Bohuslav Martinu: Cantatas
Sheet Music

SKU: NX.SU4198-2

By Ivo Kahanek, Jaromir Meduna, Jiri Bruckler, Ludmila Hudeckova, Lukas Vasilek, Martin Slavik, Members of the Bennewitz Quartet, Pavla Vykopalova, Petr Svoboda, and Prague Philharmonic Choir. By Bohuslav Martinu. Country of Origin: Czech Republic. Classical. CD (1 disc). Published by Supraphon Music Publishing (NX.SU4198-2).

UPC: 099925419820.

When Miloslav Bures sent his first poem Song of the Ruby Spring to Bohuslav Martinu in 1955, he seemed to have touched the deepest spot of the composer's heart. The poet set his verses into the landscape of the Czech Highlands, the region of Martinu's childhood and a rich source of his memories. The composer must have identified strongly with the character of the pilgrim returning to his birthplace, because he wrote The Opening of the Springs within nine days. Later he set to music three more poems by Bures, finishing the last one, Mikes of the Mountains, half a year before his death. For Martinu, the cantatas represented an important link to his homeland at a time when the political situation and later also his poor health were diminishing his hopes of coming back home. One can only imagine what he felt when he was sitting in Schonenberg, Switzerland, listening to the vinyl record with the first recording of his Opening of the Springs published by Supraphon, or when his friends were sending him reports about the Czech premieres of his works... This new recording made by the Prague Philharmonic Choir is based on the currently prepared critical edition that takes into account the composer's manuscripts and interpretation requirements. Insisting on the highest performance quality and returning to Martinu's original ideas were what motivated the musicians throughout the making of this recording.