This program is a continuation of the two previous CD-projects with Czech music, “Whispering Leaves” (COBRA0069) and "Fenêtre sur le jardin" (COBRA0070). This time the theme is Christmas (“Vánoce”), again with a number of world premières of beautiful music which have been unjustly forgotten.

“Christmas Eve” and “A Child’s Christmas Dream” by Josef Suk bring distinctly different Christmas atmospheres. The pieces are psychologically subtle, with many voices and complex harmonies, but always melodic, sincere, and generous.

The cycle “Vánoce” by Jaroslav Kvapil is the first world première on this CD. According to Ludvík Kundera, “it is not only the most personal work of Kvapil, but also an expression of an ardent life experience full of lyric beauty”. Here Kvapil’s spontaneous musicality blossoms, his inexhaustible melodic creativity and natural musical intuition are readily apparent. The immediacy and intensity with which he expresses his emotions brings to mind the compositional style of his teacher, Janáček.

Three short pieces (“Sledge”, “Lullaby”, and “Christmas Carol”) by Bohuslav Martinů render the atmosphere of the Christmas period and things that typically belong in it: snowy fun on a sledge, a children’s lullaby with magical bells which get more and more festive, and a merry Christmas pageant with singing and dancing.

Together with Suk, Vítězslav Novák was one of the best known pupils of Dvořák and one of the most important Czech composers of the beginning of the 20^th century. Two of his works are presented on this CD. The "Songs on Winter Nights" are extremely varied in character: after an amorous moonlit night follows a nightly storm, after a mystical Christmas night a burlesque carnival’s night. The Christmas sonatina has a warmly lyrical and dance-like character. In the second part Novák uses an old song from the period of Jan Hus, which was traditionally sung during Epiphany.

One of Novák’s best pupils was Jaroslav Křička. His cycle “Intimate Pieces”, the second world première, was a Christmas present in 1912 for a certain Růža Pluhařová. It seems to be a tonal declaration of love. The intensity of its lyrical expression streams from beginning to end.

The last small piece, "Christ the Lord is born" by Leoš Janáček is a charming and tender piano version of a very well-known Czech Christmas carol from the 15^th century.

Ksenia Kouzmenko is internationally renowned for her sensitive and technically accomplished piano playing, and is a much sought after partner in chamber music. She recently discovered the joy of playing on an Érard grand piano, with its inspiring sound possibilities. “Ksenia Kouzmenko is a convincing performer. She sweeps the listener along on her musical explorations”.