BURNISHED COLOURS

'Czech instrumentalists of starry reputation'

Smetana's chamber music on the Supraphon label -
with DAVID WILKINS

<< Continued from page 1

The central movement allows the Guarneri trio (Czech instrumentalists of starry reputation) to show how elegant their playing can be when the music becomes lyrical and untroubled. But the shadows are never far away in this music and what they are especially good at capturing is Smetana's characteristic striving towards reconciliation with the trials that fate dispenses. The finale reveals a composer taking delight in the facility of his technique and not sparing the demands on the technique of his players. These players are the equal of any challenge [listen - track 3, 2.42 - 3.25].

The unfamiliar and interesting 'fillers' on the disc are a charming set of variations on a Bohemian folk song (not a million miles removed from 'Twinkle Twinkle, little star') for violin and piano that is played with considerable virtuosic advocacy by Cenek Pavlik and Ivan Klansky and a pair of Duos - for the same combination - entitled (like the symphonic cycle) 'From My Homeland'. The second of these is a lovely six minute Andantino that, while giving plenty of scope for bravura, begins with a rather stirring tune that I reckon might make a good national anthem for any future emerging Bohemian country! [listen - track 6, 0.32 - 1.15].