Beethoven: Sonata for Piano and Violin.

Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Violin no. 10 in G major, op. 96 Antonin Dvorak Romance in F minor, op.11 Josef Suk Four Pieces Bela Bartok Rhapsody no. 1 SZ 86--Folk Dances Roman Patocka--violin, Frederic Lagarde--piano. Production: Michel Giroud, Pascal Vigneron. Text: Eng., Fr. Recorded: 2006, Seignelay, France. Released: 2008. DDD. TT: 67:31 CD Quantum QM 7046.

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Roman Patocka has made his debut CD with the small French company Quantum (Euravent, Codaex). He has chosen the music to show his versatility and ability with a combination of supreme classic, the necessary projection of Czech music and a taste of relatively modern music.

In the Beethoven he has tried to come up with his own original interpretation, something that he does not entirely achieve but clearly strives for with sincerity. Given the dozens of recordings on the market it is not easy to offer a new and electrifying conception. He is much more sure of his ground in the Czech music; the Suk in particular is excellent and a pleasure to the ear. For me the high point is the Bartok, which is ravishing and highly individual. It will certainly be exciting to follow Roman Patocka's progress and see what place he finds in the competition with his contemporaries (Spacek, Vodicka, Vonaskova-Novakova, Bacova and others). He is partnered on the CD by the French pianist Frederic Lagarde. His instrument, probably a Steinway, is good, his playing less so, with basically nothing about it to engage the listener. I hope that for his next project the violinist will choose a more sensitive pianist with a better touch.