This disc pairs Janacek’s last (and shortest?) opera with two unrelated chamber pieces performed by an entirely different orchestra, grumble.

This is my favourite of Janacek’s operas. To my ears it’s the weirdest (or nearly) and feels the most evocative of the story he’s trying to tell. (It certainly doesn’t hurt that I used to be obsessed with Doestoevsky.) It feels to me like it’s his most mature and his most unique, as well. But then I am just getting into his operas. In any case, I like this the most of all of his pieces I’ve heard so far, I think. Great stuff.

“Mladi” is a sextet for wind instruments so is right up my alley. This is an underused combination in my mind. Anyway, I like the piece, it’s got a bunch of interesting ideas in it, but I am just a sucker for this kind of music.

“Rikadla” is a brief song cycle (8 songs in 15 minutes). It’s engaging and interesting and kind of goofy. (It translates to “Nursery Rhymes” or something.) It’s definitely one of his lighter pieces, but it’s pretty endearing for what could be considered “modernist” music, that one might otherwise find too arty.

I have no idea (beyond the length of CDs) why this other music is here. It’s a good thing it’s good stuff, but this is not an ideal package.

7/10 for the compilation, but higher for the actual music.

1. From The House Of The Dead Act One: Prelude 5:31
2. From The House Of The Dead Act One: Přvedou Dnes Pána! 4:15
3. From The House Of The Dead Act One: Jak Tě Nazý Vají? 5:22
4. From The House Of The Dead Act One: Neuvidí Oko Již Těch Krajů 4:56
5. From The House Of The Dead Act One: Aljejo, Podávej, Nitku! 7:06
6. From The House Of The Dead Act Two: A… A… 4:16
7. From The House Of The Dead Act Two: Alexandr Petrovič, Bude Prazdnik 7:52
8. From The House Of The Dead Act Two: Přešel Den, Druhý, Třetí 2:52
9. From The House Of The Dead Act Two: Dnes Bude Můj Posledni Den! 5:18
10. From The House Of The Dead Act Two: Pantomima O Pěkné Mlynářce 4:52
11. From The House Of The Dead Act Two: Pěkně Hráli, Co? 4:30
12. From The House Of The Dead Act Three: Scene 1: Isaj, Prorok Boži 7:13
13. From The House Of The Dead Act Three: Scene 1: Má Dětátka Milá 8:33
14. From The House Of The Dead Act Three: Scene 1: A Já Byl, Bratřičku, Až Do Svatby Zpit! 5:40
15. From The House Of The Dead Act Three: Scene 1: S Filkou Jste Se Opět Spřátelili? 6:59
16. From The House Of The Dead Act Three: Scene 2: Petroviči! Já Jsem Tě Urazil 5:08
17. Mládí: I Andante 3:45
18. Mládí: II Moderato 5:05
19. Mládí: III Allegro 3:44
20. Mládí: IV Con Moto 4:22
21. Říkadla 15:24