Karel Husa

Overview - Recordings - Scores - Books - Links

Born: August 7, 1921, Prague, Czechoslovakia

Few works in the wind band field have had as powerful an affect as Karel Husa's Music for Prague 1968. Written shortly after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, the work packed an enormous musical and extra-musical punch when performed in the 1970s. I believe this work still speaks well even after all the political changes of the past dozen years. Certainly it is one of the most performed works in the band repertoire. The Eastman recording and Husa's own are both very fine; I have not yet heard the new Corporon recording.

Husa has written a large body of compositions for band and wind ensemble, and it is a shame that only a handful have been recorded commercially on CD. Husa's works are difficult, so only the best groups dare tackle them for recording projects. The concertos for trumpet, saxophone, and percussion would make especially nice additions to the CD repertoire. What we have today at least makes a good starting point for this vital composer.

Recordings

Works	Performers	Reviews	Stores
Music for Prague 1968	Eastman Wind Ensemble Donald Hunsberger	Gerber	Tower Amazon
Music for Prague 1968	Temple University Wind Symphony Karel Husa	Bauman	Tower Amazon
Music for Prague 1968	North Texas Wind Symphony Eugene Corporon	Ellis	Amazon
Concerto for Wind Ensemble Smetana Fanfare	Cincinnati Wind Symphony Mallory Thompson		Tower Amazon
Les Couleurs fauves	New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble Frank Battisti	Carl	Tower Amazon

Scores

Books

Karel Husa: A Bio-Bibliography by Susan Hayes Hitchens