Product DescriptionSmetana's first quartet, subtitled 'From My Life,' is semi-autobiographical and features musical sketches depicting parts of the composer's life. The programmatic content ranges from an expression of the composer's inclination to the romantic ideals in life and in his music to reminiscences of his happy youth. Completed as he was recovering from illness, Sibelius created one of his most heartfelt scores in the D minor quartet. It is music of reminiscences, of mercurial changes of mood; melancholy but never despairing. At the heart of the piece are three mysterious whispered chords over which Sibelius wrote 'Voces Intimae' - inner voices. Praga's brilliant pairing of these two musical diaries is played with keen instight by the Kocian Quartet.