VILÉM VLČEK AND DENIS LINNIK

The Basel Academy of Music became the site of an extraordinary musical statement celebrating one of the most important Czech composers of the 20th century: Bohuslav Martinů. The cellist Vilém Vlček, a laurate of prestigious international competitions, and the talented pianist Denis Linnik present Martinů’s complete works for cello and piano on a double album to be released by Supraphon on 2CDs and in digital formats on 20 June 2025.

This recording of Bohuslav Martinů’s complete works for cello and piano was made at the Basel Academy of Music, just a few kilometres from Schönenberg, where Martinů spent the last years of his life. He wrote the compositions mostly for important cellists who were often his friends (Frank, Cassadó, Fournier, Honegger, Piatigorsky, Sádlo etc.). He wrote five compositions of lighter character in Paris between 1929 and 1931. His more serious works, three sonatas and two compositions in variation form, were created between 1939 and the end of the composer’s life; the Variations on a Slovak Folk Song are his last chamber work, and in them one unmistakably hears Martinů’s yearning for his homeland, to which he was unable to return.

The double album captures the wide range of emotions and musical styles in works he created for piano and cello over a lifetime. From the lighter pieces of his years in Paris to the dramatic, heartfelt compositions of the wartime years, and finally to the masterpiece of his late period, the recording bears witness to the composer’s unbroken musical vision.

Vilém Vlček, a cellist acclaimed for his technical brilliance, expressive playing, and depth of musicianship, and Denis Linnik, a pianist of masterful skill, are becoming the ideal guides to the world of Martinů. Their interpretations give listeners an authentic glimpse into the composer’s soul, every note has been carefully considered, and every chord resonates with the emotions that Bohuslav Martinů put into his music.

Vilém Vlček told us: “Recording this album was a great challenge. What was especially important to us was for each little piece, each movement of a sonata, every variation to be truly alive. For it not to be an intellectual struggle with a lengthy programme, but instead for something organic to arise from the recording. To achieve that, we first had to find out how each of the compositions breathes, works, what its characteristics are, and what role it plays in the whole context. It really took a lot of effort, but it was worth it.”

The recording is one of this year’s highpoints among new releases on the Supraphon label. The album presents not only musical virtuosity, but also the story of two young performers who decided to pay tribute to the Czech musical tradition and to offer their perspective on masterpieces that are always finding new listeners worldwide. With their passion and artistic vision, Vilém Vlček and Denis Linnik are proving that the power of Bohuslav Martinů’s music speaks to new generations of classical music lovers.