Mladota Ensemble

Orquesta

The name Mladota Ensemble may be still be unknown to some music lovers. The first concert of the chamber ensemble under this name took place in September, 2003. The name of the group—young both in its term of existence and in the age of the performers can be explained by both the prosaic and poetic circumstances of its origin. The artists currently performing in this ensemble were invited by violinist Josef Suk to collaborate in a concert and CD recording of chamber compositions by Antonin Dvorak; all the artists were leading performers in the Suk Chamber Orchestra.

The six‐member Mladota Ensemble soon became one of the leading Czech chamber groups. It consists of a string quintet and piano, whose members are Martin Kos (first violin), Dana Klimankova (second violin), Karel Untermüller (viola), Tomaš Strasil (cello), Tomaš Vybiral (double bass), and Štepan Kos (piano).

For just such a group, Mikhail Glinka, the founder of a Russian national style that greatly influenced Tchaikovsky, composed a Grand Sextet in E‐flat. While his operas are based on characteristic Russian folk music, his instrumental compositions correspond to general style trends of that time. His three‐movement sextet is composed fully in this style an effective work that at the same time is not at all shallow. The Mladota Ensemble managed to pinpoint this composition perfectly. The excellent teamwork is underlined with noble sound, individual instruments are subordinated to the demands of the whole.