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Vitězslava Kaprálová: Songs for voice and piano
Reviewed by Martin Anderson
posted 19 March 2006

Dvě pisně (‘Two Songs’), Op. 4; Jiskry z popele (‘Sparks from Ashes’), Op. 5; Jablko z klína (‘Apple from the Lap’), Op. 10; Navždy (‘For Ever’), Op. 12; Sbohemašateček (‘Waving Farewell’), Op. 14;
Koleda (‘Carol’); Vánočníkoleda (‘Christmas Carol’); Vteřiny (‘Seconds’), Op. 18; Zpivánododálky (‘Sung into the Distance’), Op. 22; Dopis (‘Letter’) (1940); * Leden (‘January’), for soprano/tenor, flute, two violins, violoncello and piano. Dana Burešova (soprano), Timothy Cheek (piano), *Magda Čáslavová (flute), members of the Herold Quartet (Petr Zdvihal, Jan Valta, violins; David Havelík, cello). Supraphon SU 3752-2 231 (70:31)

Here’s more proof, were it required, of the entire musical tradition that went missing with the Nazi occupation of the Czech lands, a tradition with its feet in Janáček and, therefore, in the very Czech language itself: Pavel Haas and Hans Krása sent to the gas-chamber in Auschwitz via the Terezín ghetto, the early promise of Vilém Tauský interrupted by exile, as also the career of Bohuslav Martinů, his mature symphonic voice not long achieved. True, the blame for the death of Vitězslava Kaprálová (1915–40) can’t be laid directly at Hitler’s feet: she died of miliary tuberculosis, in Montpellier , having fled occupied Paris – and she, like Martinů, her lover, had already moved to Paris in more tranquil times. But the voice is unmistakably Czech, Janáčekian, though without the rhythmic idiosyncracies, and with a clear infusion of Debussyan Impressionism, doubtless absorbed in her adoptive homeland.

What I’m not sure about is the individuality of the creative voice. One can hardly fault a composer who dies at the age of 25 for not acquiring a distinctive voice (although, of course, the truly great figures have generally acquired their distinctive mannerisms by then), and she is here working on a small scale. But her Military Sinfonietta – perhaps her largest score – fails to establish a harmonic personality, and I fear this is also the case here. True, Dana Burešova’s performances don’t help: she is constantly out of tune and brings no dramatic understanding to the texts – here it’s more sung declamation than anything else, and the humour, intensity, innocent naïvety, pathos which could have brought these songs to life (and which you can detect in the music itself) go unrevealed. Timothy Cheek provides lively and attentive accompaniment, which fails to save the day. Good sound, and full texts and English, French and German translations in the 74-page booklet. An opportunity missed, I’m afraid.

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