The Croatian composer Blagoje Bersa (1873-1934), originally from Dubrovnik, studied in Vienna with Robert Fuchs. Upon his return to his homeland, he was offered a chair at the Academy of Music in Zagreb. Here, as a pedagogue and music teacher, he made extensive preparations for the independent development of a national school.

As a composer of symphonic music, operas and songs, as well as chamber music and piano works, Blagoje Bersa was undoubtedly one of the central figures of Croatian musical life at the turn of the 20th century.

Musicologist Marija Kuntarić described Bersa’s songs as follows: « In the songs, we meet Bersa as an outspoken romantic, whose language was shaped by the various currents of this style in music. At first it was the cantabile Italian melody, then the various masters of German Romanticism (Wagner, Mahler, R. Strauss) and the relaxed music of Vienna, and in later works the simplicity of folk art. The softness of the melodic line of Bersa’s solo songs is sometimes reminiscent of Schubert, under whose influence some pages of dramatic excitement were also written ».

There is no doubt that these songs can be described as highly original. The directly evocative piano part, which creates atmospheres, is striking. On this basis, Kresimir Strazanac achieves strong, dramatic interpretations. The bass-baritone has a wonderfully controlled, slender, agile and dynamically flexible, lyrical voice, which he uses to gripping effect. The operatic character of Bersa’s songs is an excellent match for Strazanac’s refined sound and seemingly effortless legato singing, offering many opportunities for strong characterizations.

And so this program of first recordings is on an artistic level that effectively showcases Bersa’s works.