Christmas Day Romance, op. 155 - Josef Bohuslav Foerster / instr. Iša Krejčí
Christmas Day Romance is Foerster's only melodrama based on text of Jan Neruda. It was created in 1934. The theme is also Christmas, expressed in Neruda's poem with an inimitable humorous perspective that can serve as a prototype of folk Czech Christmas spirit: the event in Bethlehem is commented on in a very earthly way, familiarly, as a genuine celebration of the child birth, the birth of new life, as it is expressed in Czech folk Nativity scenes, in Christmas carols an other traditions joined with this beautiful season.
This is exactly what Foerster's music is: familiarly cheery, melodious, full of emotions without any trace of mysticism - and nevertheless particularly religious. It was not to no vain that Foerster had cantorial ancestors. This work was first published in 1935 in the edition Musical editions, founded and directed by the composer Bohuslav Taraba. The author of the additional orchestral form is also Iša Krejčí.
Other compositions by J. B. Foerster published in Czech Radio:
Three Christmas melodramas
Two Impromptus for violin and piano
instrumentation2fl, 2ob, 2cl, cl b, 2fg, 2cor, 2trb, 3tbn, batt, archidescriptionscorepubl.NoR 134price195,- CZK
Parts only for hire at nakladatelstvi@rozhlas.cz