Martinů: Chamber Music with Viola

Album review

Supraphon's Bohuslav Martinu: Chamber Music with Viola is part of their undesignated, but apparently aiming to be complete, survey of Martinu's works and concentrates on viola-driven chamber music dating from the last dozen years left to the eminent Czech composer. All but seven of those years were spent in New York City, where he taught at Mannes College of Music; during his time in New York Martinu forged a great many friendships with talented American musicians, including violist Lillian Fuchs and her husband, violinist Joseph Fuchs. Along with those two, Martinu made the acquaintance of pianist and Polish émigré Artur Balsam. Martinu wrote the works on this disc with these specific performers in mind, and among them, the Three Madrigals (1947) has become a very famous work. The others, though, have not fared as well; Martinu's Sonata for viola and piano (1955) has gained some traction mainly because it is what it is, a showcase for viola players, and it does have a very effective closing movement. The Duo No. 2 for violin and viola (1950) has some striking moments, particularly in the second movement marked Lento; however, it doesn't seem like Martinu is firing on all cylinders here. The opposite is true of Chamber Music No. 1 (1959; there was never a No. 2), written in the last year of Martinu's life. It returns for a final time to the Martinu's bright and aggressively colorful idiom of the 1920s, only sadder and wiser. While it is easy to understand why the Duo No. 2 hasn't gained a lot of traction in the repertoire, Chamber Music No. 1 -- scored for violin, viola, cello, harp, and piano -- is a hidden gem, one among many such works in Martinu's canon.
Czech violist Alexander Besa is the star of the show, but doesn't really act the part; it appears the intention here is to present the music pretty much as it is on the page, and that's not a bad strategy, as all but the Three Madrigals remain relatively obscure. The playing by all is polished and professional, and Supraphon's recording is good -- though a little diffuse -- overly warm, and old-fashioned sounding. Nevertheless, inasmuch as Martinu's late chamber music with the viola as centerpiece is concerned, this Supraphon disc tells it like it is.

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