Chamber Music (1937-1945)

Description

Alongside Smetana, Dvořák and Janáček, Bohuslav Martinů ranks among the great pillars of Czech music. Born in Polička in 1890, he revealed a precocious talent very early on, composing his first string quartet at just ten years old. His interest in France and its music, particularly that of Debussy, developed quickly. As second violinist of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Martinů also became familiar with the works of Ravel and Dukas. In 1923, he settled in Paris, where he studied with Albert Roussel. He would spend the next seventeen years in France, fleeing the German occupation in 1941 to take refuge in the United States. In 1953, he returned to Europe and divided his time between Nice, Rome and Switzerland, where he passed away in 1959. A composer of immense cultural breadth and innate cosmopolitanism, Martinů's music bears witness to an insatiable curiosity for varied musical styles. Although his early works are deeply rooted in Czech folk traditions, his style quickly became enriched by French clarity, the English Renaissance madrigal and the Baroque concerto grosso. Chamber music occupies a central place in his prolific output. In 1946, while composing his Sixth String Quartet, Martinů wrote: "It is in pure chamber music that I feel most myself." This new recording presents works written between 1937 and 1945: the famous Sonata for Flute, the Sonata for Flute, Violin and Piano, the Madrigal Sonata for the same instruments, and the Violin Sonata No. 3, music of vibrant vitality and great emotional richness. Performed with deep commitment by Ambroise Aubrun (violin), Jocelyn Aubrun (flute) and Steven Vanhauwaert (piano).