Martinů: Madrigals

Listen on Presto Music. Free thirty day trial. Find out more.

The pitch-perfect singing of Lukáš Vasilek’s Martinu Voices is always companionable, and I imagine there must be a special pleasure for native Czech speakers. But this is a treasury for everyone. — BBC Music Magazine, July 2018, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 19th Jan 2018
Catalogue No: SU42372
Label: Supraphon
Length: 59 minutes

Presto Editor's Choice

January 2018
Gramophone Magazine

March 2018

Editor's Choice
Diapason d’Or

May 2018

Nouveauté

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Martinů: Madrigals, H. 380

Work length10:06

$4.20

$5.40

Martinů Voices
Lukáš Vasilek

I. On the Other Bank of the Danube

Track length1:57

$1.05

$1.35

II. Lo, a Grove

Track length2:38

$1.05

$1.35

III. Nothing Lasts in This World

Track length3:19

$1.05

$1.35

IV. So You Think

Track length2:12

$1.05

$1.35

Martinů: Primrose, H. 348

Work length6:27

$5.25

$6.75

Martinů Voices
Lukáš Vasilek

I. The New Hat

Track length0:56

$1.05

$1.35

II. In Front of Our Yard

Track length1:12

$1.05

$1.35

III. The Complaint

Track length1:55

$1.05

$1.35

IV. A Nice Piece of Wood

Track length1:33

$1.05

$1.35

V. Noon

Track length0:51

$1.05

$1.35

Martinů: Czech Madrigals, H. 278

Work length17:30

$8.40

$10.80

Martinů Voices
Lukáš Vasilek

I. Lo, Off We Go

Track length2:00

$1.05

$1.35

II. Let's Go

Track length1:35

$1.05

$1.35

III. Let Me Know, Lord

Track length3:29

$1.05

$1.35

IV. Hey! We've Got Goods to Sell

Track length2:14

$1.05

$1.35

V. My Head Is Aching

Track length2:23

$1.05

$1.35

VI. We Love Each Other

Track length1:52

$1.05

$1.35

VII. How Do I feel

Track length2:14

$1.05

$1.35

VIII. Once More

Track length1:43

$1.05

$1.35

Martinů: Three Sacred Songs, H. 339

Work length9:32

$3.15

$4.05

Martinů Voices
Lukáš Vasilek

I. The Nativity

Track length2:20

$1.05

$1.35

II. The Ascension of the Lord

Track length4:24

$1.05

$1.35

III. The Path to Paradise

Track length2:48

$1.05

$1.35

Martinů: 4 Marian Songs

Work length10:16

$4.20

$5.40

Martinů Voices
Lukáš Vasilek

I. The Annunciation

Track length1:31

$1.05

$1.35

II. The Dream

Track length2:03

$1.05

$1.35

III. The Virgin Mary's Breakfest

Track length3:03

$1.05

$1.35

IV. A Picture of the Virgin Mary

Track length3:39

$1.05

$1.35

Martinů: Five Czech Madrigals, H. 321

Work length5:15

$5.25

$6.75

Martinů Voices
Lukáš Vasilek

I. The Message Delivered by the Dove

Track length1:18

$1.05

$1.35

II. My Aching Head

Track length1:07

$1.05

$1.35

III. Geese Floating on Water

Track length0:59

$1.05

$1.35

IV. Riding to See My Love

Track length1:05

$1.05

$1.35

V. Spells and Calumnies

Track length0:46

$1.05

$1.35

About
Reviews
Explore

About

“You know I am not a ‘chorus’ composer ... although I may have made a few good choral pieces, I always somewhat hesitate whether I should plunge into them.” Notwithstanding his humility, Bohuslav Martinů truly loved choral singing. When composing, he mainly drew inspiration from traditional music. He kept returning to the texts from František Sušil’s collection of Moravian folk songs, a copy of which he always kept with him during his travels. In addition to their rhythmicity and modality, he was fascinated by the archetypal themes they treated, their grace and conciseness, as well as the directness, devoid of “metaphysics and pathos”, and, above all, the subject of love in a variety of forms – happy and ill-fated, unrequited, betrayed ...The present recording features the complete choral works Martinů intended (according to a number of sources) for chamber formations.

Even though created over a great time span, between 1934 and 1959 (the composer only completed the Madrigals shortly before his death), all the pieces attest to the genius and sensitivity with which Martinů was able to handle the folk texts and furnish them with a new musical form – simple, spirited and majestic alike.

Lukáš Vasilek and Martinů Voices have made the best of the autograph scores, getting as close as possible to the composer’s intentions, in all the articulation and dynamic nuances. Following the highly acclaimed CD of the cantatas (Supraphon SU41982), the current recording provides yet another insight into Bohuslav Martinů’s fascinating universe.

Reviews

July 2018

The pitch-perfect singing of Lukáš Vasilek’s Martinu Voices is always companionable, and I imagine there must be a special pleasure for native Czech speakers. But this is a treasury for everyone.

March 2018

This is a delight. Martinů’s chamber choral music is hardly well known even among specialists, so this beautifully performed anthology of music spanning the years 1934-1959 is a genuine revelation...Performances are outstanding throughout. The voices are fresh and responsive, and Lukáš Vasilek once again proves that he is a true master of choral conducting.

January 2018

I discovered these delightful, quirky miniatures with Manfred Honeck’s recent observation that Martinů ‘remained passionately in love with Czech folk music throughout his life’ ringing in my ears. The secular works for upper voices are especially appealing – The Primrose (settings of five Moravian folk poems with piano and violin, which have a slight Ceremony of Carols vibe) is a great place to start.

Martinů: Madrigals

CD

Downloads

Contents

Download queue