Ondrej Kukal: Composer, Conductor, and Violinist * Violin Concerto, Op.7 * 'Danse Symphonique' for Large Orchestra, Op.10 * 'Clarinettino' Concerto for Clarinet & Strings, Op.11 * 'Present' Duo for Violin & Cello {Jana Vlachova & Mikael Ericsson}; * String Quartet #1, Op.9. Violin Concerto: composer is soloist, w. South Bohemia Chamber Philharmonic, cond V Valek. Danse Symphonique: Prague Radio Orch., composer conducts; 'Clarinettino': Ludmilla Peterkova w Jakub Waldman, doublebass, and New Vlach String Quartet; SQ: New Vlach Quartet (composer on violin). Campion RRCD 1343 TT: 68:02 Exciting music by an impressive young Czech composer. Although not yet 40, Ondrej Kukal (b. 1964) already has an impressive list of credits as a conductor: Janacek and Dvorak; Martinu (La Jolla, Toccata e due Canzoni, and the Concerto Grosso); Rejcha, Vorisek and Kozeluh; Haydn and Tchaikovsky. He plays violin with the New Vlach String Quartet, in works by Brahms, Schumann, Suk and Arriaga. (MusicVars, GZ, Bohemia Music, Avenira and Panton labels.) This recording covers a wide range of the music of Kukal, who also gets his hand in as violinist and conductor. The Violin Concerto is a racy, searing work reminiscent of Khatchaturian or Shostakovich, yet its lightness sets it apart from the latter's weighty 1st. That work is often quoted and alluded to: for instance, by the flutes at 2:33 of the Third movement -- a barnstorming Presto con fuoco full of wild plucking, strumming and other engaging pyrotechnics for both violinist and listener. While slightly under-orchestrated, this concerto shows to advantage Kukal's felicitous, colourful use of wind instruments, against which the soloist often plays in counterpoint. This light, largely accessible violin concerto has a certain grandeur and some affecting, heartfelt passages: a stirring work that amply rewards the price of the CD. The writing for winds also stands out in Kukal's Danse symphonique, Op 10. Perhaps the most striking feature of this compact, muscular work for large forces is its dramatic writing for brasses -- echoing Walton at his most malicious, or the satanic snarling in Vaughan Williams's 'Job.' The Danse's excitement derives mainly from its very inventive, infectiously rhythmic orchestration, although reflective music of considerable intensity also emerges from finely-crafted passages that show Kukal ranging far beyond mere jazzy flash and exhuberance. His masterful pacing and grip on contrasts effectively lends this work tension and suspense -- which, to my ear, was less evident in the concerto. All told, an instrumentally colourful, often fiery 11-minute work that deserves repeated performance and recordings. The 'Clarinettino' Concerto for Clarinet and Strings, Op. 11, is a much better-humoured composition. Written for clarinet, string quartet and double bass, this 12-minute work propels the toes to the tune of a highly energized tango. The outer, fast movements are light fusions of tango and classical (think of the Quartetto Gelato), while an involving central movement plumbs musical depths of far more than passing interest. The very brief booklet notes that Kukal spent time conducting at Buenos Aires' Teatro Colon. This work indicates that it was time well spent -- and leads me, further, to guess at some deeper tie with the Argentine. Both Kukal's String Duo and the Quartet are beautifully-crafted works suggesting a Bartokian influence -- although a closer association for me is the music of Kukal's fellow Czech, Zdenek Lukas. Those familiar with Lukas might find the same staccato mode of attack, a similarly strong contrapuntal sense, and much the same inclination towards assertive or forthright musical utterances. Kukal has melodic felicity on his side, however, and is not quite as given as Lukas to musical abstraction. All told: strong chamber works that reward repeated attention. The Violin Concerto, according to the booklet, is a student work, as is the later 'Danses' -- making him all the more remarkable a composer. The Musica Bona site also lists a Kukal CD with two symphonies and a bassoon concerto (clips at http://www.musicabona.com/catalog1/VA0142-2.html). This CD shines a diverse, favourable light on a composer with all the marks of a seasoned performer: while avoiding the musically shallow and rewarding close attention, Kukal seems likely to attract new audiences to concerts with spirited music that sometimes dares to be light, melodic and (am I allowed to say this?) attractive. Miking is rather close, but the bright sound is decent overall: A- The usual disclaimers apply. Comments always welcome, privately or otherwise. Bert Bailey