Rediscovering unjustly forgotten composers and their music is a fine experience and adventure at the same time, and this CD offers music-lovers both. J. J. I. Brentner (1689 - 1742) was one of the most successful Czech composers of his time (measured by the number of compositions published in print). Thanks to missionaries, his music got as far as South America only to lapse into total oblivion after his death for more than a quarter of a millennium. The demands that his beautiful melodies place on performers gives one an idea of how accomplished the instrumentalists and singers of his time must have been. Our CD (world recording premiere) was made using period musical instruments in Baroque surroundings by the group Ensemble Inégal specializing, in particular, in historically enlightened interpretation of 17th- and 18-th century music. Please, accept our invitation to the realm of lovely sounds and joy of discovering the as yet unknown.

Václav Kunt – flute, Monika Knoblochová – harpsichord, Petr Hejný - cello

The composer is another member of the group of oustanding Czech musicians who were active all over 18th century Europe, who helped to develop a new style of music - classicism - and who later fell into oblivion. A contemporary of J.V.Stamic and F.Benda, Jiří Čart served at the court of Berlin together with F.E.Bach, then as a violinist of the Mannheim orchestra and finally, after Stamic´s death, as its conductor. In his Sonatas for Flute, Čart remains half way between the style of Baroque and coming classicism. This is the first ever recording of the work.

A complete recording of works for the harp by Petr Eben (1929 - 2007), the best known contemporary Czech composer. The harp is presented here as a solo instrument, as an equal partner to other chamber instruments, and as one assigned the role of accompaniment. The recording was made in 1999 by harpist Kateřina Englichová, holder of many prestigious international awards.
Kateřina Englichová – harp, Jana Tetourová – mezzosoprano

The latest recording by Zuzana Růžičková, a world-acclaimed harpsichordist inseparably associated with J. S. Bach´s music, here introducing 20th century compositions, with which she reaped success during her tour of Japan in 1997. Comprising a number of world premieres, the recording was made in January 1998 on a modern instrument designed to match the character of the works by Viktor Kalabis, Bohuslav Martinů, Jan Rychlík, Peter Miegg, Béla Bartók.

Ivan Ženatý – violin, Zuzana Růžičková – harpsichord, Petr Hejný – viola da gamba

This CD of Bach´s less familiar sonatas offers a glimpse into works not only by Bach, the father, but also those by his sons. Though originally ascribed to Johann Sebastian and given BWV catalogue numbers, musicologists today suspect some of them may well have been composed by his sons. However, this measure of doubt about the actual authorship detracts nothing from their sheer musical beauty, enhanced as it is by the virtuoso performance of all the players.

Jana Herajnová – violin (Felicce Beretta, 1779)

All of Paganini´s 24 Capriccios as played by Jana Herajnová, soloist of the Czech Nonet. The violinist´s way of interpretation together with her period Italian gut-stringed violin lend the recording the kind of authenticity that makes you feel like being at an early 19th century salon.

Radek Němejc - Dan Fiedler - Jan Šimůnek - Antonín Šturma - Petr Zelenka - Jan Čížek - Radek Zapadlo - Petr Kroutil - Pavel Klikar

This live recording came into existence in repopnse to two entirely different stimuli. One came from the idea to preserve the atmopshere of jazz clubs and cellars where enthusiasts - musicians and jazz fans alike - meet to jointly create music of the given moment. The other was provided by Jiří Kolář´s works of art which inspired improvizations on the present CD.