Bohuslav Martinů - Piano Quintets; Piano Quartet (Ivan Klánský; Kocian Quartet)

Information

Composer: Bohuslav Martinů

• Piano Quintet No. 2, H 298
• Piano Quintet No. 1, H 229
• Piano Quartet, H 287

Ivan Klánský, piano

Kocian Quartet

    Pavel Hůla, violin

    Miloš Černý, violin

    Zbyněk Paďourek, viola

    Václav Bernášek, cello

Date: 2009

Label: Praga

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Review

If you love the music of Czech-French-American composer Bohuslav Martinu well enough to know his six symphonies and seven string quartets, and you enjoyed his quartets enough to want to try more of his chamber music, this may be the disc for you. Bringing together for the first time his two piano quintets and his piano quartet, this disc by pianist Ivan Klánsky and the Kocian Quartet makes a persuasive introduction to these works. Martinu's first piano quintet dates from 1933 and shows the influence of his time in France in its pellucid textures and of his hearing of American jazz in its bouncy rhythms. The second quintet dates from 1944 and the one and only piano quartet dates from 1942 and both show the influence of world events in their tougher tone and of America in the steely strength. But whatever the work and whenever the date of its composition, Martinu always sounds like himself: lyrical, energetic, optimistic, and joyous, with the kind of effortlessly soaring melodies that only he could write. Czech-born Klánsky and the Kocian turn in performances that capture all those qualities and express them with skill and affection. Recorded in clean, colorful digital sound, these recordings will thrill hardcore Martinu fans, and may also intrigue anyone interested in twentieth century chamber music.

— James Leonard

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Bohuslav Martinů (December 8, 1890 – August 28, 1959) was a Czech composer of modern classical music. He was a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and briefly studied under Czech composer and violinist Josef Suk. Martinů was a prolific composer who wrote almost 400 pieces. Many of his works are regularly performed or recorded, among them his oratorio The Epic of Gilgamesh, his six symphonies, concertos, chamber music, a flute sonata, a clarinet sonatina and many others. Martinů's notable students include Alan Hovhaness, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Jan Novák and many others.

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Ivan Klánský (born 1948) is a renowned Czech pianist. A graduate of the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, he studied under Valentina Kameníková and František Rauch. He is a laureate of several major international piano competitions, including Bolzano (1967), Warsaw (1970) and Fort Worth (1973). Klánský has recorded extensively for labels such as Naxos, Supraphon and Praga Digitals. He taught at the Musikhochschule Luzern and currently leads the keyboard department at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. In 1986, he co-founded the acclaimed Guarneri Trio Prague.

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The Kocian Quartet, founded in 1972 by members of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, was named after violinist Jaroslav Kocián. Recognized as one of the leading Czech string quartets, the ensemble has featured musicians such as Pavel Hůla and Václav Bernášek. Their repertoire spans classical staples by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, Czech masters like Dvořák and Janáček, and lesser-known composers such as Pavel Haas and Hans Krása. The quartet also champions contemporary Czech music, premiering works by composers like Rafael Kubelík. They have recorded widely for labels including Praga and Orfeo.

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