Animal Music has announced the passing of Vojtěch Havel, a Czech cellist known for playing with his wife as Irena & Vojtěch Havels; he was 62 and died from heart failure shortly after touring the Faroe Islands.
Their music, a blend of American minimalism, European early tunes, and Eastern ideas, came alive in Czechoslovakia during the 1980s. Pavel Klusák describes their sound as bouncing through Prague’s old churches with instruments like trombones and flutes adding to the mystical vibe.
Bryce Dessner’s sister stumbled upon them playing on a street in Czechoslovakia and bought their album Little Blue Nothing. This record became a cherished favorite for Dessner’s band Clogs. He once said it was “minimal and haunting,” which led him to invite them on a U.S. tour and later create Little Blue Something, inspired by their music.
The duo recorded many albums over time, gaining more fans worldwide. Sufjan Stevens even invited them to perform at Ohio’s MusicNow festival. Albums like 2021’s Melodies in the Sand helped new listeners discover their older gems before they released new work this year with Four Hands.
Irena once mentioned in Vincent Moon’s documentary Little Blue Nothing, “It took us years to realize that we arrived on Earth with a serene mind.” Meanwhile, Vojtěch felt that when everything aligns perfectly during performances, it feels magical—like disappearing.