Ranging from 1927 to 1959, the year of Martinů’s death, these four works reveal his unceasing versatility in chamber repertoire. La revue de cuisine, heard here in a recent reconstruction of the original complete score, is a supreme example of Martinů’s jazz style.

In Les rondes he evokes his Moravian folk heritage. The Harpsichord Concerto is resourcefully scored and brilliantly crafted, whilst Chamber Music No.1 (‘Les fêtes nocturnes’), one of his last works, sees no cessation of his invention nor of his delight in atmospheric colour.

This disc catches the composer in the full flood of fluency and the four works are uniquely coupled in our disc.

One of the most distinguished performers on early keyboard instruments, in the last decades Robert Hill has collaborated with Reinhard Goebel, Dmitri Sitkovetsky and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, among others.

The pianist and conductor Klaus Simon founded, and is the artistic director of, the Holst-Sinfonietta and the Young Opera Company. He has particularly dedicated himself with both to music of the twentieth century.