MARTINŮ'S CANTATAS IN THE OUTSTANDING INTERPRETATION OF THE PRAGUE PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

Since its publishing, the recording of Martinů’s complete Cantatas from the Czech Highlands created by The Prague Philharmonic Choir under the leadership of Lukáš Vasilek has been a roaring success on international basis. The album was selected Editor’s Choice by two of the most important British magazines focused on classical music, the Gramophone and the BBC Music Magazine.

Now the recording has appeared among three albums nominated for the BBC Music Magazine Award in the category of choral works (Choral Award). Whether or not the nomination will change into an award will depend on music lovers all over the world who can participate in open voting at a special website created by the BBC solely for this purpose. The voting was launched on 19 January and is going to last until 19th February.

You can vote on http://awards.classical-music.com/

The four cantatas (The Opening of the Wells, The Legend of the Smoke from Potato Fires, The Romance of the Dandelions, Mikeš of the Mountains) first appeared at Supraphon recordings sixty years ago. They were then interpreted by the Czech Singing Choir and Kühn Children’s Choir led by choirmaster Jan Kühn. The new recording of the cantatas came into being in the Dvořák Hall of Prague’s Rudolfinum and, in addition to top-level performance efforts, its protagonists strived to come as close as possible to the composer’s original intentions. Besides the Prague Philharmonic Choir and choirmaster Lukáš Vasilek, several soloists have participated in the project including soprano Pavla Vykopalová, barytone Jiří Brückler, pianist Ivo Kahánek, members of the Bennewitz Quartet, reciter Jaromír Meduna and others. Supported by the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation, members of the choir have also played a major role in the production of the album.