Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Uniquely among the Czech Republic's top orchestras, the Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra is located not in Prague but in the northeastern Czech city of Ostrava. Its Czech name, in fact, is the Janackova Filharmonie Ostrava. Despite its regional origins, the orchestra has been somewhat oriented toward the West, especially since the fall of Communism; it has programmed much Western contemporary music and toured the U.S. multiple times. The Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1954, with Otakar Parik as its first conductor. The orchestra was led from 2005 to 2014 by the Ukrainian-American Theodore Kuchar, who opened additional doors for the group in the U.S. Since 2014, its chief conductor has been Heiko Mathias Förster, and its artistic director Jan Zemla. The orchestra quickly gained a reputation even west of the Iron Curtain, and it made its first foreign tour in 1958, going as far afield as Australia the following year; it was only the second Czech ensemble to tour abroad. In addition, the orchestra has toured Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, as well as most European countries. Unusually for an orchestra in the former East Bloc, it has benefited from corporate support, from the Arcelormittal steelmaking firm. The Philharmonic appears frequently in other Czech cities besides Ostrava, and leading conductors from the Czech Republic and beyond -- Jiří Bělohlávek, Václav Neumann, Charles Mackerras, and Helmuth Rilling -- have mounted the podium as guests.
The Janácek Philharmonic has been especially notable for the size and variety of its recorded catalog. Even before the breakup of Czechoslovakia it recorded several albums for the U.S.-based Centaur Records, including an album of Dvorák's Slavonic Rhapsodies; Suite for a Large Orchestra in 1992. Since then the group has recorded for various labels: the budget-line Brilliant in the Netherlands, Denon Classics in Japan, the contemporary-leaning Navona, Albany, and New World labels in the U.S., and Oehms, CPO, and Berlin Classics in Germany, among others. In 2018 the orchestra, under conductor Anthony Armore, issued a recording of symphonic poems by Australian composer Mark John McEncroe.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Bruch, Mendelssohn & Massenet: Violin Works
Kinga Augustyn, Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Jakub Klecker
Classical - Released by Centaur Records, Inc. on 1 Sep 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mulholland Drive
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanislav Vavrinek, Jakub Černohorský, Dušan Foltýn
Classical - Released by First Leaf Music on 29 Aug 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Prisma, Vol. 5
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanislav Vavrinek, Jiri Petrdlik
Classical - Released by Navona on 9 Apr 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Richard E Brown: Voices of the Night
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Karel Dohnal, David Watkin, Stanislav Vavrinek
Classical - Released by Navona on 13 May 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Alkis Baltas: Ballet Music
Theodore Kerkezos, Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Alkis Baltas
Classical - Released by Phasma-Music on 3 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Richard E Brown: The Gift of the Magi
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Jiri Petrdlik, Bree Nichols, Pavol Kuban
Opera - Released by Navona on 14 Oct 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Craig Madden Morris: Kaleidoscope
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Chamber Music - Released by Navona on 3 Feb 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Symphony No. 4
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanislav Vavrinek, Jan Košulič
Classical - Released by First Leaf Music on 29 Aug 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Tribute to Jan Levoslav Bella
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, David Porcelijn
Classical - Released by PHAEDRA on 8 Jul 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Zaimont: Symphony No. 4 "Pure, Cool (Water)"
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Sorel Classics on 20 Oct 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Three Places in Los Angeles
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by First Leaf Music on 26 Sep 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Greve: Oerbos & Other Works
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Navona on 8 Apr 2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Adventures of Florian, Act I: Isabella
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanislav Vavrinek
Classical - Released by Navona on 2 Oct 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Musical Images: Reflections & Recollections, Vol. 1
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Anthony Armore
Classical - Released by Navona on 27 Sep 2019
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Inviting Worlds: New Works for Large Ensemble, Vol. 3
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, South Czech Philharmonic, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra Olomouc, Stanislav Vavrinek, Miran Vaupotic
Classical - Released by Navona on 9 Dec 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Sparks, Vol. 2
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Navona on 12 Mar 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dimensions, Vol. 3
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Navona on 11 Sep 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Woven in Time
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Navona on 22 Oct 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Michael Drapkin: Classics Rescored for Chamber Orchestra
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Mark Laycock
Classical - Released by Pro Organo on 17 Jun 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Cesare Cantieri, Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Denon on 1 Jan 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn - Academic Festival Overture - Tragic Overture
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Zdenek Kosler
Classical - Released by Denon on 1 Jan 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo