Messiah warmly received at the Saint-Robert Abbey
“...Finally, the choral finale was a summation of the conducting of Václav Luks: assertive, lively, invigorating without brutality, with striking pianissimos. In short, here was a vivid, committed interpretation of Messiah.”
ResMusica, Jean-Noël Démard, 26/8/2011

 

Jan Dismas Zelenka performed by Collegium 1704 / Festival de Sablé
"Václav Luks and Collegium 1704 gave an engaged and chiseled performance that was movingly dramatic. Under direction of extreme precision in the manner of delicate calligraphy, the instrumentalists and singers showed the color of the music’s masterful yet subtle sensuality, complex architecture and frenetic inner torment. With its homogenous, brilliant sound, the chorus demonstrated its luminous mastery of this dolorous text. In the Miserere heard after intermission, the soprano Hana Blažíková (Gloria Patri) was impressive for her sensuous tone and her smooth, radiant high register. Collegium 1704 is the ideal ensemble to advocate this music, which has now regained once and for all its rightful place.”
Anaclase – la musique au jour le jour, MP, 8/2011


Luks did not waver with a performance of Messiah in faultlessly good taste
“…intelligence at every level and never anything not in good taste. Irreproachable in terms of realization and intentions. And a rare level of confidence between the conductor and the musicians.
And the result? Their attacks are marvelous, and their nuances are on the scale of millimeters. The chorus (twenty voices) is totally committed.“
La Montagne, Pierre-Olivier Febvret, 23/8/2011

"In baroque music, everything is a question of temperament. The temperament of Vaclav Luks, of his Collegium 1704 and of Collegium Vocale 1704 (Prague) is wonderfully suited to Bach's music. (…) The result is nothing short of a magnificent equilibrium offered by artists who do not conceal their pleasure. (…) The surprise, however, came with Zelenka, Bach’s Czech twin. Luks and his musicians always allow themselves greater liberty with Zelenka. This is fortunate, because his Te Deum is full of bold strokes at the harmonic, sonic and structural levels. (…) Luks is truly deluxe…“

Diapason, Jean-Luc Macia, 7/2011

...The playing is exemplary, as Collegium 1704 are a characterful, always attractive period ensemble of modest size but considerable prowess; you’ll know this if you’ve heard their stunning Zelenka Missa votiva. A theorbo adds character to the bass parts and keyboardist Luks wheels out a small organ for the violin and G minor bassoon concertos. The three soloists — Sergio Azzolini on bassoon, Xenia Löffler on oboe, and Lenka Torgersen on violin — are superb; I would usually try to single one of them out for special praise, but it is hard to do so when all three are so deserving. Marvelous sound and a good booklet read seal the deal.
Baroque enthusiasts will love this."
MusicWeb International, Brian Reinhart, 6/2011


REVIEW: RECORDING OF THE MONTH
(review of the Zelenka Officium defunctorum ZWV 47, Requiem in D ZWV 46 CD)
„...Those harmonies (memento mei Domine from Nocturno II) at 0:55 and onwards stopped me in my tracks and made me go weak at the knees – Zelenka’s original intention I’m sure, and still with plenty of stirring impact today. The Officium defunctorium is just full of moments like this. (...) The Christe eleison has an almost jazz feel with its obbligato chalumeau, a clarinet-like instrument which teases the ear in the same range as the female vocal solo like a baroque Benny Goodman. (...)
This is definitely one of my 2011 recordings of the year."
MusicWeb International, Dominy Clements, 5/2011


Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice & Disc of the Month for CD Zelenka: Officium defunctorum & Requiem
Newly published CD Zelenka: Officium defunctorum & Requiem has been honoured with prestigious Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice and chosen as Disc of the Month June 2011.

"Václav Luks directs the Officium defunctorum with ample dramatic energy; Collegium 1704’s players and choir perform with lyricism and precision. The extraordinary invitatory sequence has some astonishing dramatic gestures in its orchestral ritornellos, and alto Markéta Cukrová and the excellent choir interleave fluently. (...) Collegium 1704’s horns, trumpets and flutes create charming textures in the opening and closing parts of the celebratory Kyrie, which flank Hana Blažíková’s graceful singing in 'Christe eleison'. (...) A fabulous masterpiece is unveiled."
You can listen to the CD also via Gramophone Player.
Gramophone, David Vickers, 14/4/2011


Leading Zelenka performers of the day(from the Zelenka Officium defunctorum ZWV 47, Requiem in D ZWV 46 review)
"...the solo singers are outstanding – it may be naughty of me to draw attention to just one of them, but I feel I should herald yet another star in the Czech early music firmament, contralto Markéta Cukrová is definitely going places (you head it first from me!) – and as an ensemble, the 1704s are among the leading Zelenka performers of the day. I would say THE leading Zelenka performers, but they have formidable rivals to that designation from their compatriots, Adam Viktora's Ensemble Inégal. Happy days for Zelenka fans."

Early Music Review, BC, April 2011

Writing about the music more precisely is difficult because, in the hands of conductor Václav Luks, it is incredibly seductive. Analytical distance quickly dissipates under his deft touch, which is pronounced yet light, expressive without ever losing a single beat or note. There’s no one who knits together a Baroque score so delicately and at the same time so precisely. Luks is seriously devoted to the scholarship of this music, but in performance he pulls it off with great spontaneity.

In short, hearing Collegium 1704 is an experience. The atmospherics are engaging, the music is superb and the execution is exquisite – but the sum of all that is something else, a flight to another space and time. Just ask the angels and saints.”