Bohuslav Martinu: Complete Piano Music Vol. 5 (Naxos Audio CD)

Giorgio Koukl (piano)

Giorgio Koukl’s survey of Martinu’s complete piano music has been praised as “a delight” (Gramophone) and “estimable and important” (MusicWeb International).

Since the release of Volume 4 (Naxos 8.570215), which was originally intended to be the final disc of this series, several manuscripts of previously unperformed, unknown or lost works have been discovered.

For this recording of the unpublished Polkas and Waltzes (the latter are Martinu’s very first music for piano), Prague born and educated Giorgio Koukl has used manuscript sources, gaining unique insights into this often folk inflected, immediately appealing and emotionally rewarding music.

“This new volume of Martinu piano works is a near-complete delight… Koukl has a clear vision for each [piece]’s expressive language and there is a huge amount to enjoy on this richly satisfying and well-recorded disc.”
BBC Music Magazine