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Harrison Jenufa Rev Posted by Terence on June 12, 2025, 12:12 am Being completely unreconstructed, and not English, I don't care much for Mackerras' Janacek, or for Rattle's, though admittedly the LSO sounds good. Benacková's recording on Supraphon is my favourite: her voice is clear, silvery, steady, powerful, more like Janowitz, and of course, she's Czech. The rest of the cast, and the conducting, of the edited version, is unbeatable.

Re: Harrison Jenufa Rev Posted by Philip Harrison on June 12, 2025, 7:02 am, in reply to "Harrison Jenufa Rev" Thankyou for your comments Terence. You are quite right, that version from 1977/8 on Supraphon is very special. I should have mentioned it in my review. Beňačková was only 30 and your assessment of her voice in that era is quite correct. The set also has the considerable merit of Naděžda Kniplová (Karajan's Brünnhilde) as a formidable Kostelnička. She recorded it earlier for HMV too. My copy of the Supraphon Jilek set you love is a rather scratchy LP I picked up second hand from that wonderful shop near Notting Hill Gate tube station in the mid 90s. Of course one can now hear it streamed in a great and vivid sounding CD remastering on the usual platforms. Thanks again for drawing everyone's attention to it. An aside - I too am not absolutely wedded to the Tyrrell version. Haitink wasn't too fussed either I understand!

Re: Harrison Jenufa Rev Posted by Terence on June 12, 2025, 11:16 pm, in reply to "Re: Harrison Jenufa Rev" Thank you Philip. I thought I was the only one who thought that the Tyrrell version had its problems, and Benackova is stupendous; it's hardly ever mentioned in reviews; it's always Soderstrom, who actually can't navigate that role vocally. Jilek's entire cast is excellent. Previous Message Thankyou for your comments Terence. You are quite right, that version from 1977/8 on Supraphon is very special. I should have mentioned it in my review. Beňačková was only 30 and your assessment of her voice in that era is quite correct. The set also has the considerable merit of Naděžda Kniplová (Karajan's Brünnhilde) as a formidable Kostelnička. She recorded it earlier for HMV too. My copy of the Supraphon Jilek set you love is a rather scratchy LP I picked up second hand from that wonderful shop near Notting Hill Gate tube station in the mid 90s. Of course one can now hear it streamed in a great and vivid sounding CD remastering on the usual platforms. Thanks again for drawing everyone's attention to it. An aside - I too am not absolutely wedded to the Tyrrell version. Haitink wasn't too fussed either I understand!

Re: Harrison Jenufa Rev Posted by Ralph Moore on June 12, 2025, 10:27 am, in reply to "Harrison Jenufa Rev" I am supposedly an opera buff, yet try as I might, nothing about Janácek's operas appeals to me, regardless of who performs them. Mackerras was of course a Czech music specialist and many years ago I first tried and failed with his studio recording of Jenufa starring Elisabeth Söderström. As a non-fan of Rattle, I doubt whether his live recording would convert me, either. The same applies to Britten's operas amongst which which I am told are many masterpieces but which leave me cold; this accounts for the absence of those two composers in my surveys, as I see little point in forcing myself to engage and will leave that task to someone who really enjoys them. I have to say that given his advocacy amongst a relatively small but enthusiastic coterie of opera-lovers, performances of Janácek's operas seem relatively sparse these days. Previous Message Being completely unreconstructed, and not English, I don't care much for Mackerras' Janacek, or for Rattle's, though admittedly the LSO sounds good. Benacková's recording on Supraphon is my favourite: her voice is clear, silvery, steady, powerful, more like Janowitz, and of course, she's Czech. The rest of the cast, and the conducting, of the edited version, is unbeatable.

Re: Harrison Jenufa Rev Posted by Terence on June 12, 2025, 12:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Harrison Jenufa Rev" Mr Moore You've never put me wrong; you've changed my music and my pocketbook immensely. I do have my few disagreements. I'm with you on Janacek mostly, but I wouldn't trade the last 5 minutes of Jenufa for anything, but only in Benackova's version. Which points to the importance in music of the performer/cast; works that left me cold for decades would suddenly bloom when the right recording came along.

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