MICHNA: The Czech Lute - Musica Bohemica, Jaroslav Krček

Adam Michna (1600-76) is one of the most significant compositional personalities of the Czech baroque. He lived most of his life in Jindřichův Hradec, from where he set out on only a few longer journeys. He apparently assimilated the elements of Italianmusic from the Jesuit schools, with which he held good contacts from the time of his studies - most of his compositions were published by the Klementinum, a Prague Jesuit institution. While the Czech Marian Music (1647) and Music for the Liturgical Year (1661) remind us of the music from traditional hymn books, The Czech Lute on Holidays, on Friday, in the Church, at the table, and as one wishes for any time, for pleasure, for devotion, composed and published by Michna of Otradovice from Jindřichův Hradec in the year 1653 - this is the whole title of the collection - comes much closer to a modern cycle of love songs. They were originally written for two voices, two violins, three viols, and continuo, but because the violin and viol parts are not extant,the collection has been presented in recent times in the sensitive and scholarly instrumentation of Jaroslav Krček. Michna is a pronounced idealist and lyricist, and his Christmas pastoral poetry, which comprises of one-third of this collection, is particularly warm and sensitive. This music, with its characteristic Czech folk simplicity and clear, periodically divided melodies, has much to say to today's listener.

Adam Václav Michna z Otradovic
The Czech Lute
1. Foreword 02:44
2. The Calling of a Spiritual Bride 03:46
3. The Glorious Gift of the Mother of God 01:39
4. Wedding Ring 02:32
5. Virgin Love 02:27
6. Farewell to the World 03:02
7. Spiritual Wedding Purgation 02:24
8. Spiritual Dowry 05:55
9. Angel Friendship 02:38
10. Bridal Wreath 03:19
11. Wedding Day 02:20
12. The Fight between the Soul and the Body 02:09
13. The Grief of the Foolish Virgins 02:51
Adam Václav Michna z Otradovic
The Czech Music for the Virgin Mary /1647/
14. The Christmas Magnet and the Archer 02:34
15. Christmas Dew 04:19
16. Christmas Cradle and Baby Rocking 02:13
17. Christmas Eve 04:53
18. Christmas Joy 02:25
19. Christmas Greetings 02:10
20. Christmas Inn 01:46
Adam Václav Michna z Otradovic
The Music of the Holy Year
21. Salutation to the Baby Jesus 03:54
22. Another Song on the Birth of Jesus 02:00
23. The Nightingale from Heaven Sweetly Sings the Praises of God and His Wonderous Birth 01:13