SCO Bohemian Rhapsodies Queen's Hall Edinburgh 16th April 2026 Review
SCO Bohemian Rhapsodies was a celebration of Czech music directed by Greek-Albanian violinist Jonian Ilias Kadesha that, for me, was full of surprises as I have to admit that some of the music on this programme, and one composer in particular, Vítězslava Kaprálová, were new musical discoveries for me, and that I always find interesting. There were of course more familiar names and works on this programme of music which was in full
KAPRÁLOVÁ Suite en miniature, Op.1 (1935)
MARTINŮ Violin Concerto No.2 (1943)
INTERVAL
MARTINŮ La revue de cuisine (1927)
DVOŘÁK Czech Suite (1879).
Whilst order of these works made sense to allow them to fit into the concert performance time, it makes more sense for this review to look at them chronologically as this gives a clearer picture of the Czech history (and in part the wider Bohemian region) and the influence that political and other factors have over the years had upon it and also its music. Tonight's concert programme was a reflection of all of this until the post WWII years.
DVOŘÁK Czech Suite (1879), the earliest work tonight, is from a period when this region was very much a part of the greater European history, culture and music of the time. This is from a time of not only being a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but also a time of trying to establish a clear cultural identity, particularly in music, an area in which German influences so often dominated. The composer was very clear that his name was Antonin Leopold Dvořák and definitely not the Germanic form of his name, Anton.
Written over a decade before his move to America and the writing of his famous "New World Symphony", this work is clearly two things - 1. The work of Dvořák, and 2. Music with a unique Czech identity that draws at times upon Czech cultural music and dance roots. Here pastoral beginnings and a strong melodic direction playfully mix with a polka, whilst at the same time playing with the endless possibilities of mood and colour that switching from major to minor can offer.
Next in the timeline is MARTINŮ La revue de cuisine from 1927. Independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire has been achieved for the Czechs, but the aftermath of the First World War has redrawn the land boundaries of many European countries. Despite this, Czech art across all media, especially music, performance arts and film is flourishing, embracing modernity in all of its many forms and this work, which was originally written for a ballet that sees kitchen pots and pans come to life, is full of absurdity, inviting the six musicians performing this to commit musical anarchy whilst a "Charleston" dance routine enters the soundscape. For some reason though, I had a soundtrack to a Tom & Jerry cartoon running through my head when listening to this music tonight.
Continuing the timeline next was KAPRÁLOVÁ Suite en miniature, Op.1 (1935), although this is an orchestration of a suite for piano that she wrote in 1931. If this music has a straight line history then it fits firmly with tonight’s music from Dvořák and that strong tradition of classical European music. Sadly, Vítězslava Kaprálová died in 1940 in Montpellier, a month after being evacuated from Paris and its occupation by Nazi forces. She was only 25 years old.
Lastly MARTINŮ Violin Concerto No.2 (1943) saw yet another forced relocation, this time to America for the composer. Originally written for one of the 20th century’s great violinists, Russian-born Mischa Elman, this work has everything in it that you would expect to be there. This work provided Jonian Ilias Kadesha the opportunity to bring to life all the colour and emotion of this work, and it still in his hands holds that vibrancy over 80 years later, still echoing too the work’s Czech cultural heritage.
Martinů was to suffer once more at the hands of forces outside of his control as the occupation of his homeland after WWII by the Soviet regime made his return there impossible. This regime also took a dislike to the works of Vítězslava Kaprálová, and it is only in the last few decades that her work has received the wider audiences that it so rightly deserves.
A relationship between Vítězslava Kaprálová when she was a student of Martinů’s also gives this collection of music tonight a very personal touch to it.
Once more, the SCO was taking its audience on a magical mystery tour that was full of the unexpected.
Review by Tom King (c) 2026
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
KAPRÁLOVÁ Suite en miniature, Op.1 (1935)
MARTINŮ Violin Concerto No.2 (1943)
INTERVAL
MARTINŮ La revue de cuisine (1927)
DVOŘÁK Czech Suite (1879).
Whilst order of these works made sense to allow them to fit into the concert performance time, it makes more sense for this review to look at them chronologically as this gives a clearer picture of the Czech history (and in part the wider Bohemian region) and the influence that political and other factors have over the years had upon it and also its music. Tonight's concert programme was a reflection of all of this until the post WWII years.
DVOŘÁK Czech Suite (1879), the earliest work tonight, is from a period when this region was very much a part of the greater European history, culture and music of the time. This is from a time of not only being a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but also a time of trying to establish a clear cultural identity, particularly in music, an area in which German influences so often dominated. The composer was very clear that his name was Antonin Leopold Dvořák and definitely not the Germanic form of his name, Anton.
Written over a decade before his move to America and the writing of his famous "New World Symphony", this work is clearly two things - 1. The work of Dvořák, and 2. Music with a unique Czech identity that draws at times upon Czech cultural music and dance roots. Here pastoral beginnings and a strong melodic direction playfully mix with a polka, whilst at the same time playing with the endless possibilities of mood and colour that switching from major to minor can offer.
Next in the timeline is MARTINŮ La revue de cuisine from 1927. Independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire has been achieved for the Czechs, but the aftermath of the First World War has redrawn the land boundaries of many European countries. Despite this, Czech art across all media, especially music, performance arts and film is flourishing, embracing modernity in all of its many forms and this work, which was originally written for a ballet that sees kitchen pots and pans come to life, is full of absurdity, inviting the six musicians performing this to commit musical anarchy whilst a "Charleston" dance routine enters the soundscape. For some reason though, I had a soundtrack to a Tom & Jerry cartoon running through my head when listening to this music tonight.
Continuing the timeline next was KAPRÁLOVÁ Suite en miniature, Op.1 (1935), although this is an orchestration of a suite for piano that she wrote in 1931. If this music has a straight line history then it fits firmly with tonight’s music from Dvořák and that strong tradition of classical European music. Sadly, Vítězslava Kaprálová died in 1940 in Montpellier, a month after being evacuated from Paris and its occupation by Nazi forces. She was only 25 years old.
Lastly MARTINŮ Violin Concerto No.2 (1943) saw yet another forced relocation, this time to America for the composer. Originally written for one of the 20th century’s great violinists, Russian-born Mischa Elman, this work has everything in it that you would expect to be there. This work provided Jonian Ilias Kadesha the opportunity to bring to life all the colour and emotion of this work, and it still in his hands holds that vibrancy over 80 years later, still echoing too the work’s Czech cultural heritage.
Martinů was to suffer once more at the hands of forces outside of his control as the occupation of his homeland after WWII by the Soviet regime made his return there impossible. This regime also took a dislike to the works of Vítězslava Kaprálová, and it is only in the last few decades that her work has received the wider audiences that it so rightly deserves.
A relationship between Vítězslava Kaprálová when she was a student of Martinů’s also gives this collection of music tonight a very personal touch to it.
Once more, the SCO was taking its audience on a magical mystery tour that was full of the unexpected.
Review by Tom King (c) 2026
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
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