The Belfiato Quintet are yet another exciting Czech chamber ensemble active in the international arena. The members of the young wind quintet perform with renowned...

The Belfiato Quintet are yet another exciting Czech chamber ensemble active in the international arena. The members of the young wind quintet perform with renowned orchestras and both as individuals and collectively hav egarnered accolades at competitions. This acclaim, however, has not gone to their heads, with their performances above all revealing their attitude: ''We enjoy it!'' The debut studio album, which they hvae recorded 12 years after the ensemble's foundation, exclusively features Czech music dating from the first half of the 20th century. J.B. Foerster composed the Wind Quintet in 1909 to commission for a virtuoso ensemble, formed by the members of the Wiener Philharmoniker. The work by Janáček's pupil Pavel Haas, written two decades later, bears traces of inspiration by folk music, Janáček, as well as Stravinsky. When listening to the piece, it is difficult indeed to resign oneself to the chilling fact that this immense young talent was silenced for ever at Auschwitz. Leos Janáček had created his wind sextet Youth just five years previously. Owing to the music teeming with joie de vivre, prevailing over languor and melancholia, one is hard pressed to believe that the artist was 70 years of age when he composed it.