LENKA TORGERSEN DISCOVERS THE FASCINATING WORLD OF CZECH BAROQUE VIOLINISTS

**The new recording within the Supraphon Music from Eighteenth-Century Prague edition, titled Il Violino Boemo (SU 4151–2), presents 18th-century violinists/com­posers from the Czech lands. The most distinguished among them, whose influence was compared to that of Tartini, was František Benda. Although significantly inspired by Vivaldi, he created his own singular performing style, which was even praised by Charles Burney in his musical travel book. The album features sonatas that have been preserved in period copies in Prague. The CD also contains hitherto overlooked compositions of Czech musicians virtually unknown until recently. František Jiránek served for most of his life in Count Václav Morzin’s orchestra, and his life was also connected with Vivaldi. Another discovery presented on this recording is J. A. Gurecký’s sonata. Owing to the artistry and refinement of the violinist Lenka Torgersen, accompanied by the superb harpsichordist Václav Luks (also the conductor of the famous Collegium 1704), the album brings forth the fascinating world of renowned Czech violin virtuosos – one replete with colour, tender and wonderful.

On the occasion of the release of the CD Il Violino Boemo, we talked to Lenka Torgersen:

What surprised you most when preparing the album?
The greatest surprise was actually the high quality of the compositions. I have had Gurecký’s sonata in my repertoire for a long time now and I have always enjoyed playing it, but I find it strange that no one before me had ever plunged into Benda’s sonatas, which are deposited at the Czech Museum of Music. Jiránek’s sonatas were a pleasant surprise too. I have previously made recordings of his orchestral and chamber works, and the violin sonatas have confirmed that he was an accomplished composer and outstanding violinist who was able to write music for his instrument. Another surprise was that following about two years of preparations I had to record the CD shortly after our second daughter was born, hence the recording sessions acquired a tint of an adrenaline sport.**

You play a violin made in 1760 – could you tell us something about it?

On the recording, I play a beautiful instrument built by Sebastian Klotz in 1760, which the Deutsche Musikinstrumen­tenstiftung Göttingen has lent me for long-term use. I am really grateful for it.

What do you have in store in the new year?

On 11 February 2014, I will premiere the recorded repertoire in Benátky nad Jizerou, Benda’s birthplace. For the 2014/15 season, I am preparing an independent concert tour featuring this programme in the Czech Republic and abroad. As a concert master of Collegium Marianum, I will perform Zelenka’s Lamen­tations at the Prague Spring international music festival, his Sepolcros at the Gdansk festival, and I will record in Oslo with Alfredo Bernardini, Kati Debretzeni and the Barokannerne ensemble. I am scheduled to perform at chamber concerts with Inégal, with whom I will present Zelenka’s masses in the Czech Republic, Germany and Benelux. With Collegium 1704, I am working as concert master on Henry Purcell’s opera King Arthur, which will be staged at the Semperoper Dresden. And I will also give numerous chamber and orchestral concerts with Collegium Marianum, including revivals of the production of Francesco Cavalli’s opera La Calisto in Olomouc, Dresden and Ostrava. And I will also prepare a solo J. S. Bach repertoire for concerts in Madrid, Sicily and Basel.