What a pleasant surprise! How can you go wrong with such artfully written choruses or with instrumental works so vibrant, richly scored, and tuneful? But then how many music fans have even heard of Czech composer Pavel Josef Vejvanovský (1639-1693) or have had the chance to hear even one of his compositions? Before he joined the court at the Moravian town of Kromeríz (1666) and assumed the prestigious post of director of the court orchestra, Vejvanovský had made a name for himself as a trumpeter in Vienna. His excellent Jesuit education had afforded him not only societal privileges but allowed him to study and develop his considerable musical talent, and he was a highly regarded figure in court and church during his lifetime. As I listened to this generously filled program, presented under the title Vesperae Sancti Venceslai (Vespers of Saint Wenceslas), I thought how interesting it was that so many of the choral and instrumental sections could easily stand alone–and in fact, this “vespers” is not a single composition but a modern compilation of various Vejvanovský pieces organized in the form of a traditional vesper service. No matter, because the music is so stylistically consistent and the individual works are such well-formed, concise structures that it all fits logically together with no rough edges or misaligned seams.
Although the disc opens with a Gregorian chant invocation, sung by a solo voice (and there are several more chant interludes throughout), I implore all chant-o-phobes to stay put because the music that comes next will compel your attention, as will the majority of the following 23 sections that include both stirring choruses and ravishing instrumental “sonatas” (including some wonderful trumpet solos!), played and sung with all the crispness and tuneful brilliance you could ask for. Stylistically you probably could compare much of this to Schütz and Gabrieli, but there’s also an individuality to the soaring melodic writing and a vivacity to the rhythms that give these pieces a unique dynamism and spirit-raising power. No, there aren’t any great undiscovered masterpieces here, but the point of this music was to enhance worship and provide vehicles for celebration and praise–not to create music for concert performance. However, in the hands of the outstanding vocal and instrumental forces of the Czech Boys Choir and Musica Florea (with help from a handful of soloists–notably boy soprano Lukas Sadovsky), you can easily imagine hearing any of these selections in the concert hall. Conductor Marek Štryncl keeps things moving at a refreshingly lively clip, and Supraphon’s sound brings it all home with clarity, depth, and sensitive balances.
