Review: “Forgotten Czech Piano Concertos” – Marek Kozák

This “album, titled “Forgotten Czech Piano Concertos” features works by Karel Kovařovic (1862-1920), Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915-1940), and Pavel Bořkovec (1894-1972). These pieces, brought to life by pianist Marek Kozák and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Robert Jindra, offer a glimpse into a world of musical brilliance that has remained largely unexplored.

The album opens with Kovařovic’s Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 6 (1887). The first movement immediately evokes comparisons to other under-appreciated Romantic concertos. Particularly, to my ears, those of Franz Xaver Scharwenka’s Piano Concertos. This connection is unsurprising, considering Kovařovic’s own virtuosity at the keyboard. The concerto is a showcase for the soloist, with technically demanding passages that Kozák tackles with impressive agility and control. The orchestration is equally impressive, proving Kovařovic’s skill in crafting rich textures with a large orchestra. The blend between piano and orchestra is well-achieved, with the lower piano register given ample space to resonate.

Kovařovic’s concerto also stands out for its melodic richness. It is perhaps the most approachable of the three on the album. However, as with many “forgotten” composers, there’s a tendency to linger on thematic material, occasionally hindering development.

In contrast, Kaprálová’s Piano Concerto in D minor, Op. 7, is a forward-looking piece that hints at the influences of early 20th-century. These influences can be recognized in the opening movement’s shimmering textures and playful rhythms, which bring to mind Ravel and Martinů. The concerto is a brilliant showcase of Kaprálová’s talent, with its vibrant instrumentation and captivating solo part. It is a poignant reminder of what might have been, had her life not been tragically cut short. The concerto’s modernity and freshness make it stand out in the album, offering a tantalizing taste of a composer whose potential was never fully realized.

Bořkovec’s Piano Concerto No. 2, the chronologically furthest composition of the three, intermingles echoes of Prokofiev and Shostakovich with the French impressionistic influences. The orchestration is original and engaging, with delightful interplay between the piano, brass, woodwind and strings. Kozák’s performance is both delicate and robust, showcasing his ability to navigate the intricate dialogues within the score. The last few bars of the slow movement (track 8) create a sense of longing and introspection that evokes parallels to Bartók’s yet-to-be-composed Piano Concerto No. 3.

The performances on this album are uniformly excellent, the synergy between Kozák and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra is palpable throughout the program, and they perform with a familiarity and finesse that belies the obscurity of the repertoire. Nice recording engineering too, with the balance between the piano and orchestra meticulously crafted, allowing the piano’s resonant bass to emerge without overpowering the orchestral texture.

This curation of concertos works extremely well as an album, with each composition offering a distinct flavor while maintaining a cohesive listening experience: from the romanticism of Kovařovic to the modernist touches of Bořkovec. It is a journey well worth taking, not only for the historical significance but also for the sheer pleasure of discovering music that has, until now, been unjustly neglected.

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