CZECH NONET 

History of the Czech Nonet

Biography

The Czech Nonet is one of the oldest continuously performing ensembles of its type in the world. Founded in 1924, the ensemble uses the instrumentation requirements of Ludwig Spohr's Grand Nonetto, Op. 31 (violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn). 

Nearly from its inception, the Czech Nonet has been invited to perform by leading international festivals and venues and became an ardent champion of the music of its time instigating the composition of nearly 300 works by some of the greatest composers including Prokofiev, Lutoslawski, Martinu, and Schulhoff. In addition, its instrumentation allows it to include works from the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods in its repertoire. The Czech Nonet records for the Praga record label. 

Sample programs are available by return fax or mail by telephoning or e-mailing the Stanton office.

Recent Reviews

From the Washington Post, Monday, February 13, 2006, Section C5

"The Czech Nonet, founded in 1924, has remained active and renowned through a world war, an oppressive communist regime and the Velvet Revolution, and the current iteration of the ensemble showed why on Friday night when it played the Library of Congress's Coolidge Auditorium.

The Nonet's diverse instruments were perfectly balanced (Vladimira Klanska's unfailingly decorous and lively French Horn was particularly impressive), the musicians made countless lovely blends from their timbres, and their performances sang with infectious joy in musicmaking. It was a treat to hear them."

Andrew Lindemann Malone (view the complete review at www.washingtonpost.com)

From the Buffalo News, Wednesday, February 15, 2006

"Bravo to the Czech Nonet for the freshness and inventiveness of Tuesday's program. It presented works by three leading composers of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries - Mozart, Brahms, and Martinu - yet none of the compositions had ever been heard here in the 82 years of the Buffalo Chamber Music Society.

"…it was a delight all the way, with the 1959 Nonet by Bohuslav Martinu, written for the Czech Nonet, remaining in the mind as a sort of 'first among equals.'"

Herman Trotter (view the complete review at www.buffalonews.com)

Sample Reviews

The Czech Nonet presented a first-class concert, distinguished by refined interpretation, musical richness and great beauty of tone. The nine performers are in prefect command of their instruments, enabling them to perform an enviable technical level, at which the greatest naturalness prevails, along with an uninterrupted current of musicality--limpid, eloquent, full of artistic veracity.
                                                                            El Norte de Castilla, 1993

The Czech Nonet played superlatively, with great brilliance and freshness, truly in virtuoso form.
                                                                                    Lidova Demokracie, 1994

The Musica Behemica ensemble was followed at the festival by the Czech Nonet, and its interpretation of the Spohr and Schubert pieces provided the greatest experience of the festival as far as tonal beauty is concerned. With the Schubert Octet, the Prague artists vouchsafed us fifty-two truly heavenly minutes.
                                                                                        Hamburger Abendblatt, 1996

Prague has sent to the festival the flower of its interpretive art. The prestigious Czech Nonet reaped a huge success with their Sunday matinee, which had to be moved to the Great Hall because of the huge interest.
                                                                                    La Presse, Montreux, 1994

The interpretation, betraying a phenomenal level of intellectual, emotional and instrumental balance, brought out the immense clarity and richness of the compositions. The extraordinary enthusiasm of all the interpreters, the splendid sound of the winds, the penetrating analytical and dramatic feeling--all make this recording a model of interpretation. There can be no doubt that we have before us the best recording of the work of Martinu these days.
                                                                                                Repertoire, 1996

"
                                                                        Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 2002

" . . .in addition to playing with the synchronicity and blend of a world-class string quartet or wind quintet, a perfection that takes the breath away, every member within the Nonet plays like an angel . . . their phrases slip from strings to winds and back with so similar a color and vibe that the transition momentarily escapes detection . . . these players pass along the living heart in a line so exquisite that sonorities are perpetually lit by artistic anima."

                                                                                       Daily Freeman, Hudson Valley, NY April 2002

 “Imagine nine elegant voices speaking, individually, on the same topic. Trade musical instruments for voices, and you have the music of the Czech Nonet.”                                                                                                   Green Bay Press-Gazette  April 2002

 “We are used to outstanding performers at the Jordans concerts but the playing we enjoyed must be among the best. Faultless playing, but also a subtlety, particularly in some of the quiet passages. A great end to a great season and we are grateful to all concerned, but as we applauded them so enthusiastically, we were treated to two encores…both written for the ensemble
                                                                  Bucks Examiner, United Kingdom, July 2000

Sample Discography

Sergey Sergeyevich Prokofiev (1891 - 1953)
Humoresque Scherzo for four bassoons, op. 12 (1915)
Symphony No. 1 in D Major "Classical Symphony", op. 21 (1917), transcription for two pianos
Ouverture on Hebrew Themes, op. 34 (1919)
Quintet in G Minor, op. 39 (1924)
Suite from Romeo and Juliet, op. 64, arranged for wind octet
PRAGA DIGITALS - PRD/DSD 250 216 (Super Audio CD - DSD Multichannel)



Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Quintet E flat major, op. 16 (1796) for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon
Septet E flat major, op. 20 (1799) for clarinet, horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello and double-bass
Ivan Klansky - piano (op. 16)



Louis Spohr (1784 - 1859)
Nonet in F, op. 31
Octet in E, op. 32
PRAGA DIGITALS - PRD 250 160



Florent Schmitt (1870 - 1958)
Lied et scherzo, op. 54 (1910)
Suite en rocailee, op. 84 (1934)
Á tour d'Anches, op. 97 (1947)
Chants Alizés, op. 125 (1952-7)
PRAGA DIGITALS - PRD 250 156



Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
French horn trio E flat major, op. 40
Serenade D major, op. 11 (reconstruction of the preliminary version for nonet)
Ivan Klansky - piano - op. 40
PRAGA PRD 250 148



Antonín Dvorak (1841-1904)
Octet - Serenade, op. 22
Slavonic dances, op. 72 Nr. 2,3,8
Serenade D minor, op. 44
Ivan Klansky - piano
PRAGA PRD 250 129



Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959)
Quartet Nr. 7 (Prazak Quartet)
Quartet H139 a H315
Mazurka-Nocturne H325
Nonet Nr. 2, H374
PRAGA PR 250 097



W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)
Divertimento Nr. 11, KV 251
Quartet with oboe, KV 370
Adagio C major, KV 580a
Quintet with French horn, KV 407
with Prazak Quartet
Praga PR 250 095



Albert Roussel (1869-1937)
Le Marchand de sable, op. 13
Impromptu for harp, op. 21
Sérénade, op. 30
Duo
Divertimento, op. 6
Trio, op. 40
(K. Englichova - harp, D. Wiesner - piano) Praga PR 250 089



Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Eine kleine Trauermusik, D79
Octet F major, D 803
Praga PR 250 087

North American Venues April 2002 through February 2007: