Martinů Madrigaly - CD

This new recording presents the complete choral works by Bohuslav Martinů that he apparently intended for chamber forces: Madrigals for soprano solo and mixed chorus H 380, Primrose for female chorus, violin and piano H 348, Czech Madrigals for mixed chorus H 278, Three Sacred Songs for female chorus and violin H 339, Four Songs about the Virgin Mary for mixed chorus H 235, and Five Czech Madrigals for mixed chorus H 321. The performers are Martinů Voices conducted by Lukáš Vasilek, with Grażyna Biernot as soprano soloist, Jakub Fišer on violin and Karel Košárek on piano. Although the six cycles were composed over a broad period from 1934 to 1959, with the Madrigals completed shortly before the composer’s death, they are united by the genius and sensitivity with which Martinů drew inspiration chiefly from folk music. He repeatedly returned to texts from Sušil’s collection of Moravian folk songs, which he always carried with him on his travels, and was fascinated by their archetypal themes, charm and directness, above all by the many forms of love, whether happy, unfulfilled, unrequited or betrayed.