COMPOSERS: Martinu
LABELS: Praga
WORKS: Symphony No. 6 (Fantaisies symphoniques); Frescoes of Piero della Francesca; Memorial to Lidice; Vigilie
PERFORMER: Václav Uhlír (organ)
CATALOGUE NO: PR 254 050 ADD
This imaginative disc features some of Martinu’s most inspired music in recordings taken from live broadcasts of 1986-93. The sound tends to be reverberant, serving the strings best in the orchestral pieces, while sometimes obscuring other details. The climax of the Memorial is so ragged and badly balanced that it undermines the effect of the whole piece; but the late organ work Vigilie, the symphony and the Frescoes are all powerfully and atmospherically done. Terry Barfoot
Martinu: Symphony No. 6 (Fantaisies symphoniques); Frescoes of Piero della Francesca; Memorial to Lidice; Vigilie
This imaginative disc features some of Martinu’s most inspired music in recordings taken from live broadcasts of 1986-93. The sound tends to be reverberant, serving the strings best in the orchestral pieces, while sometimes obscuring other details. The climax of the Memorial is so ragged and badly balanced that it undermines the effect of the whole piece; but the late organ work Vigilie, the symphony and the Frescoes are all powerfully and atmospherically done. Terry Barfoot
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:33 pm