Bohuslav Martinu was born in what is now the Czech Republic when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a young man, he left home for France to seek his musical fortune, then left for America after the Nazis conquered France, and then returned to Europe after the Second World War. His music is a reflection not only of his genius, but of his international peregrinations. Still, there are things about Martinu's music that Czech performers, especially young Czech performers, seem to get in a way that non-Czechs don't. On this 2009 disc of the composer's complete works for piano trio, the youthful Kinsky Trio Prague demonstrates an intuitive understanding of the airy lightness of his lyricism, the radiant brightness of his colors, and irresistible buoyancy of his rhythms. In its hands, the effervescent First Trio and the droll Bergerettes are delightful, while the more serious Second and Third trios are intense, exciting, and dramatic. In each of the works, the Kinsky Trio's brilliant tone, tight ensemble, and propulsive sense of rhythm are extremely impressive. Praga's super audio digital sound is crystalline.
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