The results have sounded openhearted and welcoming before but not, I think, so consistently luminous and assured....This is a release to cherish.

The set is extremely well recorded: even from the initial bars of the First Symphony it’s obvious that Hrůša has taken enormous care to balance the finer details, and I was particularly pleased to be able to detect notable aspects of Martinů's orchestration such as the importance of the piano and harp parts.The execution from every section of the orchestra under Hrůša’s control proves to be nothing short of spectacular.

Too often neglected, their first appearance on Deutsche Grammophon is a red-letter day for these distinctive, eminently likable works...Hrůša, whose astute theatrically trumps most of his competitors on disc, is a highly persuasive guide and his affectionate interpretations are presented in first-rate sound.

Hrusa is certainly serious; very much the thinking man’s maestro, he’s even published a collection of essays on Martinu. None of that impedes the vitality and colour of these performances with Hrusa’s own orchestra, the famously adventurous Bamberg Symphony.