Search - Martinu, Ancerl, Czech Philharmonic :: Symphony 5

Martinu at his most marvelous

Scott Spires | Prague, Czech Republic | 01/19/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This may be the single most essential Martinu disc I have, with the unbeatable CzPO/Ancerl combo tackling several of his orchestral masterpieces. The sound, from the 1950s, is either good mono or adequate early stereo.The 5th Symphony is the longest piece here. It is a more emotionally ambiguous work than Martinu's previous symphonies, harder to characterize in a word or two, with an unusual 3-movement structure and no real slow movement as such. Stick with it, though, as it culminates in a long, rhythmically insistent, pounding finale (shades of Beethoven's 7th) which may be Martinu's single most impressive symphonic movement."Frescoes of Piero della Francesca" is a richly orchestrated, kaleidoscopic piece which stands in the very front rank of Martinu's huge output. "Parables" is composed along the same lines as "Frescoes," although it's a little more modernistic and dissonant. "Memorial to Lidice" is a grim lament inspired by the Nazi destruction of a Czech village during World War II. If you haven't yet discovered this most lovable of twentieth-century composers, this disc is a good place to start."