works offer a treasury of music ripe for major rediscovery and wider recognition.
For a first encounter with his compelling concert works, I highly recommend listening to the ripe romanticism of the Piano Pieces Op.7 and Spring Op.22a, both of which have been superbly recorded by Jonathan Plowright.
But for those keen to play the easiest works, where to begin?
Easy Pieces and Dances
The latest addition to Bärenreiter’s Easy Piano Pieces and Dances series, edited by Jonáš Hájek, collects the following pieces from across Suk’s career:
- Humoreska / Humoresque
- Lístek do památníku / Albumleaf
- Adagio, ma non troppo
- Andante
- Vesnická serenáda / Village Serenade
- Menuet / Minuet
- * * *
- Jak zpívala matinka za noci chorému děcku / How Mother Sang to Her Sick Child During the Night
- Popěvek / Little Song
- O Štědrém dni / On Christmas Eve
- Vysocká polka / Vysoká Polka
- Pisina španělská / Spanish Joke
This seems to me a judicious selection; certainly, from an oeuvre largely comprising technically demanding works, these are pieces which will likely prove accessible to pianists at around early advanced level, UK Grades 6-8.
The pieces range in length from one page to four, and offer an introduction to the range of styles Suk explored, from playful and carefree pieces such as the Village Serenade and the opening Humoresque, to the darker tone of How Mother Sang to Her Sick Child During the Night.
The latter comes from About Mother Op.28, a collection dedicated to his son, in which Suk grapples to comes to terms with Otilie’s early death. It is one of several evocative and poignant pieces here, through which players can develop their subtlety of expression and interpretative skill while enjoying music of profound beauty and depth.
The collection also includes two pieces published for the first time. These are Suk’s humorous greeting Spanish Joke, sent to a friend on a postcard from Madrid in 1909, and the Vysocká Polka, a melody “often played by musicians for Master Dvorák”, which Suk arranged for piano later in life.
The Publication
As one would expect from this most superlative of publishers, the collection enjoys a tasteful and carefully considered presentation, with a luxury matt cover and 32 pages printed on the best cream paper within. The music engraving is outstanding.
Hájek’s Preface is admittedly dry; whereas students and amateur enthusiasts would perhaps prefer more general background information, the editor focuses on academic detail over personal or musical interest. This is but a minor criticism, and there is plenty here to inform those interested in the provenance of the pieces.
Finally, helpful fingerings have been supplied throughout by Markéta Týmlová. These are carefully and idiomatically conceived, adding to the accessibility of this excellent score.
Closing Thoughts
Few reading this review will have played or even heard the piano music of Josef Suk, which really is a great pity. Outside of his homeland, his music has struggled to gain the recognition and widespread popularity it truly deserves: his is one of the great musical voices of the late Romantic era, and his many dozens of miniatures are absolute gems.
Having enjoyed Suk’s music through recordings, I am pleased to see this new edition in print, offering a first opportunity to play some of the more accessible pieces from this wonderful body of repertoire.
I hope that others, too, will discover the joy of Suk’s piano music. This is an outstanding, important, and overdue publication which deserves a spot on the music stand of every early advanced piano player.
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