This beautiful disc contains a splendid program of familiar and unfamiliar Czech works for cello and piano. Janácek’s Fairy Tale probably is the most popular piece here, and cellist Tomáš Jamník responds to its composer’s quirky blend of passion and spontaneity with opulent tone and a totally idiomatic identification with the style. Indeed, one of the most noteworthy characteristics of Jamník’s playing is his ability to generate the necessary lyrical intensity without ever permitting his timbre to turn ugly or rough. In this respect he stands squarely in the tradition of great Czech string players (think, for example, of the Talich or Panocha quartets).
Both the Martinu and Kabelác cello sonatas were composed in the same year: 1941. The former’s turbulent emotional climate foreshadows some of the darker symphonies to come (such as the Third) and contrasts superbly with Kabelac’s rarely heard work. This piece is quite a discovery, a tightly structured and melodically appealing effort from a very fine composer known almost exclusively for the two orchestral works (Mystery of Time and Hamlet Improvisation) recorded by Ancerl and the Czech Philharmonic. Like the Mystery of Time, the sonata includes a passacaglia, which Kabelac executes with impressive gravity and not a shred of formal stiffness.
Pianist Ivo Kahánek accompanies with effortless dexterity and exceptionally good taste. You’ll be particularly impressed by the way he manages Martinu’s busy textures without sounding labored or covering the cello. Incidentally, if you don’t know Martinu’s inventive Rossini Variations, which rounds out this intelligently conceived program, you’re in for a treat. Excellent sonics provide the finishing touch on a disc that has to be counted among the finest cello and piano recitals to come along in a quite a while.
