The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Jakub Hrůša, has released a compelling recording of Bohuslav Martinů's six symphonies on Deutsche Grammophon. This marks the first appearance of these works on the label, a significant milestone for the Czech composer's distinctive and often overlooked cycle.
Written between 1942 and 1953, all but one of the symphonies were commissioned or premiered by US orchestras, yet they exude the vigorous spirit of Martinů's Czech homeland. The Bamberg Symphony, founded in 1946 by musicians expelled from Bohemia and Moravia, brings a deep connection to the music, which Hrůša expertly draws out.
Martinů's idiosyncratic sound world incorporates orchestral piano and bristling percussion, with neo-classical pastoralism subverted by bustling rhythmic energy. Hrůša's tempos are brisk but never rushed, and the textures are crisp and meticulously detailed. The First Symphony features sunny syncopations and a funereal largo, while the Second channels Dvořák. The Third is troubled and turbulent, contrasting with the ebullient Fourth and the lucid, measured Fifth. The Sixth, subtitled Fantaisies symphoniques, concludes the cycle with mercurial mysteries.
Hrůša's astute theatricality trumps most competitors on disc, making him a highly persuasive guide. The affectionate interpretations are presented in first-rate sound, making this a red-letter day for Martinů's symphonies.
