Josip Vrhovski: Vrtek ograjeni

Ligature Series – HRT/HDS/Cantus

Choir, Children’s Choir and Symphony Orchestra of Croatian Radiotelevision
Tomislav Fačini, conductor

This edition is dedicated to Josip Vrhovski, a composer whose body of work radiates warmth, lyricism, and an authentic musical expression of the Međimurje region. All performances on the album were conducted by Tomislav Fačini, who is not only the author of several arrangements featured on the recording but also the grandson of Josip Vrhovski, creating a special “musical–family” connection. The pieces are performed by the Choir, Children’s Choir, and Symphony Orchestra of Croatian Radiotelevision, along with renowned soloists: organists Pavao Mašić and Dubravko Ćepulić Polgar, soprano Ivana Lazar, and baritone Leon Košavić. The choir directors of the HRT Children’s Choir are Nina Cossetto and Vinko Karmelić.

Josip Vrhovski, a composer, conductor, and educator born in Međimurje in 1902, left a profound mark on Croatian music of the 20th century. His oeuvre comprises more than 400 works, ranging from choral pieces and solo songs to masses and orchestral compositions. Vrhovski was known for his refined musical language, subtle harmonies, and his ability to weave folk motifs into a neo‑Romantic yet unmistakably original expression.

The edition opens with Naricaljka, a deeply moving a cappella masterpiece and an anthology work of Croatian choral literature. It is followed by four solo songs — Dremle mi se dremle, Prepelica prepeljuje, Zelena dubrava, and Ni mi volja — which present reinterpretations of Međimurje melodies in newly crafted orchestral arrangements. In contrast, the children’s choir pieces Mačak and Žabe are rare original works without a pronounced “Međimurje” character. In these pieces, Vrhovski primarily employs elements of tone painting and a kind of “musical humor.”

A special place on the album is held by the Croatian Mass in B minor, a work that remains highly present in both liturgical practice and concert life today, showcasing Vrhovski as a master of vocal‑instrumental music.

Even decades after their creation, the works of Josip Vrhovski continue to captivate with their immediacy, beauty, and refined expressiveness. This edition offers a renewed appreciation of his oeuvre and represents a valuable contribution to the preservation of Croatia’s musical heritage.

Artistic Collaborations
On the releases within the Ligatura edition, we collaborate with contemporary visual artists and photographers whose works on the covers introduce, at first glance, the poetics of the musical pieces. For the cover of the album Vrtek ograjeni, the photograph Sloboda u padu: Perje by Mirjana Vodopija (2013) was selected.

The Ligatura edition was created through a collaboration between Croatian Radiotelevision and the Croatian Composers’ Society.