Jiří Bělohlávek and the Czech Philharmonic present Leoš Janáček’s most notable works. This release continues the series of Jiří Bělohlávek’s last recordings of Czech masterworks for Decca Classics before he sadly passed away last year. August 2018 marks 90 years since Janáček’s death in 1928. This album commemorates the great Czech composer with these informed recordings by the Czech conductor and orchestra.

1990 von Dozentinnen und Dozenten der Stiftung Villa Musica Rheinland-Pfalz gegründet, hat sich das Ensemble Villa Musica einen Namen als führende Kammermusikvereinigung gemacht. Was die Fachpresse immer wieder mit Erstaunen registriert, ist die Vielfalt in Besetzung und Repertoire des Ensembles. Rund 20 der renommiertesten Instrumentalisten Deutschlands haben sich unter dem Spiritus rector Ulf Rodenhäuser zusammengefunden. Sie alle sind heute solistisch, kammermusikalisch und als Professorinnen und Professoren an den großen deutschen Musikhochschulen tätig, nachdem sie lange Jahre an den ersten Pulten der renommiertesten deutschen Orchester wirkten oder noch heute wirken.

Without doubt, this is one of the most important recordings of music by Janácek in recent years. Paul Wingfield’s restoration of the original performing version of the Glagolitic Mass is a fine piece of work and deserves to become the standard text. Those familiar with the Mass will notice changes right at the start, where the ‘Intrada’ (normally the conclusion) appears twice, at both the beginning and end. This introduces a number of fundamental alterations to rhythm and instrumentation which make for a markedly different whole: undoubtedly harder to perform, but infinitely sharper in outline.

The title ‘Dawn to Dusk’ represents some of the contrast between the two works: Ravel’s string quartet can be seen as his first substantial musical statement, while Janácek completed the quartet ‘Intimate Letters’ only a few months before his death. Maurice Ravel wrote only one string quartet, but it is one that dramatically expanded the coloristic boundaries of the genre. Completed in 1903, while Ravel was still a student, he dedicated the work to his teacher, Gabriel Fauré. Over time, Ravel’s quartet has become known as one of the most innovative and vibrantly dynamic quartets in the repertoire.