CZECH ORGAN CONCERTOS (KOPŘIVA K.B., STAMIC J.V., VAŇHAL J.K.) / J.Tůma, Hipocondria Ens.

1. Karel Blažej Kopřiva (1756 - 1785) - Preludium C dur (regal) 2:37

Jan Václav Stamic (1717 - 1757) - Organ Concerto No. VI, F major

2. Allegro moderato 6:32

3. Larghetto 2:25

4. Allegro 2:18

Karel Blažej Kopřiva

5. Fughetta c moll 1:12

6. Fuga C dur 2:58

Karel Blažej Kopřiva - Organ Concerto E flat major

7. Allegro moderato 6:00

8. Adagio 4:57

9. Allegro di giusto 4:48

10. Fuga a moll 2:50

11. Fuga - Pastorella C dur (regal) 2:32

12. Fuga f moll 3:27

Jan Křtitel Vaňhal (1739 - 1813) - Organ Concerto F major

13. Allegro moderato 5:36

14. Adagio 8:02

15. Finale. Allegro 3:22

Jaroslav Tůma - chamber organ, regal

Hipocondria Ensemble

Jan Hádek, Petra Ščevková - violin, Zuzana Peřinová - viola, Ondřej Michal - cello, Michal Novák - double-bass, Filip Dvořák - harpsichord, Miroslav Rovenský, Petr Kubík - natur horn

CD has been recorded in the Church of St Giles in the village of Bezděz (northern part of the Czech Republic). Nowadays this Romanesque church is the oldest extant one in the entire region of Liberec, still in use. It was built at the end of the 12th century and it is nearly one hundred years older than the well-known royal Castle Bezděz. The church situated under that castle was rebuilt and furnished in the 18th century in the baroque style. The extant precious baroque organ, which was built by the organ builder J. G. Tamiti from Zittau (Germany) in 1760, gives the glimpse of the developed music culture in that region, in the 18th century. Although the works recorded on this CD were played mostly in manors and castle chapels of that time, they sound radiant and convincing in the fine acoustics of the Bezděz church. Harmonious music making is praised in the Holy Scripture, in the Book of Ecclesiasticus (32:5-6), calling it "an amber seal on a precious stone" and "an emerald seal in a golden setting". We will be very pleased, if you feel the same joy and inner beauty when listening to this CD.

Fr Jan Nepomuk Jiřiště, Parish Priest