Martin Madrigaly – CD

This new recording presents the complete choral works by Bohuslav Martin 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 Martin Voices conducted by Luk Vasilek, with Grayna Biernot as soprano soloist, Jakub Fier on violin and Karel Korek on piano. Although the six cycles were composed over a broad period from 1934 to 1959, with the Madrigals completed shortly before the composers death, they are united by the genius and sensitivity with which Martin drew inspiration chiefly from folk music. He repeatedly returned to texts from Suils 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.