Martinů: Jeux (Miniatures for Piano)

Martinů's piano oeuvre comprises more than 200 compositions (some of which were dedicated to the outstanding pianists R. Firkušný and R. Serkin) and has duly been paid great attention to. However, a number of fascinating miniatures have remained overlooked by performers, with some of them being presented for the very first time on this CD. The minor pieces, often arranged into tiny cycles, are most notable for their playful atmosphere and rhythmic inventiveness. The first cycle (Jeux I) from the composer's mature Paris period reflects the huge popularity of jazz at the time, while in another cycle (Film en miniature) the author's erstwhile enchantment with Impressionism is still evident. Martinů's piano version of the jazz ballet The Kitchen Revue, which immediately after its premiere (1927) met with unprecedented acclaim, has been completely overlooked and hitherto unreleased. This composition too can be heard on our CD in premiere. The leading Czech pianist Karel Košárek, who undertook the implementation of the mentioned miniatures, has vast experience as a soloist, chamber player and accompanier (among other things, he is one of the "court" accompaniers of the mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená).