Magdalena Kozená - Love Songs (Dvorak, Janacek, Martinu)
The composersAntonín Dvorák,Leos  Janácek, andBohuslav  Martinumight not be the names that first spring to mind when love songs are  mentioned, yet this fascinating collection gives us a taste of what delights we  have been missing. They range from seven Moravian folk songs, collected by  Janácek at the turn of the century, to songs written by Martinu in the  U.S. in 1942. There's also early Martinu--including songs he collected in Slovakia  in 1920--plus the world-premiere recording ofSongs for a Friend of My  Country, a cycle he wrote in France in 1940 on his way to America. All of  these songs are of interest in giving us another aspect of each composer's work;  most have much more to offer. Many are achingly lovely, especially those by  Dvorák--including his Op. 2, a reworking of four songs from a cycle he  had written almost 20 years earlier, andLove Songs, a revision of eight  songs from the same cycle. "Good night, my darling," from his 1886 cycleIn  Folk Tone, is worth the price of this CD alone. Czech mezzoMagdalena  Kozená, who put together the program, sings with pure, attractive  tone. Graham Johnson is her excellent accompanist.--Richard Fawkes