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\n \n About work:

The Slovak Suite Op. 22 from the year 1943 originated – as Jozef Kresánek pointed out „in the days of extreme mental ease – or better said personal happiness“. It is the composer´s confession of love of his native county – Banská Bystrica nad its environs. Cikker, got acquainted with the beauties of the Low Tatras, the Greater Fatra, the Kremnica Mountains nad the Slovak Ore Mountains since his early childhood at their hiking trips. He became very fond of them. No wonder we can feel the inimitable atmosphere of the central Slovakian bare mountains, woods, meadows, brooks and rocks in his music.
Cikker, however, does not admire nature only. Man is always in the centre of his attention. In the Slovak Suite it is the „ugly and still beautiful people“ /Sládkovič, a Slovak poet from the last century/ from the region of Pohronie and its close proximity. The names of the parts of this composition are the best evidence of this, having the names, taken over from the central Slovakian folkloristic sphere. They do not express the content of the composition in the way of „literary programmes“ of the neo-romantics and their followers – their function is rather that of a motto. They point out the sources of inspiration and on the basis of this, evoke the corresponding atmosphere. /I. On the green meadow; III. Grey eyes, white cheeks; IV. When the heart aches...; V. Johnny, Johnny you are a robber!/. The title of the second part „My beloved, where are you?“, does not refer to the central passage only, it is framed in natural, idyllical lyric, not in amorous style.
The Slovak Suite can be fully enjoyed also without knowing the names of the individual parts of the composition. It is a lyrical music, easy to understand. It must captivate each listener. We can find in it the boyish tomfoolery, gay temperament, playfulness, but also profound emotions, sincere expressions and a great literary „catching“ joy.


\n (Igor Vajda, in: commentary to the LP Opus 9110 0585, 1978.)
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\n Movements:
\n\n On the Green Meadow\n \n
\n\n My Dear, Where Are You?\n \n
\n\n Grey Eyes, White Cheeks\n \n
\n\n When the Heart Hurts\n \n
\n\n Johnny, Johnny, You Are a Rascal\n \n
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