THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ FOUNDATION THE BOHUSLAV …THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ CENTER IN POLIČKA —Visit...

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JULIETTE AT THE BARBICAN, LONDON

THE PRAGUE SPRING FESTIVAL 2009

CONFERENCES / EXHIBITIONS

LIST OF MARTINŮ’S WORKS / PART VI

NEWS / EVENTS

THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ FOUNDATIONTHE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ INSTITUTE

THE INTERNATIONAL MARTINŮ CIRCLE martinůrevueMAY—AUGUST 2009 VOL.IX NO.2

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3 Martinů Revisited Highlights

4 Incircle NewsGREGORY TERIAN

5 International Martinů Circle

6 martinů revisited—Exhibition – The Martinů Phenomenon—Journée Martinů in Paris

7 Hommage à Martinů in BudapestBallet Productions in Brno

8 Juliette at the Barbican Centre in London PATRICK LAMBERT

9 In a Forest of Giant Poppy-Heads LENKA ŠALDOVÁ

11 special series—List of Martinů’s Works VI

12 news / conferences / autographs

14 review—Martinů Revisits Prague Spring

GRAHAM MELVILLE-MASON

16 interview—Alan Buribayev –

A Rising Conducting Star MARTINA FIALKOVÁ

18 events

19 news—New Publications, CD

exhibitionTHE BOHUSLAVMARTINŮ CENTERIN POLIČKA—Visit the newly opened

permanent exhibitiondedicated to the composer’slife and work (authored byProf. Jaroslav Mihule)

—We offer visitors a tour of the reconstructed classroomattended by Martinů as a schoolboy and a musical hallwhere one can listen to recordings or attend filmscreenings and specialised lectures.

[email protected]

BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ operaTHE MARRIAGE H.3411953, comic chamber opera from the play by Nikolai Gogol

original creation by Pamela HowardJakub Klecker (Conductor)

NATIONAL THEATRE BRNO / REDUTA THEATRE4 October 2009 > premiere5 & 7 October 2009

www.ndbrno.cz

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∑IN 2009 THE CULTURAL WORLD commemorates the 50th anniversary of Bohuslav Martinů’s death (28 August 1959). In anticipation of thisanniversary year, many organisers in the Czech Republic and abroad have prepared music productions at which the composer’s works will beperformed. Considerable attention is also being devoted to the artistic and cultural-political context of Martinů’s oeuvre.

concert in polička

THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MARTINŮ’S DEATH

SMETANA’S LITOMYŠL FESTIVAL Friday 28 August 2009

Polička, St. James Church / 7.00 pmIn collaboration with the town of Polička

The Opening of the Springs H. 354Selanka from the cycle Bouquet of Flowers H. 260

Field Mass H. 279 The Nativity of Lord from The Miracles of Mary H. 236

Ivan Kusnjer (Baritone)Kühn Mixed Choir, Marek Vorlíček (Choirmaster)

Pardubice Chamber Orchestra, Marko Ivanović (Conductor)

www.smetanovalitomysl.cz

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operaNATIONAL THEATRE PRAGUE

THE MIRACLES OF MARY H. 23629 October 2009 > premiere / 2, 7, 29 November 2009 / 14 December 2009

Musical preparation: Jiří Bělohlávek . Conductor Jiří Bělohlávek / David Švec . Director Jiří HeřmanOrchestra, Choir & Ballet of the National Theatre Opera . Prague Philharmonic Choir & Kühn’s Children Choir

www.narodni-divadlo.cz

When I left after the funeral for Vieux

Moulin with my niece and her husband,

I was exhausted. What had been the

reason, the joy, the splendour, and the

meaning of my life, had passed away.

I looked at all that we both had loved

so much and I asked myself:

“How shall I endure life without him?”

I thought about my dear departed

husband and suddenly I had the

impression that I heard a familiar

chord. It was as if he had touched me

softly. I said to myself: “I shall not

be completely alone because his music

will remain with me.”

CHARLOTTE MARTINŮ

BLANCHE HONEGGER WILL CELEBRATE HER100th birthday on 23 September 2009.Her involvement with the music of Martinů datesback to the 1930s. In 1936 she partnered MarcelMoyse in the ≤rst performance of the Concertofor Flute, Violin and Orchestra, H. 252, a workwhich Martinů had written for them.

Recalling preparations for the performance70 years later, Blanche remarked to the composerthat he had not given the violin enough to do,in response to which he promptly added a verydif≤cult cadenza passage. Her autograph of thescore, held by the Brattleboro Music Centre, wasgenerously donated to the Bohuslav MartinůInstitute in 2006.

A year later he composed the Sonata for Flute,Violin and Piano, H. 254, for the Moyse Trio.A studio session led to the sonata having thedistinction of becoming the ≤rst Martinů workto be recorded for the gramophone.

Einstein and dedicated the Five Madrigal Stanzas,H. 297 to the great man who was a good amateurviolinist and who performed the work with thepianist Robert Casadesus.

The Cleveland Institute of Music has tradi-tional ties with the Cleveland Orchestra withmembers of the orchestra serving on the teachingfaculty. The Cleveland Orchestra gave worldpremieres of three Martinů works including theSymphony No. 2, H. 295 and the Rhapsody--Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, H. 337 writtenfor Jascha Veissi, a one-time concertmaster ofthe orchestra. In like manner, the teaching facultyat the University of Louisville has drawn on

After settling in the United States in 1949,the Moyse Trio was involved in the creation ofthe Marlboro Music Festival where works byMartinů featured prominently. Forced by a bow--arm ailment to give up the violin, Blanche wenton to forge a distinguished career as a conductor,specialising in the performance of the choralmusic of Bach. She established the BrattleboroMusic Centre, near her home in Vermont, wherea gala concert in her honour is due to take placeon 4 October 2009.

Blanche Honegger must surely be the lastsurvivor of the performers known to Martinůin the 1930s and we congratulate her on heranniversary. She was awarded the BohuslavMartinů Foundation medal in 2006 for herservices in promoting the cause of the composer.

Gregory Terian

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smembers of the Louisville Orchestra which underits conductor Robert Whitney commissioned andgave ≤rst performances of Martinů’s Intermezzo,H. 330 and Estampes, H. 369, the composer’slast orchestral work.

Of all the American orchestras Martinů’s closestassociation was with the Boston Symphony andits conductors Serge Koussevitzky and CharlesMunch. The orchestra gave ≤rst performancesof some of Martinů’s most important orchestralworks ranging from La Bagarre, H. 155 in 1929to the Parables, H. 367 (1959). The orchestrahas always enjoyed close ties with the adjacentNew England Conservatory of Music, the latestof the institutions to join the Martinů Circle.The Conservatory chorus performed and maderecordings with the orchestra under Munch, asdid the famous Glee Club from nearby HarvardUniversity which boasts a thriving musical lifein its own right.

The Yale University Glee Club took part in theAmerican premiere of the Field Mass, H. 279 atTanglewood on 7 July 1956 under the conductorHugh Ross.

The membership of Northwestern Universityled to Robert Simon discovering that the musiclibrary held a copy of the score of the Cello Con-certo No. 1, H. 196 bearing annotations in thecomposer’s hand, a signi≤cant ≤nd. We are alsodelighted to have in the fold the Children’sOrchestra Society of New York and the ArthurFriedheim Library at the Peabody Institute ofJohn Hopkins University. We look forward toa continuing association and interchange withall these institutions. ❚

Mannes College staged the American premiere of theComedy on the Bridge, H. 247 in 1951 which led toa revival of interest in the work. Here the composeris seen with the stage director Ralph Herbert and theconductor Carl Bamberger prior to the performanceswhich took place on May 28 and 29.

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AMERICAN CONNECTIONS/ GREGORY TERIAN

OF LATE WE HAVE BEEN welcoming a growingnumber of American educational institutionsto the Martinů Circle, subscribing through theirrespective music libraries.

First to join was Mannes College Music Schoolin New York where Martinů held the position ofProfessor of Composition in the early 1950s.During his tenure the school staged a productionof the Comedy on the Bridge, H. 247 which ledto a revival of interest in the work. The parentsassociation commissioned a work for the schoolorchestra and the little Overture, H. 345 of 1953resulted which has recently been enjoying a suc-cession of performances in Europe.

Martinů took up a teaching post at PrincetonUniversity during 1948-51. He enthused overtheir music library where he found the score ofHaydn’s Sinfonia Concertante for wind instrumentswhich was to inspire his own work of that title.At Princeton he became acquainted with Albert

Blanche Honegger will celebrate her 100th birthdayin September. She was awarded the Bohuslav MartinůFoundation medal in 2006

THE SOUND OF MARTINŮ was the title of the ≤nal tribute concertgiven at the Royal College of Music in London on 12 May to mark the50th anniversary of the composer’s death.

Six varied works were performed ranging from the Quartet for Clarinet,French Horn, Cello and Side-drum of 1924 through to the Stowe Pastoralsand Chamber Music No. 1, dating from the last year of the composer’s life,works which have not been heard in London for many years, if at all. Alsoon the programme were the Sonata for Flute, Violin and Piano and theSonatina for Trumpet and Piano.

The concert drew some ≤ne performances and all were delivered withan infectious enthusiasm and freshness, some thirty young musiciansparticipating. A memorable evening was rounded of in rousing style witha performance of Les Rondes, warmly received by a good-sized audiencewith a representation of Martinů Circle members. It would be hard to en-visage a more varied and imaginative programme in this anniversaryyear; all credit to Janet Hilton, director of woodwind at the College, whodevised this splendid event. Gregory Terian

[≠2009 SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENT≠”WE WOULD REQUEST members who have not yet paid their 2009 subscrip-tions to do so now through one of our international contacts listed below:> Gregory Terian (Great Britain) [email protected], +441625523326,

18 Broadway, Wilmslow, SK9 1NB UK, Great Britain> Petra Richter (Germany) [email protected], Furtstraße 46,

73770 Dekendorf, Germany> Geoff Piper (Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria) [email protected],

+352-474269, 24, rue des Cerisiers, Luxembourg, L – 1322 Luxembourg.> Robert Simon (USA) [email protected], mobile number 216-973-7716 ,

2531 Jackson Ave. Apt 1E, Evanston, IL 60201, USA> Patrice Chevy (France) [email protected] +33675620321,

11 Résidence FOCH, 923 80 Garches, France> Mari Tokuda (Japan), [email protected], +81 339 393 395,

+81 359 990 793> Gert Floor (Netherlands), [email protected], +31725095262,

Gortersweg 6, 1871 CC Schoorl, Netherlands> Jaroslav Šonský (Sweden) [email protected], +4611318475,

Knopgatan 6, 603 85 Norrköping, Sweden

Those wishing to pay in Czech currency or by cash should contact usat [email protected] ❚

[≠IMC≠GENERAL≠MEETING≠”THE FIRST GENERAL MEETING of the International Martinů Circle willtake place at Theatre Reduta in Brno on Sunday 4 October at 2 pm.It will be followed by a presentation by Aleš Březina about the Mar-tinů Revisited project and some new related video material. In theevening the world premiere of Pamela Howard’s new English languageproduction of Martinů’s comic opera The Marriage will take place atthe Theatre Reduta. Would members hoping to attend the generalmeeting please email [email protected] accordingly.

The general meeting will be preceded by a meeting of the board ofthe Martinů Circle at the same place commencing at 10.30 am. ❚

THE INTERNATIONALMARTINŮ CIRCLE GENERAL INFORMATIONMembers receive the illustratedMartinů Revue published three timesa year plus a special limited edition CDcontaining world premieres, historicarchive performances and recordingsfrom the annual Martinů Festival notobtainable commercially.

The IMC is supported by theBohuslav Martinů Foundation andBohuslav Martinů Institute in Prague.

MEMBERSHIP & SUBSCRIPTIONINFORMATION> YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION:

20 EUR / 25 USD> SUBSCRIPTION FOR CORPORATE

MEMBERS: 100 EUR includes 10 copies the each RevuePLUS 3 copies of the non-commercialCD recording from the BohuslavMartinů Days Festival in Prague> SINGLE COPIES OF THE REVUE:

50 CZK / 2 EUR / 3 USD + postage

For further details and for single copiesof the Martinů Revue contact:Jana Honzíkováe-mail: [email protected] International Martinů Circle, o.s. Bořanovická 1779/14 182 00 Praha 8-Kobylisy

THE IMC CORDIALLY WELCOMESTHE NEW MEMBERS> Terry J. Barfoot, Portsmouth, UK> Ian Bailey, Sidcup, UK> Jacques de Coo, Leiden, Netherlands> Sharon Choa, Norwich, UK> Raymond Chobaz, Gainsville, USA> Barbara Hall, Luxembourg> Gordon Hand, York, UK> Karel Janovicky, London, UK> Andrew Knowles, Hartford, UK > Henry Larsson, Solna, Sweden> Pascal Loison, Vincennes, France> Alex Ogle, Brattleboro, USA> Wicher van Vreden, Amsterdam,

Netherlands> Dr Karl and Mrs Marian Werner,

London, UK

> Brigham Young University, HaroldB Lee Library, Provo, UT, USA

> Martinů Quartet, Prague,Czech Republic

> New England Conservatory of Music,Spaulding Library (Jean A. Morrow),Boston, USA

> Stamitz Quartet, Prague> Yale University, Gilmore Music Library

(Helen Bartlett), New Haven, USA

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MARTINŮ REVUE (former BohuslavMartinů Newsletter) is publishedby the International Martinů Circlein collaboration with the BohuslavMartinů Institute in Prague.With ≤nancial support of the BohuslavMartinů Foundation Prague.

EditorsZoja Seyčková & Lucie BernáBohuslav Martinů InstituteJustin Krawitz (with special thanks)

Publisher’s Of≤ceInternational Martinů Circle, o.s.IČ: 22688846Bořanovická 14, 182 00 Praha 8-Kobylisy,Czech Republice-mail: [email protected]

Translation Hilda Hearne

PhotographsThe Bohuslav Martinů Foundation’sand Institute’s archive, collections of theBohuslav Martinů Center in Polička

Graphic Design David E. Cígler

Printing BOOM TISK, spol. s r.o.

Price CZK 50The Martinů Revue is published three times a year in Prague.

Cover photoPavla Vykopalová(Juliette, National Theatre Brno, 2009)Photo Jana Hallová

ISSN 1803-8514MK ČR E 18911

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THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ CENTER IN POLIČKA offers an interesting, inter-actively conceived exhibition on the com-poser’s life and work. The modern display ofBohuslav Martinů’s life and work is locatedin the historical building of the formercouncil school, which Martinů attendedas a child. Consequently, the project alsocomprises a reproduction of Martinů’sclassroom, complete with period paintingand furniture. The centre also containsan audio-visual hall and study room.

Bohuslav Martinů Center Tylova 114, 572 01 Polička tel.: +420 461 723 857 www.cbmpolicka.cz

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THE OPENING CEREMONY of the exhibition The Martinů Phenomenon was held on 11 May 2009.Dagmar Fialová, director of the Czech Museum of Music, welcomed representatives from the CzechMinistry of Culture and other partnering institutions. The exhibition presents interesting archivaland photographic material, musical works, and works of visual art including designs for sets andcostumes. The exhibition will run at the Czech Museum of Music until 26 October 2009.

More information: www.nm.cz

Project director: Dagmar FialováExhibition author: Kateřina MaýrováCo-author: Taťána SoučkováExhibition commissioner:Jana VojtěškováProduction: Daniel Dvořák and Karel KutGraphics: Milan Jaroš

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S The opening festivities included performancesof music by Martinů – pianist Ladislav Doleželplaying Fantasy for Piano, H. 281

N First part of the exhibition – Martinů’s birthplacePolička

W Showcase on the theme ‘Juliette and Surrealism’

/ EVA VELICKÁ

ON 9 APRIL the Conservatoire de Paris hostedJournée Martinů. The event comprised a seriesof workshops, during which members of theEnsemble Calliopée worked with students onpieces from Martinů’s chamber music output.The day culminated in a public concert per-formed by both students and teachers. The

concert was complemented by the ≤rst publicscreening of the ≤lm H. 136: Le mystère dela partition retrouvée, directed by O. Segard.The ≤lm takes as its subject Martinů’s StringTrio No. 1, H. 136, which in 2005, after manyyears in obscurity, was discovered and preparedfor publication by Eva Velická from the BohuslavMartinů Institute. An exhibition at the Con-servatoire, prepared by the Czech Museumof Music, provided a ≤tting backdrop to theproceedings of Journée Martinů. The primaryachievement of the project is undoubtedly itsfostering of interest in Martinů’s music amongyoung performing artists. ❚

JOURNÉE MARTINŮIN PARIS

EXHIBITION IN PRAGUETHE MARTINŮ PHENOMENON

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Order at: www.fugalibera.com


/ SANDRA BERGMANNOVÁ

THIS YEAR’S Budapesti Tavaszi Fesztivál(Budapest Spring Festival) saw many an artistpaying tribute to the ≤gure of BohuslavMartinů. From 19 March to 6 April 2009festival-goers had the opportunity to visit anexhibition about the composer’s life and work inthe foyer of the Palace of Arts. Using materialsand a concept provided by the Prague-basedBohuslav Martinů Institute, members of theBohemia Baráti kör (Friends of Bohemia Club) inconjunction with the Czech Centre in Budapestcreated a stylish and well-arranged exhibition,replete with a multimedia broadcast of theballet The Kitchen Revue, H. 161 and severalother documentary ≤lms. Special acknowl-edgment should be accorded to Eva Molnár,who played a major role in the conceptionof the exhibition’s Hungarian version. Theexhibition’s creator, Sandra Bergmannová from

Prague’s Bohuslav Martinů Institute, togetherwith her colleague Eva Velická, the CzechAmbassador to Hungary, Jaromír Plíšek, andthe Director of the Czech Centre in Budapest,

/ LUCIE BERNÁ

ON 22 FEBRUARY AND 2 AND 4 MARCH 2009 the National Theatre Brno presented three of Bohuslav Mar-tinů’s one-act compositions within the Martinů Revisited project.

The works were staged at Brno’s Reduta by the famous Czech theatre-maker Jiří Srnec, founder of the“black theatre” tradition, in collaboration with the choreographer Adéla Aster Srncová and young dancersfrom Bohemia Balet.

The production of the “jazz” ballet The Kitchen Revue, H. 161 was imaginative, gracious and witty, and metwith an enthusiastic response. The jazz-tinged chamber opera Tears of the Knife, H. 169 is an attempt byMartinů to apply Dada in music theatre. The ballet The Amazing Flight, H. 159 was inspired by an unsucces-sful attempt to fly across the Atlantic. Martinů’s music and the mysterious story were accentuated by beauti-ful props, costumes and sets with a video projection. ❚

Hommage à Bohuslav Martinůopened the exhibition on 29 March to markthe occasion of a concert given by the CzechRadio Symphony Orchestra. Besides worksby Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák, theorchestra, conducted by Vladimír Válek, alsogave a splendid performance of Martinů’sSymphony No. 1, H. 289. The evening was thehigh-point of Czech music’s strong presencein this year’s festival and was rounded offby a gala banquet. Speeches were given byMr Szolt Hernádi, the festival’s main sponsor,and the Czech Ambassador to Hungary, JaromírPlíšek. Also presented at the festival wereMartinů’s chamber works – the Šonský-BretasDuo performed Sonata No. 3 for Violin andPiano, H. 303 on 28 March in the HungarianRadio concert hall. ❚

Eva Molnár and Sandra Bergmannová at the Palaceof Arts on 29 March 2009

[BALLETS≠≠”THREE EXCEPTIONAL PRODUCTIONS AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE BRNO

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FURTHER PERFORMANCES:16 & 20 September 20092 October 2009 / 6.00 pmTheatre Reduta, Brno, CZwww.ndbrno.cz The Kitchen Revue, H. 161Tears of the Knife, H. 169The Amazing Flight, H. 159Jiří Srnec (Director), Jakub Klecker(Conductor), Bohemia Ballet andEnsemble of the Dance ConservatoryPrague

having been cut (as also in the Paris production)apparently on account of its length (only threeand half minutes, which would have broughtAct III to just under 40 minutes total, almostexactly matching Act I) .

The deeply engrossed audience, aided bysurtitles in English, responded in lively fashionto the absurdity of the situations in thisstrange, twilight world of forgetting. Jiří Bělo-hlávek, who had conducted the revival of theParis production in 2006, guided his huge BBCOrchestra and the responsive BBC Singerswith enormous skill and élan. However, I feltthat the climaxes were sometimes held backa bit too much for fear of drowning the singers,but at the expense of dramatic impact (forinstance, the encounter with the Fortune--Teller).

In his excellent 30-minute pre-concert talk,Aleš Březina ≤lled in the background to theopera and by way of preparation chose twovery telling illustrations: the Prelude to Act I,

not quite in such good voice as she had beenfor the premiere of the Three Fragments fromthe Opera Juliette, H. 253 A in the PragueRudol≤num last December – something tothe do with the unhelpful Barbican acoustic,perhaps. But her playing of the role was justas convincing and she took part in the lovers’quarrel in Act II (not included in the Fragments)with evident relish.

Other singers deserving special mention werethe mezzo Rosalind Plowright, splendidly larger-than-life as the Fortune-Teller, the bass FrédéricGoncalves as Father Youth and a menacingConvict, the tenor Andreas Jäggi (who had alsoappeared in the Paris production) as Police Chief,Postman and exasperated Clerk in the CentralBureau of Dreams, the mezzo Anna Stéphany,shining as a vivacious Bell-boy and the bassZdeněk Plech as the Old Arab and Old Sailor.My one regret was that the Engine Driver wasmissing, the episode (Act III, scene 7) with theOrient Express (surely Martinů’s Paci≤c 231)


/ PATRICK LAMBERT

ON 27 MARCH THE LONG-AWAITED CONCERTperformance of Martinů’s dream opera Juliette(The Key to Dreams), Lyric Opera in 3 Acts,H. 253, sung in French captivated a nearcapacity audience at the Barbican Hall, drawnthere not only by the burgeoning interest in theCzech composer’s stage works in Britain butalso by the strong line-up of musicians: Jiří Bělo-hlávek, the highly respected Chief Conductorof the BBC Symphony Orchestra and a castheaded by Czech mezzo soprano MagdalenaKožená in the title role and the American tenorWilliam Burden as Michel. Moreover, this wasthe UK premiere of the composer’s Frenchversion reconstructed by Harry Halbreich and ofthe Urtext edition undertaken by Aleš Březina.

The performance captured the elusive,surrealistic atmosphere of the piece to greateffect, the concert staging being well managedby Kenneth Richardson with a light touch andminimal props. The only miscalculation wasrequiring Juliette, in the hushed aftermathof the pistol shot in Act II, to exit rather toonoisily across the platform.

William Burden, who had appeared as Michelin the Paris premiere in 2002, was obviouslywell inside the role, powerfully conveyingthe sense of the helpless bookseller slowlysuccumbing to his dream. He adjusted wellto Martinů’s French text, which is directly basedon Georges Neveux’s original unlike BronislavHorowicz’s French language adaptation ofthe Czech text that Burden had sung in Paris.Commenting about his role during the intervalof BBC Radio 3’s broadcast of the opera fourdays later (which could easily be missed, itwas so inconspicuously billed in Radio Times),Burden explained: “From a vocal standpointit’s very text-based, so it’s not vocal in thesense of perhaps belcanto, but it is incrediblyvocal in that it has a direct relation to the textand to the telling of the story, so it sits in thevoice incredibly comfortably I ≤nd. And it’s trulya joy to sing. There’s something voluptuousabout the music.” For this performance of thecomplete opera, the part of Juliette seemedto sit rather less comfortably for MagdalenaKožená and I had the impression that she was

≠JULIETTEAT THE BARBICAN CENTRE IN LONDON

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in which he pointed out an allusion to thefamous bassoon solo that opens Stravinsky’sSacre du printemps – thus establishing thesurrealistic atmosphere from the outset –and, with his second excerpt, planting inour memories Juliette’s haunting love song.In the interval of the broadcast, WilliamBurden made some interesting observationsabout the ending of the piece, which aswe know, Martinů changed from Neveux’soriginal concept: “Michel actually makesa very conscious choice to stay and live in hisfantasy. He chooses to stay where he knowsJuliette is and, for the audience, that canmean many different things. In the contextof this story, we are given to believe that hechooses to go insane, but he chooses sojoyfully and is delighted at the end with thechoice he’s made. And then the story simplybegins again.” Perhaps Nikos Kazantzakis’sphrase “an ecstasy of tragic joy” would bethe best description.

Despite my minor reservations, this per-suasive account of Martinů’s key opera –described in BBC publicity as the ≤rst Londonperformance for 30 years, which is to over-look the marvellous production by theGuildhall School of Music and Drama in March1987 – will surely be seen as one of thehighlights of the Martinů Revisited project,with Jiří Bělohlávek, hailed by the FinancialTimes as “the greatest living interpreter ofMartinů’s music”, very much the hero of theevening.

The programme booklet announcesa further Martinů enterprise: Bělohlávek isto conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra ina complete cycle of the symphonies spreadchronologically through the next BarbicanSeason from 3 October 2009 (SymphonyNo. 1) to 8 May 2010 (Symphony No. 6)in a series of highly imaginative programmes.A veritable feast, very much to be lookedforward to and guaranteed to providean eye opener to any remaining Martinůdoubters! ❚

/ LENKA ŠALDOVÁ

BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ HIMSELF designatedJuliette, or the Key to Dreams, H. 253 as a newand fabulous thing when in the 1930s heoffered it to the artistic director of the NationalTheatre Opera, Václav Talich. At the same time,the composer voiced his wish that it be staged(as his opera debut!) by Jindřich Honzl – thedirector who had the closest ties to Surrealisttheatre in our country and to the poetic,fantasy world created by the French poetGeorges Neveux in his play.

Whereas Frejka’s 1932 production ofNeveux’s play Juliette, or The Key to Dreams atthe Estates Theatre did not meet with theaudience’s understanding and more or lessdisappeared without trace, Honzl’s premiere ofBohuslav Martinů’s Juliette in 1938 is one ofthe landmark events of Czech interwar theatre.The German occupation, however, resulted inthe production being prematurely curtailedafter just six performances. The lyrical operain three acts would return to the stage of theNational Theatre only in 1963 – with no wanein its success – in the fantasy production of

Václav Kašlík and Josef Svoboda. Let us recallyet another extraordinary Juliette: in 2000three performances of the opera were givenby the National Theatre in co-productionwith Opera North Leeds. David Pountney’sproduction became one of the most remarkablejuxtapositions of Czech opera theatre withthe European context following the fall of theIron Curtain in 1989.

In the year marking half a century sinceBohuslav Martinů’s death, the National Theatrein Brno is one of the only institutions to sys-tematically devote itself to the composer’s

works. In co-operation with the Prague DanceConservatory, it has presented three of hisone-acters at the theatre Reduta (The KitchenRevue H. 161, The Tears of the Knife H. 169,and The Amazing Flight H. 159). Most impres-sive, however, has been its staging of Juliette.At the turn of the millennium, the production’sdirector, Jiří Nekvasil, made two documentariesabout Martinů (Out of Exile and Martinů andAmerica), as well as several remarkable tele-vision productions of his works from the endof the 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s(The Amazing Flight, The Tears of the Knife and

reviews IN A FOREST OF

GIANT POPPY-HEADS

2nd act – forest of giant poppy-heads

sively sing, recite, and talk. Michel is an ordinaryboy in a white shirt and sports jacket (theyoung tenor Peter Berger’s lyrical voicemanages to express quiet astonishment anda gentle disposition, as well as indignation andanger). And Maria Haan (alternated by PavlaVykopalová) is a truly frail Juliette: a dreamy girlin a long blue dress, who is really still but a child– a child who likes phantoms and understandsneither an “ordinary” memory nor Michel’s love,and who in a childishly dogged, even wicked,manner turns away from Michel as if froma discarded toy. The performances of all thesoloists and the chorus bear traces of the ≤rmhand of the conductor Tomáš Hanus – andthe orchestra too plays admirably under hisguidance. Hanus’s musical conception ofMartinů is extremely dramatic and expressive,yet present too are moments of lyricism andplayfulness.

The most impressive event of the Martinůanniversary year to date. ❚

National Theatre Brno – Bohuslav Martinů: Juliette. Tomáš Hanus (Conductor), Jiří Nekvasil(Stage Director), Daniel Dvořák (Set Designer),Josef Pančík (Chorus Master). Premiere 27 March 2009 at the JanáčekTheatre, Brno.(Review of the performance on 7 April)

Reprinted from the Czech theatricaljournal Divadelní noviny No. 10 (2009),

with their kind permission.

behaviour, until he comes to learn that hehas found himself in a town where everyonehas lost their memory. Because of this theychildishly rejoice at Michel’s memory of a toyduck he received when he was a child. Theyacquire from the matter-of-fact Dealer inMemories (Jiří Hájek) records of what they havenever experienced and pathetically delightin their briefly recovered past – especiallyJana Iskrová (Grandmother) and Pavel Kamas(Grandfather). They forget who they werea while ago – like the ostentatiously self-important Commissioner, subsequently thePostman (Petr Levíček).

Each character in Nekvasil’s production isa simply rendered, interesting personality, andall the performers (Marika Žáková, Jan Hladík,David Nykl, Marek Gurbaľ and Zoltán Korda,in addition to those mentioned above) expres-


Voice of the Forest, H. 243). In terms of itspoetics, the new production of Juliette is alignedwith Nekvasil’s TV projects, bearing witnessto the director’s sense of the bizarre, in whichreality blends with dream. I consider Juliette tobe one of Nekvasil’s ≤nest stage projects: justas in the case of Burian’s Bubu of Montparnasseand Březina’s Tomorrow There Will Be…, he issensitive to the ground-breaking nature ofMartinů’s Juliette and accordingly has refrainedfrom imposing on the work extraneous concep-tual constructions or dressing it in a provoca-tively different garb.

Nekvasil and Dvořák’s Juliette is a surrealisticcollage – just like our dreams. It is a worldwe know from when we are awake, yet thereis something strangely alarming about it. Inthe small town where the bookseller Michelhas arrived in order to seek out the girl heonce spotted in a window, people pass through(fabric) walls, and some houses (or rather,photographs of houses) stand upside-down orsideways. Michel waits for his Juliette in anamazingly poetic forest of giant poppy-heads,psychedelically illuminated blue, violet andgreen. A traf≤c light flashes here, a grand pianowith a female pianist sails by inaudibly and justas inaudibly sails backstage. In the ≤nal Act theworld of the awake and the world of eternaloblivion is divided by the neon river Styx.

In this fantastic world, people mostly lookaltogether normal at ≤rst sight – the stagedirector does not stylise them. All the greaterthen is Michel’s astonishment at their

reviews> IN A FOREST OF GIANT POPPY-HEADS

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Set design from the 3rd act Peter Berger (Michel) and Marika Žáková (Little Arab)

Peter Berger (Michel) and Pavla Vykopalová (Juliette)


Series—Special—LIST OF MARTINŮ’S WORKS VI

> LIST OF MARTINŮ’S WORKS VI > Category CONCERTOS > Subcategory PIANO CONCERTOS

CATEGORY/| CONCERTOSSUBCATEGORY/ | PIANO CONCERTOS

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IN THIS ISSUE of the Revue we continuewith our publishing of the complete list ofBohuslav Martinů’s works.We began withthe operas and have since considered theballets, incidental music and film music,works for large orchestra, symphonies,works for chamber orchestra and suitesand abstracts of the incidental works.Thenext subcategory are the piano concertos(listed in alphabetical order).The basic dataon the works listed here have been takenfrom the online catalogue of Martinů’s œuvreat www.martinu.cz, which is continuouslyupdated as issues from the latest researchare documented by the staff of the BohuslavMartinů Institute.In the next issue you will find a list of MartinůConcertos for Violin and Violoncello.

Abbreviations/ar. harparchi string sectionbatt. battery cel. celesta cl. clarinetcmp. chime-bellscond. conductorcor.ing. English hornfg. bassoonpicc. piccolopf. pianotamb. tambourine tamt. tamtamtimp. timpanitr. trumpettrbn. trombonevl. violinxlf. xylophone

Commentary/“Archive” – gives the information as towhere the autograph orchestral score isdeposited.Date of composition: Day / Month / YearPremiere: Day / Month / Year Only accessible information is stated. If dataon the publisher are missing, the work hasyet to be published and is available asmaterial that can be lent.

Premiere: 20.11.1949, Dallas,Texas, USA Archive: Národní muzeum. České muzeum

hudby (depozitum NBM), Czech RepublicPublisher: Český hudební fond, Praha,

ČHF 445, 1960Copyright: Panton International Praha

CONCERTO FOR PIANOAND ORCHESTRA No. 4(INCANTATIONS) H. 358

Durata: 18'30"Place of composition: New York (USA)Date of composition: 1956Performing forces: 3222-4230-timp.-batt.-ar.-

archiDedication: “Commisioned by Fromm Music

Foundation”Performer(s) of premiere: Symphony of the Air,

L. Stokowski (cond.)Premiere: 4.10.1956, New York, USA Archive: Národní muzeum. České muzeum

hudby (depozitum NBM), Czech RepublicPublisher: Bärenreiter Kassel, Kassel, B.A.

4318, 1965Copyright: Bärenreiter Kassel

CONCERTO FOR PIANO ANDORCHESTRA No. 5 (FANTASIACONCERTANTE) IN B H. 366

Durata: 23'30"Place of composition: Schönenberg – Pratteln

(Switzerland)Date of composition: 1958 Performing forces: 3222-4230-timp.-batt.-xlf.-

archiDedication: Margrit Weber Performer(s) of premiere: RIAS-

Orchester, M.Weber (pf.), E. Lessing (cond.)Premiere: 31.1.1959, Berlin, GermanyArchive: Paul Sacher Stiftung, Basel,

SwitzerlandPublisher: Universal Edition,Wien,

U. E. 12839 LW, 1959 Copyright: Universal Edition

DIVERTIMENTO (CONCERTINO)FOR PIANO LEFT HANDAND ORCHESTRA IN G H. 173

Durata: 20’Place of composition: Paris (France)Date of composition: 1926-1928Performing forces: 1212-1000-archiDedication: Otakar HollmanPerformer(s) of premiere: Prague Symphony

Orchestra (FOK), O. Hollmann (pf.)Premiere: 26. 2. 1947, Praha, Czech Republic Archive: Národní muzeum. České muzeum

hudby, Praha, Czech RepublicPublisher: Český hudební fond, Praha,

ČHF 091, 1957 Copyright: Panton International Praha

SINFONIETTA GIOCOSAFOR PIANO AND SMALLORCHESTRA H. 282

Durata: 28'Place of composition: Aix-en-Provence (France)Date of composition: 1940Performing forces: Piano solo, 2202-2000-archi Dedication: Germaine LerouxPerformer(s) of premiere: National Orchestra,

G. Leroux (pf.), L. Barzin (cond.)Premiere: 16. 3. 1942, New York, USA Archive: Centrum Bohuslava Martinů, Polička,

Czech RepublicPublisher: Boosey and Hawkes,

London–NewYork, B&H 17151, 1953Copyright: Boosey and Hawkes,

London–NewYork

CONCERTINO FOR PIANOAND ORCHESTRA H. 269

Durata: 22'Place of composition: Paris (France)Date of composition: 1938Performing forces: 2222-4220-timp.-batt.-archiDedication: Juliette d’ArányiPerformer(s) of premiere: Orchestr

Slovenského rozhlasu, L. Fuchsová (pf.),O. Pařík (cond.)

Premiere: 30.3.1947, Bratislava, SlovakiaArchive: Centrum Bohuslava Martinů

v Poličce, Polička, Czech RepublicPublisher: Český hudební fond, Praha, ČHF

025, 1956Copyright: Panton International PrahaPerforming forces: 2222 3332-4331-timp.-

batt.-ar.-pf.-archi

CONCERTO FOR PIANOAND ORCHESTRA No. 1 IN D H. 149

Durata: 27'15"Place of composition: Polička (Czech Republic)Date of composition: 1925Performing forces: 2220-2210-archi (44322)Dedication: Jan HeřmanPerformer(s) of premiere: Czech Philharmonic,

J. Heřman (pf.), R. Manzer (cond.)Premiere: 21.11.1926, Praha, Czech RepublicArchive: autograph missingPublisher: Panton International Praha, P 767,

1968Copyright: Panton International Praha

CONCERTO FOR PIANOAND ORCHESTRA No. 2 H. 237

Durata: 23'Place of composition: Paris (Malakoff) (France)Date of composition: 1934Performing forces: 3222-4230-timp.-batt.-archiDedication: Germaine LerouxPerformer(s) of premiere: Czech Philharmonic,

R. Firkušný (pf.),V.Talich (cond.)Premiere: 13.11.1935, Praha, Czech RepublicArchive: Centrum Bohuslava Martinů

v Poličce, Polička, Czech RepublicPublisher: Český hudební fond, Praha, P 113,

1960Copyright: Panton International Praha

CONCERTO FOR PIANOAND ORCHESTRA No. 3 H. 316

Durata: 25'Place of composition: New York (USA)Date of composition: 1948Performing forces: 2222-4231-timp.-batt.-archiDedication: Rudolf FirkušnýPerformer(s) of premiere: Dallas Symphony

Orchestra, R. Firkušný (pf.),W. Hendl(cond.)

[NEWS≠”NEW PERFORMANCEOF REDISCOVEREDWORK/ ALEŠ BŘEZINA

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE held by the PragueSpring Festival, which this year (and nextyear also) is devoted to the work of BohuslavMartinů, Petr Jiříkovský gave the modernpremiere of the Victory March of the R.U.R.Sports Club in Polička, H. 129 bis a hithertototally unknown piano composition by Martinůfrom the summer of 1921. Of course this isan occasional piece, but in genre and subjectmatter it anticipates the use of jazz elementsand the topic of sports in works from Martinů’sParisian period. The conclusion of the piece isappropriate to the idea of sports events witha large audience, ending with a cheer (markedwith an eleven-fold forte!) in which most ofthose attending the press conference partici-pated. Both Czech Radio and the publishinghouse Editio Bärenreiter Praha immediatelyexpressed interest in the piece. ❚

(More info about this recently discovered worksee also Martinů Revue No. 1, January–April,2009, page 19)


/ SANDRA BERGMANNOVÁ

THIS JUBILEE YEAR is signi≤cant for BohuslavMartinů’s work not only because his music hasbeen made a centrepiece of cultural eventsboth in the Czech Republic and abroad but alsobecause is has received increased scholarlyattention. Numerous musicological conferencesin 2009 have been entirely devoted to the com-poser. The ≤rst of these was the symposiumheld in Dresden on 1 and 2 May 2009, entitledBohuslav Martinů – Werk und Wirkung. Theorganiser, the Institut für Musikwissenschaftat the Hochschule für Musik Dresden, producedthe event in co-operation with the CzechCentre in Dresden and the Bohuslav MartinůInstitute in Prague.

The ten papers presented at the symposiumspanned various topics. Aside from contempla-tions of Martinů’s musico-historical placement(A. Březina, Prague) and of his works’ receptionin Bohemia during the composer’s lifetime(J. Gabrielová, Prague), papers focused primarilyon the instrumental music. An exception, though,was a paper on the dramaturgy of Martinů’soperas (M. Blahynka, Bratislava). BohuslavMartinů’s quartets were juxtaposed with IgorStravinsky’s music (S. Weiss, Hanover). Trulyremarkable was the insight into the piano worksgiven by S. Mauser (Munich), who put forwardthe hypothesis that, given the sheer volume ofpieces he composed, Martinů had certain deep-rooted compositional techniques he frequentlyapplied in various compositions. Also presentedwas a recently discovered piece, String Trio

≠

[CONFERENCE≠”BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ – WERK UND WIRKUNGCONFERENCE IN DRESDEN

THE VIOLINIST JOSEF SUK has donated to theBohuslav Martinů Foundation ≤ve letters fromthe probate estate of his grandfather. Thecomposer Josef Suk gave the young Martinůadvice and support in preparing for the stateexam for private teaching of music. Although in1911 Martinů failed the state exam, Josef Sukacquainted himself with his compositions andgave him occasional composition lessons. From1922 Martinů briefly attended Suk’s composi-tion master class. The ≤ve donated letters,

written between 1929 and 1934, documentthe relationship of Martinů the “grateful pupil”to his “dear master” Josef Suk: “I have a naturethat, owing to the dif≤cult circumstances in whichI grew up, has become very withdrawn and doesnot often reveal itself. But for you, master Suk,I have in≤nite admiration which I do not concealin the slightest, and I will never forget your warmreception and the words of encouragement andfortitude you have given me. […] You have alwaysguided me, perhaps without even knowing it

[≠AUTOGRAPHS≠”MARTINŮ’S LETTERS TO JOSEF SUK

Josef Suk, 1906, Photo: Atelier Langhans

No. 1, H. 136 (E. Velická, Prague). The paper’sauthor introduced the work in terms of the turnin Martinů’s compositional thinking following hisdeparture for Paris (1923). She emphasisedthat, in contrast to the earlier works, whichabsorbed various influences and as a result cansound quite fragmentary, this Trio is stylisticallyuniform – indicating a true breakthrough inMartinů’s musical thinking. The symphonicmusic was also examined during the course ofthe symposium. Martinů’s symphonies weredealt with by W. Rathert (Munich), while theAmerican period was given attention in a paperon the Memorial to Lidice, H. 296 (K. Döge,Munich), which explored the work in semanticterms and drew attention to motivic elementsreminiscent of Beethoven’s “Fate” Symphony orthe Saint Wenceslas Chorale. The symposium’sparticipants also heard a paper on the virtuallyunknown early symphonic works (S. Bergman-nová, Prague), explaining the stylistic influencesof the time and the manner in which Martinůintegrated these into his own musical language.Another interesting paper considered the roleof the piano in Martinů’s orchestral works(D. Philippi, Mainz), as illustrated by two concer-tante pieces from the Paris period (Jazz Suite,H. 172, and Double Concerto for Two StringOrchestras, Piano and Timpani, H. 271). Bothdays of the symposium were rounded off byevening concerts at which works by Martinůwere performed. The papers will be publishedin proceedings issued by the Munich publisherRichard Boorberg Verlag in the series titled“Musik-Konzepte”. ❚

instrumentation; Francis Maes – the relationbetween music and its visual inspiration; JensRosteck – French (exile) symphonic works; LucieBerná – the ≤eld mass genre). In their papers,Michael B. Beckerman, Harry Halbreich, IvanaRentsch and Aleš Březina outlined the possibi-lities of newly de≤ning Martinů’s creativemethods beyond the current chronologicaldivision of Martinů’s oeuvre. The conferenceparticipants heard for the ≤rst time somespeci≤c names, works and theories in con-nection with Bohuslav Martinů. As such, theconference outputs mapped out new areas andpossibilities for future Martinů research, whichwas itself one of the conference’s themes.

The conference 2010 proceedings will bepublished within the Martinů-Studien seriesby Peter Lang Verlag. ❚


/ EVA VELICKÁ

TO MARK THE 50th anniversary of BohuslavMartinů’s death, the Bohuslav Martinů Instituteorganised a conference at the end of May onthe composer’s work and its reception. EntitledContinuity of Change. Bohuslav Martinů in20th-Century Music History, the conferencewas supported by the Ministry of Culture ofthe Czech Republic, the City of Prague, theBohuslav Martinů Foundation and the PragueSpring International Music Festival.

Fundamental to the conference’s thematicframework was the thesis that the unifyingelement in Martinů’s diverse musical legacy,originating over the course of half a century, isconstant transformation of musical language.Some twenty-two scholars from various coun-tries presented their papers at the conference.In addition to established Martinů scholars(Harry Halbreich, Michael B. Beckerman, IvanaRentsch, Jarmila Gabrielová and members of theBohuslav Martinů Institute team – Aleš Březina,Eva Velická, Sandra Bergmannová, Lucie Berná),several renowned scholars appeared who hadnot previously devoted their energies to Mar-tinů. Thus, the conference provided a uniqueopportunity to gain new insights for Martinůresearch. Examples of new-comers to Martinůresearch included Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen andGiselher Schubert, who re-evaluated Martinů’schamber oeuvre from the 1920s, and ArneStollberg, who reconsidered Martinů’s Half-time, H. 142 within the context of sports circa1920. The conference’s intention and set thesis

were ful≤lled since the papers and subsequentdiscussions dispelled unjustly rooted notionsabout Martinů and his position in Czech history.Vít Zouhar achieved this, for example, in con-nection with Martinů’s choral pieces from the1940s and 1950s, while Sandra Bergmannovátook on the early symphonic works. On a diffe-rent note, the papers of Jarmila Gabrielová,Gabriele Jonté and Thomas Svatos weredevoted to Martinů’s reception and historicalposition in America. Some scholars came upwith novel analytical methods which can serveas interpretational aids when approachingMartinů’s oeuvre (Michael Crump and Brian S.Locke), others outlined new themes in Martinůresearch and new contexts within which we canview the composer (Tomi Mäkelä – the issue ofnationalism; Eva Velická – humour; GregorHerzfeld – popular and jazz music; DanielaPhilippi and Jürgen Maehder – the question of

[CONFERENCE≠”CONTINUITY OF CHANGE. BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ IN 20TH-CENTURY MUSIC HISTORYINTERNATIONAL MUSICOLOGICAL CONFERENCE, PRAGUE, 29–31 MAY, 2009

yourself, and this cannot be forgotten.” So wroteMartinů in a Christmas 1930 letter. Of interestare other statements too: in a letter dated 6. 2.1929 (Paris) Martinů thanks Suk for performinghis quintet (probably the String Quintet, H. 164)and assures him that he proudly presented him-self everywhere “as your pupil, and I am proudof it”. In a letter written in Paris (1. 1. 1932)Martinů sends his New Year’s greetings andseeks spiritual support in hard times froma representative of the epoch “that consideredthe arts and creative activity the very peak of life”.The letter dated 5. 4. 1932 contains congratu-lations on the anniversary of the Czech Quartet;

Martinů expresses thanks for the supportthe younger generation draws “from yourartistic faith and perseverance”. The lettershave been digitised and are available toresearchers in this form at the BohuslavMartinů Institute. ❚

symphonies are increasingly before the concert-going and record-buying public, it was good tobe reminded that Martinů had contemplatedwriting a symphony as early as 1912 and madea ≤rst attempt in 1928 of which the Rapsódieis the one surviving movement, originally titledAllegro symphonique, the premiere in Bostonby Koussevitsky programmed as La symphonie.The Luxemburg players gave a forthright,unsophisticated performance which neverthe-less showed that the work deserves occasionalperformances rather that the current rareoutings.

The next day saw a delightful concert by theKühn Children’s Choir under the joint choir-masters, Jiří Chvála and Světlana Tvrzická ina programme of twentieth century Czech music,of which the senior representative was Martinůin his Petrklíč (Primrose), H. 348. Of the twohundred talented young children, a selectgroup of thirty sang these duets for sopranosand altos with violin and piano accompaniment,so freshly and charmingly presented here.The second Saturday young artist matinée wasgiven by Martina Bačová and Alexandr Starý,concluding their programme with a very wellconsidered and dynamic account of the ViolinSonata No. 3, H. 303. The evening concertwas given by the South Bohemian ChamberPhilharmonic under its conductor Stanislav

accomplished and forceful account of theFantazie e Toccata, H. 281, perhaps too force-ful at times, his youthful temperament still tocome fully under control in the service of themusic. In the evening Shlomo Mintz and PetrJiříkovský gave a recital which included theFive Short Pieces, H. 184 for violin and piano.While Jiříkovský’s contribution was excellentthroughout, it has to be said that Mintz wasdisappointing in his apparent lack of commit-ment to much of what he played.

On 18 May the Janáček Chamber Orchestraunder Jakub Klecker opened with the stringorchestra version of the Sextet, H. 224 A andtwo days later Zdeněk Mácal gave one of thecorner stones of Martinů’s output, the DoubleConcerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano andTimpani, H. 271 with the Czech PhilharmonicOrchestra, in a performance which was forcefulbut lacked the overwhelming sense of forebod-ing which infuses the interpretations of Ančerland Kubelík (and even Bělohlávek, who was notalive at the time of the Nazi threat over Europewhich so influenced Martinů in writing thiswork). On 21 May the Orchestre Philharmoniquedu Luxembourg under Emanuel Krivine per-formed the Rapsódie (Rhapsody-Allegro sym-phonique) for Large Orchestra, H. 171, the≤rst of the Martinů “rarities” heard during thisFestival. At a time when Martinů’s six ≤ne


/ GRAHAM MELVILLE-MASON

MARTINŮ CAME EARLY to Prague for thisyear’s Festival, presenting a strong visiting cardannouncing himself through his leading inter-preter of today, when Jiří Bělohlávek conductedSymphony No. 6 (Fantaisies symphoniques),H. 343 on 7 and 8 May in the Rudol≤num aspart of the Czech Philharmonic season. Thesewere ≤ne performances with the Czech Philhar-monic delivering that for which their conductorasked – not something that they have alwaysdone in the past. This bodes well for the longawaited release of their recording together ofSymphony No. 5, H. 310 and Symphony No. 6.The opening of the exhibition Martinů Phenome-non on 11 May at the Museum of Czech Music(reported elsewhere) also served to enhancethe theme.

Jakub Hrůša opened Martinů’s of≤cial Festivalvisit on 15 May with an ebulient performanceof the Duo Concertant for Two Violins andOrchestra, H. 264 in which the two soloists,Bohuslav Matoušek and Régis Pasquier, receiveddue acclamation from the audience. This con-cert by the Bohuslav Martinů PhilharmonicOrchestra from Zlín opened with the Variationson a Theme of Bohuslav Martinů by Martinů’sfriend and long-term advocate, Zdeněk Zouhar.This was an attractive and well written piecein which ten variations culminate in the themeof “A little bird flew in from a foreign land”from the Songs on Two Pages, H. 302. Fromthe opening clarinet solo with gentle wind andbrass support, the atmosphere of the Vysočinawas conjoured up to pervade much of whatfollowed. A beautiful variation for solo harp ledto variations for all sections of the orchestra,including a very effective one for tuba, twopiccolos and percussion. Finally the stringsmajestically sang out the original song theme,the wind contributed and then the full orches-tra declaimed the song in a triumphal andmoving conclusion. I am sure Martinů wouldhave been delighted with Zouhar’s sincerehomage.

The ≤rst of the Saturday morning concertsat the Academy of Music Martinů Hall, devotedto young artists, was given by the talentedpianist Ladislav Doležel. He gave a technically

≠ MARTINŮ REVISI

Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra, Bohuslav Matoušek and Régis Pasquier (May 15, 2009)


Vavřínek, ending this programme with the bestplaying of the evening in a well rehearsedperformance of the Sinfonietta La Jolla, H. 328.

Sunday saw a welcome return of the CzechNonet, now with a number of new and youngermembers. Martinů was represented by his late,well-known Nonet No. 2, H. 374 and his mostattractive Paris Stravinskian Les Rondes, H. 200in which the “new” Czech Nonet demonstratedthat it continues the standard and uniquetradition of its illustrious past eight-≤ve years.On 26 May the AD Trio opened its programmewith the Piano Trio No. 3 in C, H. 332. The nextday brought the NDR Symphony Orchestra

from Hamburg, conducted by Christoph vonDohnány, with Frank Peter Zimmermann assoloist in an excellent performance of theViolin Concerto No. 2, H. 293. On 28 May cameanother of the special concert events witha rare performance of Nipponari, H. 68, excel-lently delivered by Dagmar Pecková with JiříBělohlávek and his Prague Philharmonia. Itwas also good to see on this occasion backin Prague, Harry Halbreich for the MartinůConference, held on 29 to 31 May. On 30 Maywas another great opportunity for Martinůenthusiasts to hear the four cantatas – Legendof the Smoke from the Potato Fires, H. 360,

The Romance of the Dandelions H. 364, Mikešof the Mountains H. 375 and The Openingof the Springs, H. 354, all delighfully sung bythe Kühn Mixed Choir under Marek Vorlíček,with Alena Hellerová, Sylva Čmugrová, VáclavLemberk and Roman Janál as soloists.

On 31 May the Basel Chamber Orchestra, forwhose predecessors it was written, performedthe Toccata e due canzoni, H. 311 in a concertconducted with youthful enthusiasm by KristjanJärvi. It has to be said that his reading lackedthe emotional understanding and clarity weexperienced when Jiří Bělohlávek conductedit in the same hall a few years ago. The ≤nalMartinů contribution was another special eventand rarity in the concert hall. In the penulti-mate concert of the Festival on 2 June, Jiří Koutconducted the Prague Symphony (FOK) Orches-tra and the Prague Philharmonic Women’s Choir,

with Adriana Kohútková, Jaroslav Březina andŠtefan Kocán as soloists, to give us the baladSvatební košile (The Spectre’s Bride), H. 214which Martinů wrote in 1932 as the extendedconclusion to his ballet Špalíček (The Chap-Book), H. 214, but later created as a separatework which some may know from the 1985Supraphon recording. Here it was vividlybrought to life by Jiří Kout with excellent singingfrom the forty strong female choir and soloists,thus providing a most ≤tting and satisfyingending to Martinů’s revisiting the 64th PragueSpring International Music Festival. ❚

TS PRAGUE SPRING

From the left: Adriana Kohútková, conductor Jiří Kout, Štefan Kocán, Jaroslav Březina (May 2, 2009)

Conductor Emmanuel Krivine (May 20, 2009) Conductor Kristjan Järvi (May 31, 2009)

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technical aspect and the ≤rst impression,I mostly prepare for a new season as early asin the summer. Since I don’t have much timeduring the season, I must say that this com-position was part of my holiday.

What really fascinates me about this musicis its rhythmicality. This symphony is veryrhythmical, and this should be the forte of boththe orchestra and the conductor. Until thenI hadn’t conducted any works by Martinů, soit was also a premiere for me. We had threerehearsals plus the dress rehearsal. I – andnot only I – stressed to the musicians howimportant this premiere concert was.

What then was your personal impressionof today’s concert? Were you satis≤ed? Yes, I can say I was. It can always be betterin technical terms, but it was good. And I amabove all satis≤ed with the impression aspect.

which we will also be playing music by Martinů(Concertino for Piano and Orchestra, H. 269with the Brazilian soloist Patricia Bretas).

But let’s go back to Fantaisies symphoniques.I am convinced that it is one of the most sig-ni≤cant symphonic works written after WorldWar II in Europe and the New World.

I think that Martinů wanted to express init all the sorrow he felt over Czechoslovakia’sdestruction by the Communist regime. He alsowanted to express what he felt as an emigre inthe USA who could not go back home since theNazis had been succeeded by the Communists.Given this situation, it was simply impossible forMartinů to return. I think it is a very personalmessage of deep human grief. And the idea,using the melody from Dvořák’s Requiem, saysa lot too. I guess that Martinů mainly wrotethis work for himself, but also for a world thatwould never be the same as it was beforeWorld War II…

Where and when did you ≤rst encounterMartinů’s music? I ≤rst encountered Martinů’s music at home,in Almaty, Kazakhstan. I heard the MoscowChamber Orchestra and Rudolf Barshai on anold gramophone record. It was a rarely playedopus called Divertimento (Serenade No. 4,H. 215). I immediately fell in love with thissprightly, vivid and motoric music. I listenedto this extremely positive work over and overagain. Since then my interest in Martinů’smusic has been constantly increasing.

It is said that Fantaisies symphoniques is noteasy to perform – neither for the conductornor the orchestra. I’ve heard that someconductors have additional rehearsals priorto its interpretation. What did you do beforeyour premiere of this composition, whichwas also the premiere for the NorrköpingsSympfoniorkester? Yes, it is a complicated piece of music; it isnot as accessible as perhaps Martinů’s othersymphonies.

It is not a work one can learn overnight,it needs time. Some works you even learn tointerpret all your life, returning to them withnew ideas. Yet when it comes merely to the


On the premiereof Martinů’s

Fantaisies symphoniquesin Norrköping

/ MARTINA FIALKOVÁ

ON 26 FEBRUARY 2009 one of the majorconcerts of the Martinů Revisited project’sforeign component took place in Norrköpingunder the auspices of the Czech Ambas-sador to Sweden. The young yet alreadyhighly sought-after Kazakh conductorAlan Buribayev, principal conductor ofthe Norrköpings Symfoniorkester (SON),had prepared Martinů’s Symphony No. 6(Fantaisies symphoniques), H. 343 for its localpremiere. Buribayev, for whom the concertwas also a personal Martinů premiere,demonstrated his mastery of the dif≤cultwork and his approach met with an enthu-siastic response. In late November, theconductor and the Norrköpings Symfoni-orkester will tour the Czech Republic andwill also appear in Bratislava. Their tripwill culminate in two concerts at Prague’sRudol≤num on 26 and 27 November 2009.This interview with Alan Buribayev, whichtook place immediately after the Swedishpremiere, aims to familiarise the Czechaudience with a rising star whose engage-ment as the SON’s principal conductor hasrecently been extended.

Some concerts within Martinů Revisited,including the one at which you gave theSwedish premiere of Martinů’s Fantaisiessymphoniques with the Norrköpings Sym-foniorkester, were selected by the CzechGovernment as part of our Presidency’sEU calendar. What made you choose thisparticular Martinů masterpiece? Above all, I am very glad that this very concertwas selected by the Czech Government andincluded in the EU calendar. It is a great honourfor me and for the orchestra too. This isespecially true now that we are planning ourautumn tour of the Czech Republic, during

intervie

w ALAN BURIBAYEV —

Alan Buribayev


I think the orchestra did very well. I am reallypleased since I was more worried about theimpression than the technical execution. It isabove all your – Czech – music. And eventhough I myself strove to understand andgrasp it as best as I could, it was still necessaryfor the orchestra to get to grips with it – wecannot overlook the fact that this is a Swedishorchestra, with many musicians being of othernationalities too. A problem could have arisenas regards perception of the music, but thisdidn’t happen. The musicians told me theywere deeply moved by Martinů’s music andhad strong impressions from its performance.I could feel that they were playing the com-position with great absorption. Since I wasconducting a piece by Martinů for the ≤rst time,from the very beginning I put into it my ownimagination, thus it was a little bit like myown “symphonic fantasies”. It was a powerfulexperience for me too.

In conclusion, let us deviate a bit fromMartinů. Can you recall what the ≤rst pieceof Czech music you encountered was andwhat it invoked in you? My very ≤rst encounter with Czech music waswith Dvořák’s American Quartet in F major.

My mother played the cello in the KazakhstanState String Orchestra for ≤fteen years, andthey performed this piece on numerous occa-sions. I remember when I was twelve whistlingand singing the melody of the scherzo from thequartet to my own lyrics: “My name is Alan”!

Later on, I discovered Smetana and hisBartered Bride and My Country, Dvořák’s sym-phonies and Rusalka. When I was working asprincipal conductor at the Meiningen Opera inGermany, I conducted Janáček’s Jenůfa morethan twenty times. It is a splendid opera! ❚

— A RISING CONDUCTING STAR

SYMPHONY No. 6/ GÜNTER THIELE

THE FIRST WORK at the concert with conduc-tor Alan Buribayev and Norrköpings Symfonie-orkester (SON) on 26 February 2009 featuredIsabelle van Keulen in Beethoven’s gloriousViolin concerto.

I have her in fond remembrance since her≤ne performance of Martinů’s Rhapsody--Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, H. 337during the annual Bohuslav Martinů Days inPrague in 2004. This time her presentationof the solo part was the redeeming featurein an otherwise not particularly distinguishedperformance of the Beethoven concerto.

After the intermission the Czech Republic’sSwedish ambassador presented the orchestra

with a diploma, this being a concert in theongoing ”Martinů Revisited” program. A rewardwell deserved also for other reasons. TheSymphony No. 6 – Fantaisies symphoniques,H. 343 was actually the fourth of Martinů’ssymphonies performed by the SON since thejubilee 1990. In addition to that the orchestramay be credited for a ≤ne performance ofThe Parables, H. 367 a few years ago, not tomention some lesser works. This record is farmore than any other Swedish orchestra couldboast of during that period and leaves no roomfor doubt that the SON has an understandingand sympathy for Martinů’s idiom. But priorto the Fantaisies symphoniques this eveninganother masterpiece with a Czech connectionwas performed; Mozart’s Prague Symphony.

I wonder if not more than a mere breathingpause would have been advisable between

two so heavily charged works. Whateverthe reason, during the ≤rst movement ofMartinů’s symphony my impression was thatthe orchestra mainly moved along the surfaceof the music, technically accomplished butwithout stirring the undercurrents in anysubstantial way. However, in the secondmovement the potential of the music wasfully realised.We were presented with a trulyfantastic and breathtaking magic wand ofsound nobody present is likely to forget easily.The performance of the third movement didnot quite preserve this level of excellence, butit was good enough to arouse the audience toa standing ovation. Let’s hope the orchestrawill perform the two ”missing” symphoniesno 2 and 4 too before long. That would besomething to look forward to. ❚

Norrköpings Symfoniorkester

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FESTIVAL MORAVIAN AUTUMN2—16 October 2009Variations on the Theme of MartinůMore information: www.mhf-brno.cz/moravsky-podzim/cz/

DNI MUZYKI BOHUSLAVAMARTINU W 50. ROCZNICĘŚMIERCI KOMPOZYTORAKRAKÓW 2009 / Poland18—22 October 2009More information:[email protected]

15. INTERNATIONALE MUSIKFESTTAGEB. MARTINŮ 50. Anniversary of Martinů’s death > Basel, Switzerland Patronat: Václav Havel,Moritz Leuenberger, Josef SukArtistic Director: Robert Kolinsky

The International Music FestivalB. Martinů in Basel (Switzerland)is dedicated to the Czech composerBohuslav Martinů, who spent thelast years of his life in the Baselregion.

Since 1995 the festival has takenplace every autumn, presentinga high quality programme featuringrenowned artists and musicians.

Václav Havel, violinist Josef Suk andSwiss President Moritz Leuenbergerare patrons of the festival. Under theartistic leadership of pianist RobertKolinsky it has developed into aninstitution unique on the Swiss musicscene. The press considers the festivalto be one of the smallest and ≤nest ofits kind and its concerts are broadcaston radio and TV each year. The oeuvreof Martinů is at the centre of theprogramming and is combined withother works of various styles and eras.Besides classical concerts, the festivalestablishes interconnections withcultural genres such as ≤lm, jazz andmodern dance – a diversity that ismuch appreciated both by audiencesand the press alike.

In 2009 – the 50th anniversary ofMartinů’s death – the festival cele-brates the composer with a top-classprogramme and the unveiling ofa portrait at the Stadtcasino Baselwhere many of Martinů’s major workshave been premiered. Thanks to theinitiative of the festival, a numberof Martinů’s stage works are beingproduced by the major opera housesof Switzerland during the jubilee year.

FESTIVE CEREMONY & OPENING CONCERTSaturday, October 31, 2009 /7.00 pm> Stadtcasino BaselFestive Ceremony, 5:45 pmInauguration of Martinů portraitA. Dvořák: Symphonic Variation

for Large Orchestra, Op. 78B. Martinů: Concerto for Violinand Orchestra No. 2, H. 293B. Martinů: Symphony No. 6“Fantaisies symphoniques”, H. 343Neeme Järvi (Conductor),Frank-Peter Zimmermann (Violin),Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart

CINEMAThe Marriage, H. 341Tuesday, November 3, 2009 /7.00 pm> Stadtkino Basel(Introduction)As part of the swiss-wide opera projectduring the jubilee year we presentfor the FIRST TIME IN EUROPE:“Bohuslav Martinů’s ‘The Marriage’ –a quite unbelievable story”NBC Opera Theater Production (1953),John Bloch (director)

CHAMBER MUSICSextet Sunday, November 8, 2009 /7.00 pm> Hans-Huber Saal, BaselA. Schönberg: Trans≤gured NightB. Martinů: String Sextet, H. 224A. Dvořák: Sextet A-Major, Op. 48 Academy of St. Martin in the FieldsEnsemble

FAMILY CONCERT“Letters from Felix – a little rabbit on a world tour”Wednesday, November 11, 2009 /6.00 pm> Museum Tinguely, BaselPercussion Ensemble Kaiserstuhl –Groove Collective Allschwil –Friedemann Stert/LeitungMusical Promenades throughthe continents of this worldWorks for mallet instruments,e-bass and percussion by B. Martinů,E. Kopetzki, H. Villa Lobos

JAZZ CONCERT“Fantaisies symphoniques”Sunday, November 15, 2009 /7.00 pm> Museum Tinguely, BaselMiroslav Vitouš & friendsImprovisations on Symphony No. 6“Fantaisies symphoniques”, H. 343by Bohuslav Martinů(In cooperation with the bird’s eyejazz club)

More information: www.martinu.ch

The program subject to change

30 October / 7.45 pm> The Anvil Basingstoke, UKEstampes, H. 369Czech Philharmonic OrchestraJakub Hrůša (Conductor)

‹vOPERAS≠&≠BALLETS—›16 & 20 September 20092 October 2009 / 6.00 pm> Theatre Reduta,

Brno, CZwww.ndbrno.cz

The Kitchen Revue, H. 161Tears of the Knife, H. 169The Amazing Flight, H. 159Jiří Srnec (Director)Jakub Klecker (Conductor)Bohemia Ballet and Ensembleof the Dance Conservatory Prague

4 October 2009 (premiere)5 & 7 October 2009 / 7.00 pmThe Marriage, H. 341Jakub Klecker (Conductor)Pamela Howard (Director)

23 October 2009> Theater Biel Solothurn, Biel,

Switzerlandwww.theater-biel.ch

Alexandre bis, H. 255

29 October 2009 (premiere)> National Theatre Prague, CZ

www.narodni-divadlo.czAdditional performances:31 October, 2, 7, 29 November,14 December 2009, 1 January,26 February, 5 April 2010The Miracles of Mary, H. 236

‹vFESTIVALS—›KAMMERMUSIK FESTIVALALLEGRO VIVO 2009 / Austria9 August—20 September 2009www.allegro-vivo.at18 August 2009> Horn, VereinshausTrio for Flute, Cello & Piano, H. 300

20 September 2008> Stift Altenburg, BibliothekClosing ConcertConcertino for Piano Trio and StringOrchestra, H. 232Eggner TrioTonkünstler-OrchesterNiederösterreich, Bijan Khadem--Missagh (Conductor)

THE JERUSALEM INTERNATIONALCHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL31 August—12 September 2009www.jcmf.org.il31 August 2009Duo for Violin and Cello, H. 3715 September 2009 The Kitchen Revue, H. 161


‹vCONCERTS—›27 August 2009> Czech Museum of Music,

Prague, CZwww.nm.cz

The Kitchen Revue No. 3 – Charleston, H. 161, Les Jeux I, H. 205, Film en miniature, H. 148 Karel Košárek, piano

5 September 2009> Rudol≤num, Prague, CZThe Parables, H. 367Czech Philharmonic Orchestra,Eliahu Inbal (Conductor)For other concerts of the seasonwith Martinů’s works seewww.ceska≤lharmonie.cz

10 September 2009> National Theatre Prague, CZ

www.narodni-divadlo.czOpening concert of the new seasonThe Epic of Gilgamesh, H. 351Eva Urbanová, Jaroslav Březina,Aleš Jenis, Martin Gurbal’ (Soloists),David Matásek (Narrator)Tomáš Netopil (Conductor)

19 September 2009>Luxembourg, Centre de Neumunster,Luxembourg

String Quartet No. 5, H. 268Kaprálová Quartet

8 & 9 October 2009> State Opera,

Prague, CZwww.opera.cz

The Rock, H. 363Aria of Ariane from the operaAriane, H. 370Czech Rhapsody, H. 118Soloists, choir and orchestra of theState Opera

20 October 2009> Foyer européen, Luxembourg,

LuxembourgDeux chansons, H. 213Songs on One Page, H. 294 Eva Garajova (Mezzo-soprano),Paul Rhodes (Piano)

27 October 2009 / 8.00 pm> Main Auditorium, Dublin, Ireland28 October 2009 / 7.30 pm> Bridgewater Hall Manchester, UK

events

This is only a selection of Martinů’sperformances all over the world.More events can be found atwww.czechmusic.org


JAROSLAV MIHULE:A CONCISE GUIDE TO THE LIFE AND WORKOF BOHUSLAV MARTINŮPUBLISHED ON THE OCCASION OF THE EXHIBITIONin the Bohuslav Martinů Center, Polička.English, Czech, German, FrenchORDERS: [email protected]

MARTINŮ REVISITEDFABRIC BAGORDER NOW!THE LIMITED EDITIONPRICE: 1 bag – 3 EUR / 2 bags – 5 EUR

Available during the 50th anniversary yearof Martinů’s death, while stocks last.ORDERS: [email protected]

NEW CDBohuslav Martinů: The Piano TriosPiano Trio No. 2 in D Minor, H. 327Bergerettes for Piano Trio, H. 275Piano Trio No. 3 in C, H. 332Piano Trio No. 1, H. 193Kinsky Trio PragueRecorded in 2008, 2009Praga Digitals / PRD/DSD 250 256, 2009

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Martina Janková / RecollectionJOSEPH HAYDN English Canzonets, German Lieder, Scottish and Welsh Folk SongsMartina Janková soprano / Gérard Wyss piano

Bohuslav MartinůThree Fragments from the Opera Juliette

(The Key to Dreams) H 253ALive recording from the work’s world premieres on 11 & 12 December 2008

Magdalena Kožená Juliette / Steve Davislim MichelCzech Philharmonic Orchestra / conductor Sir Charles Mackerras

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