Intensely idiomatic Antonín Tucapský's Violin and Viola Concertos - as heard by PETER DALE 'beautifully played ... sensitively directed ...'

Born near Brno in 1928, Tucapský, through his teaching, conducting and compositions, represents a direct line back through Czech music to Novák and Janácek himself. However, as a teacher of composition at Trinity College until his retirement in 1997, he has had a tremendous influence on British musical composition. A similar influence on performers is likely to have taken place through the many pieces of his which have found their way onto syllabuses of the Associated Board Exams.

His choral and vocal music is well known too, but his orchestral music much less so. Here, at last, we have two substantial pieces available on disc. They are beautifully played, with intense commitment by the soloists and orchestras sensitively directed by the respective conductors. The forms of both concertos are quite free and tend towards a pattern of orchestral tuttis interspersed with cadenza-like periods of rumination. Tucapský knows his instruments well: the writing is never less than intensely idiomatic, though both soloists wear their virtuosity lightly. Particularly in the case of the Viola Concerto, a small repertoire has been considerably enriched by the addition of this piece.

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