Martinů: Špalíček, The Spectre’s Bride, Romance of the Dandelions, The Primrose – Prague Symphony Orchestra SUPRAPHON

The common thread joining all these pieces is Martinů’s homesickness, his love for his homeland and its folk traditions. The first version of Špalíček (“a ballet of national games, customs and fairy tales”) written in 1931-32 closed with the “ballet cantata” The Spectre’s Bride, based on the poem by Karel Jaromír Erben, the renowned Czech folk song collector. The ballad was later omitted due to the total length of the performance, returning to its original context first on this CD again. In the autumn of his life (1957) Martinů wrote the cantataRomance of the Dandelions based on the beautiful folk-style text of Miloslav Bureš, the story of a young maiden who waits for seven long years for her beloved to return from the war. ThePrimrose, a set of vocal duets with piano and violin accompaniment, was written in 1954 on the texts of Moravian folk songs. Performance of these gems of the Martinů literature was undertaken by the experienced, accomplished conductors Jiří Bělohlávek and František Jílek.

CD 1
Bohuslav Martinů
Špalíček. Ballet with singing in 3 acts, H. 214
1. Opening. I am telling you a Story 03:34
2. 1st act: Scene 1 – Play at the Doll 02:07
3. 1st Act: Scene 2 – Play at the Prisoner’s Base 00:57
4. 1st Act: Scene 3 – Play at the Little Wolf 01:23
5. 1st Act: Scene 4 – Play at the Little Cock and Hen 03:31
6. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 5 – In front of the Hut 01:34
7. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 6 – Dance with the Hare 01:32
8. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 7 – Griling the Hare 00:42
9. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 8 – Arrival of the King and his Suite 02:45
10. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 9 – At the Magician’s Castle 02:27
11. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 9 – Change of scene. Dance of the Lion 01:17
12. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 9 – Dance of the Sparrow-hawk 00:36
13. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 9 – Dance of the Little Mouse 01:26
14. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 10 – Finale. A Magnificent Palace 00:25
15. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 10 – Dance of the Tom-cat 00:44
16. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 10 – Arrival of the King and his Suite 00:32
17. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 10 – Dance of the prima Donna 00:25
18. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 10 – Dance of the Mouse and Tom-Cat 00:16
19. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 10 – Juggler’s Performance 00:57
20. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 10 – Dance of the Acrobats 00:38
21. 1st Act: Fairy-tale of Puss in Boots: Scene 10 – Finale of the chorus 00:52
22. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 1 – A Country Market-place and the Cobbler’s Workshop 02:06
23. 2st Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 2 – The Cobbler Prepares for his Journey Abroad 00:39
24. 2st Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 2 – The Market and Dance of the Horse 01:12
25. 2st Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 2 – Dance of the Butterfly 00:44
26. 2st Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 2 – Dance of the Bumble-bee 01:56
27. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death – Change of scene 01:15
28. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 3 – Black Town 01:51
29. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 3 – Arrival of the Princess 01:04
30. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 3 – Arrival of the Giant 00:28
31. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 3 – Fight of the Butterly with the Giant 02:09
32. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 3 – Departure of the Cobbler 00:35
33. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 3 – The Miraculous Bag 03:57
34. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Change of Scene. Wanderings of the Cobbler 01:11
35. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 5 – At the Enchanted Castle 00:53
36. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 5 – Dance of Death 01:27
37. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 5 – Wanderings of the Cobbler 02:19
38. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 6 – At the Gate of Hell 02:41
39. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 7 – At the Gate of Heaven 03:18
40. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 7 – Dance of Death 01:39
41. 2nd Act: Fairy-tale of the Cobbler and Death: Scene 7 – Death Escorts the Cobbler to Heaven 01:28
42. 3rd act, opening 02:24
43. Act 3, Scene 1: Legend of St. Dorothea 08:47
44. Act 3, Scene 2: Carrying out Death 03:40
45. Act 3, Scene 2: Play at the Queen 03:07
CD 2
Bohuslav Martinů
Špalíček. Ballet with singing in 3 acts, H. 214
1. Act 3: Fairy-tale of Cinderella. Change of scene. Cinderella at Home 01:20
2. Act 3, Scene 3: Ball at the Castle 06:10
3. Act 3, Scene 4: Village Green 00:53
4. Act 3, Scene 4: Play at the Golden Gate 01:05
5. Act 3, Scene 4: Dance of the Ladies 01:32
6. Act 3, Scene 4: Dance of the Country Girls 01:11
7. Act 3, Scene 4: Valse 00:53
8. Act 3, Scene 4: Wedding 02:39
9. Act 3, Scene 4: Polka 02:44

Bohuslav Martinů
10. The Spectre’s Bride. Ballad after K. J. Erben’s Poem for soprano, tenor, bass, and mixed chorus with orchestra, H. 214 I 27:18

Bohuslav Martinů
11. The Romance of the Dandelions. Cantata for Mixed Chorus a cappella and Soprano Solo, H. 364 13:11

Bohuslav Martinů
The Primrose. Five duets on text of Moravian folk songs for sopranos, contraltos, violin and piano, H. 348
12. The New Hat. Poco allegro 00:52
13. In Front of Our Yard. Allegro 01:08
14. The Complaint. Poco andante 02:15
15. A Nice Piece of Wood. Poco allegro 01:27
16. Noon. Allegro 00:54