Saturday, November 20, 2010

Zdeněk Liška/Jan Švankmajer


This post about the upcoming release of an obscure Czech soundtrack by Zdenek Liska reminded me of something I've been meaning to share: a collection of Liska's music for Jan Svankmajer's stop-motion films. I love these films, and I think a lot of the appeal has to do with the noises beckoning from Liska's magical music box. Stones dropping rhythmically into a bucket, weird echoes and electronic effects, marionettes shouting at each other -- these are some of the ingredients going into Liska's concrète lullabies and nursery rhymes, along with a silliness that keeps Svankmajer's menagerie of grotesques from getting too, well, grotesque. I find the weird slavic baroque earthiness of the Svankmajer/Liska world totally enchanting. And I could be wrong but I don't think anyone's ever bothered to put this music together on a record or CD.

So, for the last couple years I've just been listening to my own homemade Liska/Svankmajer bootleg, which includes most of their films from the 60s and early 70s, films like "Historia Naturae" and "Jabberwocky" and "A Game With Stones." Nice music for padding around the living room, making a cup of tea, dressing down your marionette, etc. Enjoy.
at

23 comments:

  1. PSNovember 21, 2010 at 10:18 AM

    Attempts have been made to put out Liska's work, but too many rumours about obstructive forces. A great shame as his work would be worshipped by a new generation.
    The BFI put out a very nice Svankmajer DVD box-set with those films you mentioned. Second Run DVD put out a few films by Herz and Vlacil with Liska's soundtracks. 'The Cremator' is really worth purchasing. Too many Liska soundtracks to mention, but the other ones really worth hunting out are 'Holubice', 'The Devil's Trap' (both by Vlacil) and 'Celebration in the Botanical Garden' (Elo Havetta).

    ReplyDelete
  2. A Sound AwarenessNovember 21, 2010 at 10:44 AM

    Wow Peter, these films look great!

    ReplyDelete
  3. gregoryNovember 21, 2010 at 12:20 PM

    I have a DVD of "Celebration in the Botanical Garden."

    It's amazing, well worth checking out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. BrancoNovember 22, 2010 at 6:43 AM

    Brilliant post.
    Thanks alot!

    ReplyDelete
  5. cablovisionNovember 22, 2010 at 12:21 PM

    This guy kindly compiles tons of Liska lost TV and film soundtracks:
    http://www.youtube.com/user/Tnegad
    Great background listen !

    And here's a good doc about master Liska:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsdtn9jjth4
    (in 6 parts).

    ReplyDelete
  6. EleventhvolumeNovember 22, 2010 at 12:34 PM

    Many thanks, just enjoying it now, atmospheric, crepescular and quite wonderful. Are you acquainted with Lech Jankowski's Institute Benjamenta soundtrack? It's a great favourite of mine. I'm sure you're familiar with it, but if not, let me know and I'll furnish you with a copy. I'm tempted by this CD of Jankowski's: http://www.lechjankowski.com/shop/buy.htm, but at 28.5 EUR, its expense has put me off so far.

    ReplyDelete
  7. BenNovember 22, 2010 at 1:37 PM

    Thanks for the links and leads, folks. That youtube channel looks like a great resource, Stephane. I know you have a shitload of Liska music too.

    I haven't heard of the Lech Jankowski soundtrack, but it sounds fantastic. I'll have to look into that.

    I can vouch for the White Dove and anoher film called Valley of the Bees, which actually does have a soundtrack that came out on CD. I think my personal favorite Liska soundtrack is this one:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjE7PuZE34E

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousNovember 23, 2010 at 4:46 AM

    does any one know a good ACC to MP3 converter?

    ReplyDelete
  9. BenNovember 23, 2010 at 8:51 AM

    itunes? are some of these tracks ACC? whoops.

    ReplyDelete
  10. gregoryNovember 23, 2010 at 4:46 PM

    Valley of the Bees (not currently in print as far as I can tell):

    http://rapidshare.com/files/24491160/zdenek_liska_-_1967_-_udoli_vcel.zip

    ReplyDelete
  11. gregoryNovember 23, 2010 at 4:48 PM

    Love his score for Fruit of Paradise as well. Wish someone would release it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousNovember 25, 2010 at 12:38 PM

    check this masterpiece of svankmaier/Liska
    gorgeous female vocals !


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2NW4URlpEY

    ReplyDelete
  13. libratheneJanuary 24, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    I hear the Fruit of Paradise ost will be upon us soon, I'm pretty sure finders keepers are on the case. The greatest opening sequence in any film ever, and I include 2001 in that.

    ReplyDelete
  14. libratheneJanuary 24, 2011 at 6:53 PM

    hypnotic images and amon duul-esque soundtrack.
    frans zwartjes 'spectator'.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64ARnFi3DuQ

    ReplyDelete
  15. D. ChristieFebruary 7, 2011 at 3:19 PM

    Thank you so much for this! If anyone can find the Marketa Lazarova Soundtrack I would be much obliged!

    ReplyDelete
  16. TonyMarch 18, 2011 at 12:44 AM

    I am so glad I found this Liska mix of yours.

    I am trying to get my hands on his work for The Fabulous World of Jules Verne, but not much luck. It's filled with harpsichord and the movie has a steam punk aesthetic way ahead of its time.

    thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousMarch 25, 2011 at 3:20 PM

    Wierdly, I also have a homemade Liska/Svankmajer bootleg that I've been listening to for the last couple of years

    ReplyDelete
  18. Rudy CarreraJanuary 23, 2012 at 4:57 AM

    Thanks for your wonderful post! I'm documenting interesting artists like Liska here: http://rudycarrera.com/amotmwiki/index.php?title=Zden%C4%9Bk_Li%C5%A1ka

    ReplyDelete
  19. JonnyMay 8, 2012 at 2:31 AM

    Just curious, is the link for the Liska/Svankmajer mix down? I can't find it, and would love to hear this. Huge fan of any of Liska's work. Thank you so much.

    ReplyDelete
  20. BenMay 9, 2012 at 8:38 AM

    I can re-up it... give me a few days.

    ReplyDelete
  21. JonnyMay 9, 2012 at 12:35 PM

    Thanks, Ben. Much appreciated. Have you heard this fantastic Liska mix full of rarities?

    http://www.mixcloud.com/arcticcircle/52-the-circle-zdenek-liska-gurun-gurun-mix/

    ReplyDelete
  22. SprocketMay 14, 2013 at 8:55 AM

    If you can reupload, that would be stoking. I'm writing part of my thesis on Svankmajer and while I have the splendid B.F.I. collection, it would be nice to have the music to listen to on its own while working! :D

    ReplyDelete
  23. JohnMcManApril 12, 2014 at 6:56 PM

    I can't find the link :(

    ReplyDelete