Říkadla (1926)

Even the seventieth birthday could not disrupt Leoš Janáček's good mood. The memory of childhood and youth deftly forged into the music of a wind sextet entitled Mládí (Youth), a birthday present he gave himself, does not contain even a little bit of nostalgia. On the contrary, it is illuminated with the wisdom of years and with the humour, which became increasingly evident in Janáček's compositions. Although he was not denied the role of a father, he did not live to see the continuity of his family and did not have a chance to pass on the heritage as the natural laws of reproduction, persuasively depicted in the charming scenes of Příhody lišky Bystroušky (The Cunning Little Vixen), urge us. The more he lacked his fatherly role, the more he was fascinated by the world of children, whom he watched with pleasure of watching both in Hukvaldy and in Písek where the presence of Kamila Stösslová made those moments very special.