Credits: Drums - Pavel Fajt (tracks: 2, 4)
Lyrics By - Bohuslav Reynek (tracks: 2) , Jtschak Katsenelson (tracks: 4)
Noises - Iva Bittová (tracks: 1) , Pavel Fajt (tracks: 4)
Photography - Marek Štěpán , Štěpán Rusín
Producer - Pavel Fajt
Producer, Vocals - Iva Bittová
Viola - Iva Bittová (tracks: 1, 5, 6)
Violin - Iva Bittová (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 5)

Bass – Robert Black
Cello – Wendy Sutter
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Evan Ziporyn
Drums, Percussion – David Cossin
Engineer [Assistant] – Bart Migal, Max Ross, Philip Kotur
Guitar, Banjo [12-String], Harmonica [Hohner 48 Chord Harmonica] – Mark Stewart
Mastered By – Joe Yannece
Piano – Lisa Moore
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Tom Lazurus
Violin, Voice, Composed By, Producer – Iva Bittová

Vladimir Godar's Mater is a moving cantata comprised of seven compositions for female voice, mixed choir and Baroque string orchestra playing on historic instruments. The work is a meditation on the circle of human life united under the archetypes of "woman" and "mother": protecting, consoling, mourning, but also as objects of praise and adoration. The texts come from Slovak lullabies, sacred Christian texts, Yiddish songs and a poem by James Joyce. The music is highly atmospheric and melodic, and fans of Arvo Part, Henryk Gorecki, John Tavener and early music will be drawn to this music.


The unifying element of Mater is one of the most remarkable figures in contemporary vocal art: Iva Bittova. Often compared to Laurie Anderson or Meredith Monk, Bittova's voice is mostly warm and tender but also displays a wide array of expressive shades. The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Bittova "seems to operate from some musical ground zero - one that also puts you in touch with the most elemental purpose of music, and why you first came to love it."