Leos Janacek's The Diary of One Who Disappeared stands among the finest masterpieces of 20th-century vocal literature and remains one of the composer's most frequently performed works. Straddling the boundary between song cycle and cantata, this extraordinary vocal drama is based on a poem attributed to Ozef Kalda, whose true authorship was only uncovered more than eighty years after it's publication.

A powerful ballad of sensual love and longing, The Diary of One Who Disappeared has inspired musicians, visual artists, theatre directors, filmmakers, and creators across disciplines for over a century. Janacek's original scoring-two soloists, chorus, and piano-already hints at the work's remarkable theatrical potential.

This recording presents the piece in a compelling new chamber orchestration by Arthur Lavandier, whose refined and imaginative instrumentation vividly illuminates the protagonist's inner world of emotions and psychological transformation. Drawing on the finest traditions of the Second Viennese School, Lavandier's arrangement achieves it's expressive power through remarkable economy of means, meticulous attention to detail, and a masterful command of instrumental colour.