Intimate Sketches is the debut album of Agathe Ensemble, featuring music by three major Eastern European composers: Janáček, Bartók, and Shostakovich.
 
All pieces, originally conceived as piano miniatures, are arranged and recorded for the first time by string players.
 
Some of this music is sketchy and intimate, straight out of a diary book. Unfinished, or intended as material for a masterpiece that was never written. Music that tells live experiences and deep emotions.
 
Others are lighter, drawn from local folk music traditions. There is also room for short but carefully composed pieces of music to impress the audience.
 
Leoš Janáček
• Intimate Sketches
• Three Moravian Folk Dances
 
Béla Bartók
• Three Hungarian Folk Songs from Csík
• Allegro Barbaro, Sz. 49
 
Dmitri Shostakovich
• 7 Dances of the Dolls
• 24 Preludes, Op. 34 (selection)
 
The album Intimate Sketches is released in a special format. Alongside the music, it includes an illustrated and designed booklet by artist Roland Tóth.
 
This booklet features illustrations inspired by the music, as well as background stories about the works. The CD is integrated within the book.
 
 
 
Illustrations and design: Roland Toth
 
 
Text: Iván Nogueira