Praha

Recently discovered and to date unreleased recordings represent the last major project of Musica Antiqua Praha, which was during the fifteen years of it's existence (1982-1997) the most eminent Czech early music ensemble focused above all on the performance of early and middle Baroque music. The album comprises compositions that were part of the archives of the Prague Order of the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, recorded by Musica Antiqua in 1996 in a world premiere. The Order's heritage includes more than three centuries of musical tradition, documented by a rarely preserved music archive. The album features music by four composers from the 17th and 18th century. Pavel Klikar, the founder and artistic director of Musica Antiqua Praha, is the major figure inextricably associated with the ensemble, whose inspirational leadership helped to create an important seedbed which brought forth a whole generation of early music performers.

Messiah has been played in many ways, from the gigantic to the minimalist. Each style has its own devotees. This 2CD set contains a small scale performance that brings the work to life in a dramatic and wonderful way. Singing and playing are outstanding and the overall performance is moving and thrilling.

A few brush strokes have come to define the otherwise obscure 18th-century composer later known as 'Il Divino Boemo', or the Divine Bohemian: Josef Myslivecek. He was a close friend of Mozart and a musical influence on him. He was one of the most celebrated opera composers in Italy in the 1770s.