THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ FOUNDATIONTHE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ INSTITUTE

THE INTERNATIONAL MARTINŮ CIRCLE

JANUARY—APRIL 2011 VOL.XI NO.1CLOSING OF MARTINŮ REVISITED

HUMOUR IN MARTINŮ’S MUSIC

HISTORIC LPs

AUTOGRAPHS IN THE MÉDIATHÈQUEMUSICALE MAHLER

NEW PUBLICATIONS & CDs

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3 highlights / events

4 incircle news

6 news International Martinů Circle

Founding Members Closing Concert of the Martinů

Revisited Project

8 Martinů Revisited 2009–2010ALEŠ BŘEZINA

10 Historic Recordings for the Library of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation ZOJA SEYČKOVÁ

11 special series List of Martinů’s Works XI

12 festivals Martinů as a Source of Inspiration

CHRISTINE FIVIAN & CECILE PIERBURG

14 research Humour in Martinů’s Music

from the 1920sEVA VELICKÁ

17 research New Martinů Autographs in Paris

ALEŠ BŘEZINA

18 events / news

19 New CDs / New Publications

PEEPH●●LEINTO THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŲ CENTER IN POLIČKA

MARTINŮ. THE 6 SYMPHONIESRecorded Live

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Jiří Bělohlávek (Conductor)

Onyx Classics, ONYX4061 3CD (due for release in June 2011)

MARTINŮ OWNED a Kopecký & Co. piano that he kept at his music school in today’s Masary kovaStreet in Polička and on which he wrote a number of compositions. We do not know exactlywhen and from whom he bought the instrument, yet from 1919 he endeavoured to sell it.

When in 1932 the piano was bought by his friend, the Polička-based builder Bohuslav Šmíd,Martinů expressed his gratitude by writing several minor piano pieces for his children bearingthe dedication “To Božánek and Sonička Šmíd“. Martinů was delighted that the piano wasin good hands, as is evident from the letter he wrote to Šmíd in Paris on 16 May 1932:“You understand that I parted with it with regret, since it is a friend that collaborated with me onmy things, and it cost me a lot of effort to acquire it – I had to write a good few notes to pay for it.And it is connected with plenty of memories, hopes, disillusionments, as well as successes. Butwhen I saw it there abandoned, I decided to sell it, and I would have been glad if it had remained inPolička as a remembrance. Perhaps it will be a nice memory for those who remain here after us…”After the war, the piano was used during music lessons at the schools in Polička and Perálec,and since 1970 it has been part of the museum collections.

Lucie Jirglová

NEW CD

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27 July 2011ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL & SCHOOL ASPEN / COLORADO / USA30 June–21 August 2011

THE FRESCOES OF PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA / H. 352

Aspen Concert Orchestra Tomáš Netopil (Conductor)

www.aspenmusicfestival.com

29 April 2011 – premiere TEATRO MASSIMO / PALERMO / ITALY

Italian premiere of the 1st versionAdditional performances:

30 April, 3, 4, 5, 8 May 2011

THE GREEK PASSION / H. 372/I

Damiano Michieletto (Director)

www.teatromassimo.it

FESTIVAL

OPERA

(�OPERAS�)25 April 2011 > National Theatre, Prague, CZ

www.narodni-divadlo.czThe Miracles of Mary, H. 236Orchestra, Chorus & Ballet of theNational Theatre Opera, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Kühn’s Children Choir, David Švec (Conductor)

29 April 2011 / Italian premiere of the 1st version30 April, 3, 4, 5, 8 May 2011> Teatro Massimo,

Palermo, Italywww.teatromassimo.it

The Greek Passion, H. 372/IDamiano Michieletto (Director)

10, 11, 13 May 2011> Reduta Theatre, Brno, CZ

www.ndbrno.czThe Marriage, H. 341Orchestra of the National Theatre BrnoPamela Howard (Director/Scenographer)Jakub Klecker (Conductor) Tereza Merklová (Soprano)

28 May 2011 > The Estates Theatre,

Prague, CZThe Marriage, H. 341Jiří Štrunc (Conductor)Josef Novák (Director)Students of Prague conservatoryJ. K. Tyl Theatre Orchestra in Pilsen

28 June 2011> La Fabrika, Prague, CZ

www.lafabrika.czThe Marriage, H. 341Orchestra of the National Theatre BrnoPamela Howard (Director/Scenographer)Jakub Klecker (Conductor)Tereza Merklová (Soprano)

(�BALLET�)29 April 2011 / premiere> Stadttheater Bern,

Bern, SwitzerlandBallet on music by Bohuslav MartinůCathy Marston (Choreography)Ballett – das Ballett des Stadttheaters BernCamerata BernPremiere: 3, 4, 8, 12, 13 May 201117 & 19 June 2011

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�) NEW BIOGRAPHY

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news

�) SECOND MOVEMENT OPERA

INTERNATIONAL MARTINŲ CIRCLE NEWS

FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL appearances in Pragueand Brno last October with their production ofThe Knife's Tears, H. 169, Second MovementOpera are hopeful of mounting a full productionof The Three Wishes, H. 175 in 2012, subject to thenecessary funding being raised. This follows theirsuccessful preview of the work at the RiversideStudios in London last September. We wish themwell with this ambitious project.Another Second Movement production which will

�) UNPUBLISHED SONGS

definitely be going ahead in 2012 arises from a com -mission celebrating the forthcoming Olympic Gamesin London. Zatopek will be a 12 minute mini cham -ber opera, the work of the young composer EmilyHoward, inspired by the legendary Czech athleteEmil Zátopek. Some may recall that he was one ofthe heroic figures of the 1948 London Olympics. Thenew opera will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 andwill tour the UK, and is also due to be performedin the Czech Republic. Gregory Terian

A NEW BIOGRAPHY of Martinů by F. James RybkaMD is due to appear shortly. The book, entitledBohuslav Martinů: The Compulsion to Compose,is being published by the American firm ScarecrowPress, and runs to some 430 pages with 31 photo -graphs. The author is the son of Frank Rybka whobecame a close friend of the composer following thelatter's arrival in the United States. It breaks newground in that it draws on letters sent by Martinů to

his family and to Frank, together with observationsby members of the Rybka family who all knew thecomposer.Evidence is produced in support of the author'sbelief that Martinů was afflicted with Asperger'ssyndrome. Mr Rybka, who is a member of theMartinů Circle, provides a welcome insight into theyears following the composer's arrival in Americain 1941. Gregory Terian

THE MUCH ANTICIPATED CD collection of unpub -lished early songs by Martinů, as performed by themezzo-soprano Jana Wallingerová accompaniedby Giorgio Koukl, is due to be released by Naxosin May 2011. This recording is of particular interest

for the Circle in that it went ahead with the helpof financial contributions from some individualIMC members (see Patrice Chevy's article in Revueno. 2/2010). Translations of the songs have beenprovided by Karel Janovický. Gregory Terian

�) AWARDON 17 OCTOBER 2010 the Czech PhilharmonicOrchestra was awarded the Echo Prize by theGerman Phonographic Academy for their recordingon the Supraphon label of Three Fragments fromthe Opera Juliette, H. 253 A. The orchestra wasconducted by Sir Charles Mackerras with our

Patron Magdalena Kožená taking the title role.The recording is derived from the inaugural concertperformances of the Martinů Revisited anniversarycelebrations, given at the Rudolfinum on 11–12December 2008 with financial support from theMartinů Foundation. Gregory Terian

�) CONCERTS BY OUR MEMBERSINDIAN SUMMER in Levoča Festival 2011,www.lblfestival.euSaturday 1 October 2011, 7.00 pm – Péchy Castlein Hermanovce (just outside Levoča), Slovakia

Martinů: Four Madrigals for Oboe, Clarinetand Bassoon, H. 266 (nos. 2+3)

In Modo Camerale (Czech Republic): Jana Brožková (Oboe), Ludmila Peterková (Clarinet),Jaroslav Kubita (Bassoon), Guest: Carlo Jans, Luxembourg (Flute)

�) “SYMPHONIC FANTAISIES” A PAINTING BY ALI MOHAMED ISMAEL

IN FEBRUARY 2009, within the Martinů Revisitedproject, a premiere of Martinů’s “SymphonicFantaisies” (Symphony No. 6, H. 343) took placein the Swedish town Norrköping. The NorrköpingSymphony Orchestra was conducted by AlanBuribayev, a promising young conductor fromKazakhstan. The result was magnificent. Amongthose present at the festive concert were CzechMinister of Culture Václav Riedlbauch, Czech Am -bas sador to Sweden Jan Kára, and Ali MohamedIsmael, an Iraqi artist living in Sweden. Influencedby the depth of this Martinů work, Ismael createdan emotionally appealing painting entitled“Symphonic Fantaisies” after the premiere inNorrköping. In Autumn 2009 the painting becamea part of the exhibition “Fenomén Martinů” atthe Czech Museum of Music in the Czech capital.The advent of this work once again proves howpowerful and internationally comprehensiblethe music of Bohuslav Martinů is.

Martina Fialková

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[�MARTINŮ REVISITED CONCLUDED)WITH THE ENDING of the Martinů Revisited festivities  we must express profoundgratitude to the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation and Institute for the splendid series ofevents which they devised to mark these anniversaries; also to our Patron MagdalenaKožená for her superb participation in two of the major events, when she took the title role both in the first performance of Three Fragments from Juliette, H. 253 A, withthe conductor Sir Charles Mackerras and also in the British premiere of the French ver-sion of the full opera with Jiří Bělohlávek directing a concert performance at the Barbi-can in London.

With the completion of the anniversary celebrations one might have anticipateda decline of interest in the composer, but his music continues to be performed widelyand the residual benefits of Martinů Revisited continue to reach us in the shape ofrecordings derived from the various events. The latest to surface is the complete setof symphonies as compellingly performed by Jiří Bělohlávek and the BBC Symphony Or-chestra at the Barbican last season and now preserved on the Onyx label (see page 2).

Sadly, one project which failed to materialise would have brought us first record-ings of the pastoral opera What Men Live By, H. 336 (1952) and the ballet score TheStrangler, H. 317 (1948). They would have filled two of the major remaining gaps in theMartinů recorded repertoire. However, I understand that initiatives are already oncourse to make good those shortcomings. Gregory Terian, Chairman

[�INCIRCLE BOARD MEETING)THE 2011 BOARD MEETING of the IMC will take place in Prague on 15 Octoberon the occasion of the Czech Philharmonic's Martinů programme (on 14 October at7.30 p.m., Eliahu Inbal – conductor). The meeting will begin on 15 October at 10 a.m.and will be followed by a small concert in the Hall of Bohuslav Martinů Foundation inBořanovická, Kobylisy, Prague 8. Members of the Czech Martinů Society will be invitedto this event. We hope to hold the next General Meeting in Prague in May 2012 tocoincide with the Prague Spring Festival. Jana Honzíková, secretary

[�2011 SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS)WE WOULD REQUEST members to forward their 2011 subscription paymentsthrough their usual channels. A list of our international contacts is shownbelow.> Phillip C. Boswell (Great Britain), philipboswell78@btinternet.com,

3 Warren Croft, Storrington, RH20 4BE Great Britain

> Patrice Chevy (France), chevy.patrice@orange.fr, +33675620321,11 Résidence FOCH, 923 80 Garches, France

> Mari Tokuda (Japan), martinu@martinu.jp, +81 339 393 395, +81 359 990793

> Geoff Piper (Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria), pipergeo@pt.lu,+352-474269, 24, rue des Cerisiers, Luxembourg, L – 1322 Luxembourg

> Gert Floor (Netherlands), muziek@bibliotheekheiloo.nl, +31725095262,Gortersweg 6, 1871 CC Schoorl, Netherlands

> Robert Simon (USA), rcs7684@yahoo.com, mobile number 216-973-7716 ,3055 W Eastwood Ave #3, Chicago, IL 60625, USA

> Jaroslav Šonský (Sweden), sonsky@mailbox.swipnet.se, +4611318475,Knopgatan 6, 603 85 Norrköping, Sweden

> Petra Richter (Germany), petra2402@yahoo.de, Furtstraße 46,73770 Denkendorf, Germany

Members who pay their subscriptions via the Dvořák Society should con-tinue to do so. Those wishing to pay in Czech currency or by cash shouldcontact us at incircle@martinu.cz. ❚

GENERAL INFORMATIONMembers receive the illustratedMartinů Revue published three timesa year plus a special limited edition CDcontaining world premieres, historicperformances and archival recordingsfrom the annual Martinů Festival notobtainable commercially.

The IMC is supported by the Bohu -slav Martinů Foundation and BohuslavMartinů Institute in Prague.

MEMBERSHIP & SUBSCRIPTIONINFORMATION> YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION:

25 EUR / 30 USD / 18 GBP> SUBSCRIPTION FOR CORPORATE

MEMBERS: 100 EURincludes 10 copies of each RevuePLUS 3 copies of the special limitededition CD> SPECIAL RATE for music students

under 25 years of age: 10 EUR / 250 CZK> SINGLE COPIES OF THE REVUE:

80 CZK / 3 EUR / 4 USD + postage

For further details and for single copiesof the Martinů Revue contact:Jana Honzíkovátel.: +420 284 691 529, 731 419 873e-mail: incircle@martinu.czThe International Martinů Circle, o.s. Bořanovická 1779/14 182 00 Praha 8-Kobylisy, CZ

DEAR MEMBERS, PLEASEADD YOUR NAME WHENYOU PAY VIA BANK TRANSFERSO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFYYOUR PAYMENT.

WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS(in alphabetical order)> Dr. Clemens Harasim, Joseph Haydn

Institute, Köln, Germany > Martin Říha, Rokycany, CZ

NEW CORPORATE PARTNER> Prague Philharmonia, CZ

www.pkf.cz

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MARTINŮ REVUE (formerly BohuslavMartinů Newsletter) is publishedby the International Martinů Circlein collaboration with the BohuslavMartinů Institute in Prague with thefinancial support of the BohuslavMartinů Foundation Prague.

Editors Zoja Seyčková & Lucie Harasim,Bohuslav Martinů InstituteJustin Krawitz (with special thanks)

Publisher’s OfficeInternational Martinů Circle, o.s.IČ: 22688846Bořanovická 14, 182 00 Praha 8-Kobylisy,Czech Republice-mail: incircle@martinu.czwww.martinu.cz

Translation Hilda Hearne

Photographs The 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.

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

CoverTabea Zimmermann and Petr Altrichter© Zdeněk Chrapek

ISSN 1803-8514MK ČR E 18911

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

dMagdalena Kožená –

International Martinů Circle Patron�) INCIRCLE NEWS

JIŘÍ BĚLOHLÁVEKIn a distinguished career span -ning some 40 years, Jiří Bělohlá -vek has performed and recordedmore works by Martinů than anyconductor, past or present. He hasbeen Principal Conductor of theBBC Symphony Orches tra since2006. He is due to take over asMusic Di rec tor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestrain 2012, ensuring a continuing high profile forthe music of the composer which he loves. He cele brated his 65th birthday in February.

MAURICE BOURGUECelebrated French oboist who hasgiven many performances of Mar -tinů's concerto for the instru ment,most recently at the 2010 PragueSpring. As Director of the SándorVégh Chamber Music Academy heproduced many memorable andinnovative programmes for theMartinů Festivals in Prague 1996–2002.

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HARRY HALBREICHBelgian musicologist whose namewill be know to all Martinů en thu -si asts for the comprehensive cata -logue of the composer’s workswhich bears his name. Apart fromMartinů, he is the author of bio -gra phies of Honegger, Messaienand Magnard. He recently cele -brated his 80th birthday.

CHRISTOPHER HOGWOODBritish conductor, musicologist,member of the Editorial Board ofthe Critical Complete BohuslavMartinů Edition. Has frequentlyperformed works by Martinů bothin the UK and abroad and editedand subsequently recorded thefull score of La Revue de Cuisine for the first time.

[NEWS�)

VERONIQUE FIRKUSNY -CALLEGARIDaughter of Rudolf Firkušný,the eminent Czech pianist whowas a close personal friend ofBohuslav Martinů and promotedthe composers music throughouthis long career. He gave the worldpremieres of the Piano ConcertosNos. 2, 3 and 4.

JEAN FONDA FOURNIERFrench pianist, son of PierreFournier, friend and collaboratorof Martinů, who was one of theleading soloists of his time as wellas teacher at the École Normalede Musique in Paris. Accompaniedhis father in a notable recordingof the Martinů Cello Sonata No. 1 which wasdedicated to the cellist.

b 110 DECEMBER 2010,RUDOLFINUM, PRAGUE

9 & 10 December 2010> Rudolfinum,

Prague, CZwww.ceskafilharmonie.cz

Rhapsody-Concerto for Violaand Orchestra H. 337Czech Philharmonic OrchestraTabea Zimmermann (Viola)Petr Altrichter (Conductor)

CLOSING CONCERT AND OFFICIAL CONCLUSION OF THE MARTINŮ REVISITED PROJECT

AN EARLIER MEETING OF THE BOARD of the International Martinů Circle endorsed the Chairman’s proposalto create a new category of Founding Members, reserved for those who knew the composer during his lifetimeand for musicians and others who have done much to promote his music over the intervening years.

The response has been gratifying as will be seen from the list of distinguished person ages listed belowwho have accepted our invitation. We would like to extend a sincere welcome to all concerned and record ourappreciation of their continuing support for the cause of Bohuslav Martinů.

(In alphabetical order)

imc

board

EFFOUNDING MEMBERS

Tabea Zimmermann playing the Rhapsody-Concerto, conducted by Petr Altrichterphoto zdeněk chrapek

SIR CHARLES MACKERRAS[1925–2010] World famous con -ductor and propagator of Czechmusic who gave many perform -ances of works by Martinů.Among the high points, he di -rected the world premiere record -ing of The Greek Passion and morerecently gave the world premiereof Three Fragments from Juliette with MagdalenaKožená taking the title role.

BLANCHE HONEGGERMOYSE[1909–2011] Swiss-born violinist,who knew Martinů in Paris inthe 1930s. Together with MarcelMoyse, she gave the world pre -miere of the Concerto for Flute,Violin and Orchestra which Mar -tinů composed for them in 1936.In her later years she took up con ducting,specialising in perform ances of the choral musicby Bach which were highly regarded.

GERALDINE MUCHAScottish composer, wife of Czechwriter Jiří Mucha who was a closepersonal friend of Martinů. Heprovided the composer with thetext for the Field Mass which shelater translated into English forthe published edition of the work;also translated the Nový Špalíčekand other song texts.

GENNADYROZHDESTVENSKYVeteran Russian conductor whoespoused the music of Martinůin the time of the Soviet Union.He has since ventured into someof the lesser known œuvres suchas The Rock, The Strangler andthe Concerto for Violin, Piano andOrchestra.

ZUZANA RŮŽIČKOVÁDistinguished Czech harpsichordplayer and pianist, teacher at theMusic Academy in Prague, widowof Czech composer Viktor Kalabiswho was the former Chairman ofthe B. Martinů Foundation. Hasperformed the Martinů Harpsi -chord Concerto throughout hercareer having recorded it in 1967 with theconductor Kurt Sander ling and 20 years laterwith Václav Neumann.

F. JAMES RYBKASon of Frank Rybka, Martinů’sclosest friend from his years inAmerica to whom he dedicatedthe Cello Sonata No. 2. Author ofa forthcoming biography of thecomposer.

JOSEF SUKEminent Czech violinist andviolist, grandson of Czech com -poser Josef Suk and great-grand -son of Antonín Dvořák. Promotedthe concertos and sonatas of Mar -tinů throughout his long career.Gave premieres of the Violin Con -certo No. 1 in several countriesincluding the USA where he performed the workwith the Chicago Symphony under Solti.

IVAN ŠTRAUSCzech violinist, teacher at thePrague Academy of music, Chair -man of the B. Martinů FoundationBoard. Devoted advocate of Mar -tinů who gave many perform ancesof his music during the course ofhis performing career.

MAX KELLERHALSThe parish priest at Liestal in the1950s who became a close friendand confidant of Martinů duringhis final years. He officiated at thecomposer's funeral service.

OLDŘICH FRANTIŠEK KORTECzech composer, member of theB. Martinů Foundation Board. Anadmirer and staunch advocate ofthe music of Martinů in Czecho -slovakia at a time when the au -thori ties were antipathetic. Heestablished a close rapport withthe composer and they con tinuedto correspond until the latter’sdeath.

BRIAN LARGEPre-eminent British televisiondirector specializing in opera andclassical music broadcasts andauthor of a Martinů biography.He also produced a muchadmired documentary film aboutthe com poser’s life for BBCTelevision in the 1970s.

JEAN LEDUCCo-director of the AlphonseLeduc publishing house in Pariswhich produced many of thecomposer's early works datingfrom the 1920s and 1930s.

EMIL LEICHNERCzech pianist, son of Emil Leichner,the founding member of the CzechNonet, professor at the PragueAcademy of music, member of theB. Martinů Foundation Board. Per -formed piano works and chambermusic by the composer through -out his career and recorded thefirst complete set of the Martinů piano concertos.

martinůrevue12011 | 7

LE JOUR DE BONTÉ, H. 194ON SUNDAY 14 November 2010 a presen ta tion was held at theLeicester Square Theatre in London, organised by Czech Music Direct,to introduce the world premiere of the record ing by Arco Divaof Martinů’s incomplete opera Le Jour de Bonté, H. 194. This recordingwas made at a produc tion in Plzeň, con ducted by Milan Kaňák. Theextracts from the CD showed it was full of fun, with the imagination andsurprises that those familiar with other Martinů operas will recog nise.They were preceded by an excellent per formance of the Three Madrigals(Duo No. 1) for Violin & Viola, H. 313 by Galina Solodchin and JohnUnderwood of the Delmé Quartet, and followed by a panel discussionchaired by Lawrence Lewis (Czech Music Direct) with Graham MelvilleMason, Jiří Štilec (director, Czech label Arco Diva), Martin Anderson(Inter national Record Review Magazine) and John Underwood. This discussion covered a number of topics relating to Martinů’s musicand his reception at different times and places. Mark Todd

Petr Altrichter with his wife, Aleš Březina and Tabea Zimmermann after the concert photo zdeněk chrapek

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perform ances of Symphony No. 4, H. 305under the baton of Alan Gilbert (the Berlin andNew York Philharmonics) and performancesof Violin Concerto No. 2, H. 293 by Frank PeterZimmermann with a number of orchestrasaround the world.

There was also a tremendous profusion ofstagings of Bohuslav Martinů operas. On theinternational scene, these included productionsof The Greek Passion, H. 372 in Zürich (initiatedby Robert Kolinsky, Director of the BohuslavMartinů Festival in Basel), and Mirandolina,H. 346 in England (Garsington), France (Paris),the Netherlands and elsewhere.

A true milestone in Martinů research was theopening of the new Bohuslav Martinů Centerin Polička in 2009. In the very same year, threeinternational musicological conferences took

a year) and the inner transformation of thechildren who participated; the second com -prises a recording of one of the two perform -ances given at the Congress Centre in Prague.Enormous interest was shown in the extensiveBohuslav Martinů exhibition at the CzechMuseum of Music, as well as its itinerant part,which was displayed at a number of CzechCentres around the world. The Czech audiencehad more opportunity than usual to seeproductions of Martinů operas at the NationalTheatres in Prague and Brno and to attendMartinů performances at music festivalsthrough out the country. In addition, Martinůwas particularly well-represented in the concertseries of Czech orchestras, who in several cases

even dedicated one of the jubilee seasons toMartinů works. The gala concert that was givenon the anniver sary of the composer’s death atthe St James Church in Polička by the PardubiceChamber Philharmonic Orchestra was broadcastlive by Czech Radio to all countries within theEBU transfer system.

One of the most significant events that tookplace abroad was the cycle of Martinů sym -phonies performed by the BBC Orchestra underJiří Bělohlávek. Their concert version of theopera Juliette ou la clé de songes, H. 253 wasvoted the best British opera production of2009. Perhaps the greatest outcome of thetwo an niver sary seasons was the fact thatMartinů’s works were continuously performedin many European countries and the USA –the most significant events included repeated

ALEŠ BŘEZINA, the initiator of the project, contemplatesthe past two Martinů years.

“I can wait and I’m sure I will live to seethe end of it.” So wrote Bohuslav Martinůon 24 December 1924 in The ‘Half-time’ Case, orTragedy of a broken triad, in which he respondedto the wave of criticism that bore down on himfollowing the premiere of his first significantorchestral piece. Time has proved him right. TheMartinů Revisited project, which after severalyears of preparation marked the Martinůanniversaries 2009 and 2010, confirmed thattoday Martinů is one of the most internationallyperformed, recorded and renowned composersof the 20th century.

The project’s opening concert presentedthe world premiere of Three Fragments fromJuliette, H. 253 A performed by MagdalenaKožená, Steve Davislim and the Czech Philhar -monic Orchestra conducted by Sir CharlesMackerras. As fate would have it, this, sadly,would be Sir Charles’s farewell to the CzechPhilharmonic. Fortunately, however, the excep -tional concert was recorded and released bySupraphon on a CD which received a number ofprestigious accolades, including a Gramo phoneAward and the Echo Klassik prize. Of the dozensof other new recordings, among the mostimpor tant were the set of violin concertosperformed by Bohuslav Matoušek, ChristopherHogwood and the Czech Philharmonic Orches -tra (Hyperion), and the complete piano worksas performed by Giorgio Koukl (Naxos).

Among the high-points of the project’s Czechcomponent were the two editions of the PragueSpring International Music Festival and the edu -ca tional project Špalíček, which saw choreo -grapher Eva Blažíčková working with studentsof the Duncan Centre Dance Conservatoire.The co-ordinator of the Špalíček project wasLenka Dohnalová (Arts and Theatre Institute,IU-DÚ), who took care of organisa tionalmatters. The film-maker Olga Sommerovácreated two documentaries about the projectfor Czech Television: the first captures thelengthy training phase (which lasted more than

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Opening concert – Magdalena Kožená and Sir Charles Mackerras photo zdeněk chrapek

MARTINŮ

foreign activities; and, primarily, Lucie Berná,who took over this part of the agenda, includingpublication and promotional activities, in June2008 and who throughout the project provedto be a truly wonderful manager. I would like toemphasise that the Martinů Revisited projectcould be realised by such a lean working teamonly because of the enormous engagementshown by all those named.

In realising this project the Bohuslav MartinůInstitute was stretched to its limits, but itstood the test – Martinů Revisited achieved itsgoals. Now the Institute can fully focus on itsmain task for the next decade – The Bohuslav

Martinů Complete Critical Edition, which aimsto meet musicians’ increased interest in thecomposer’s œuvre. We would like to commemo -rate the 100th anniversary of Martinů’s deathin 2059 with the final volume of his extensivelegacy.

Aleš Březina, Initiatorand Artistic Directorof the Martinů Revisitedproject

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC Prague, 14 February 2011

Dear Mr. Březina,

Please allow me on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Mr. KarelSchwarzenberg, to reply to your letter of December 2010 containing the publication aboutthe “Martinů Revisited” project, of which Minister Schwarzenberg assumed the auspices.

Minister Schwarzenberg highly appreciates your long-term endeavour to promote and presentthe work of Bohuslav Martinů to wide audiences both at home and abroad. The “MartinůRevisited” project was a significant and extremely successful part of the Czech Republic’s culturalpresentation within the Czech Republic’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2009.

Please accept our thanks for the beautiful publication, which sums up and lucidly presents yourremarkable project.

I wish you continued success in promoting Bohuslav Martinů’s œuvre, as well as success in yourown artistic work.

Kind regards Bořek Lizec, Ph.D.

Deputy Director of the Public Diplomacy Department

y Educational project Špalíčekphoto mirek pásek

y The Bohuslav Martinů Centerin Polička photo petr procházka

REVISITED 2009/2010

y Opera Mirandolina in Garsington, England photo johan perrson

place, in Prague, Dresden and Vienna, with theirproceedings being published in Austria, Germanyand Switzerland. Other publications of signifi -cance were the Martinů Revisited diaries andthe Czech Philharmonic calendars.

Dozens of individuals and institutions partici -pated in the widely conceived project. Firstand foremost, I would like to extend my thanksto the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the CzechRepublic, Mr Karel Schwarzenberg, under whoseauspices the project was executed, as well asto our patrons Gabriela Beňačková, ZuzanaRůžičková and Josef Suk, to the Bohuslav Mar -tinů Foundation, the Ministry of Culture of theCzech Republic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,the Office of the Government and the PragueCity Council for their financial support. Theproject was fortunate indeed to have suchexceptional partners as Czech Television, CzechRadio, the Czech Centres and the magazinesHarmonie and Hudební rozhledy. I would like totake this opportunity to thank the directors andartistic directors of orchestras, theatres and fes -tivals who, owing in no small part to the greatassistance provided by Mr Václav Riedlbauch,were able to come together and successfullyco-ordinate their activities. I would also like toexpress my personal gratitude to all the pro -ject’s co-ordi nators: Lenka Dohnalová, who wasin charge of the Czech section and the Špalíčekproject; Martin Bonhard, who two years priorto the project’s launch prepared with me all the

Another album released in the 1970s, thistime by Golden Crest Records within the RecitalSeries, is entitled Antonin Kubalek/Pianist. Itincludes selections from Etudes and Polkas III,H. 308, as well as Janáček’s In the Mist andHindemith’s Suite for Piano.

You can listen to the recordings at the Bohu -slav Martinů Institute by prior appointment. ❚

/ ZOJA SEYČKOVÁ

AT THE END OF 2010, several interesting his -toric gramophone records were purchased forthe library.

The first of these albums features the FiveMadrigal Stanzas for Violin and Piano, H. 297.The composition is performed by the pianistViola Luther Hagopian and the violinist ErnestMichaelian, who was a member of the SanFrancisco Symphony Orchestra from 1938.The record was released by Music LibraryRecord ings (San Francisco) with the cataloguenumber 7068. The date of issue is not statedon the album. According to www.worldcat.orgit was probably published in 1959.

The newly acquired Mercury recording(MG 10040) of the Sinfonietta Giocosa, H. 282(Germaine Leroux: piano; Jaroslav Krombholc:conductor) was also released in the 1950s.The recording is the property of the Supraphonlabel and was released by the Bohuslav MartinůFoundation on the CD entitled Bohuslav MartinůDays 2007.

In 1959 Columbia Masterworks New Yorkreleased the recording of the First PianoQuartet, H. 287, featuring Alexander Schneider(violin), Milton Katims (viola), Frank Miller (cello)and Mieczyslaw Horszowski (piano).

The Albeneri Trio frequently performed Mar -tinů compositions. The ensemble, comprisingArtur Balsam (piano), Giorgio Ciompi (violin), andBenar Heifetz (cello), gave the New York pre -miere of the Trio No. 1 (Cinq piéces bréves), H. 193in November 1947. The Martinů Foundation’slibrary newly owns a gramophone record,released in 1962, featuring the Albeneri Trio’srendition of the Trio No. 2, H. 327. The stereorecording was released by The Music Guild. TheAlbeneri Trio could also be heard performing theTrio No. 2 live on 30 October 1961 at New York’sCarnegie Recital Hall.

Another interesting recording acquired bythe library is that of the Sonata No. 1 for Celloand Piano, H. 277. The stereo album, releasedin the 1970s by the Swiss label VDE (3019),features the cellist Guy Fallot and the pianistEmmanuelle Lamasse.

In 1975, Martinů’s complete cello sonataswere released by the label Da Camera Magnaunder the title “Martinů Cellosonaten”. Therecord ing features cellist Philippe Mulleraccompanied by Ralf Gothoni on the piano.

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HISTORIC RECORDINGS FOR THE LIBRARY OF THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ FOUNDATION

THE PRIZE-WINNERS OF THE 2010 BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ FOUNDATIONCOMPETITION26–28 NOVEMBER 2010CATEGORIES: PIANO TRIO AND STRING QUARTET

PIANO TRIO1st prize > PUELLA TRIORoman Patočka, Markéta Vrbková,Terezie Fialová 2nd prize > ORBIS TRIOPetra Vilánková, Petr Malíšek, Stanislav Gallin 3rd prize > BÖHMIA TRIOJakub Junek, Ivan Vokáč, Veronika Böhmová

STRING QUARTET1st prize > QUARTETTO DI GIOIAKristina Czajkowská, Václav Zajíc,Klára Hegnerová, David Hrubý 2nd prize > MUCHOVO KVARTETOJuraj Tomka, Andrej Matis, Veronika Prokešová,Pavol Mucha

Special award for the best interpretationof Bohuslav Martinů’s work: QUARTETTO DI GIOIA, ORBIS TRIO

Award of the Prague Spring InternationalMusic Festival – Concert performance withinthe 2011 Prague Spring festival: PUELLA TRIO, QUARTETTO DI GIOIA

Concert performance within the CzechChamber Music Society cycle in the2011–2012 season: PUELLA TRIO, QUARTETTO DI GIOIA

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martinůrevue12011 | 11

Series—Special—LISTOF MARTINŮ’S WORKSXI

> LIST OF MARTINŮ’S WORKS X > Category CHAMBER MUSIC > Subcategory DUOS FOR OTHER INSTRUMENTS

CATEGORY/

| CHAMBER MUSIC SUBCATEGORY/

| DUOS FOR OTHER INSTRUMENTS

✂

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, worksfor large orchestra, symphonies, works forchamber orchestra, suites and abstracts ofthe incidental works, piano concertos, violinand cello concertos, concertos for other soloinstruments and orchestra – double, tripleand quadruple concertos and started thechamber music category with duos for violinand piano, cello and piano. The next subcategory are the Duos forOther Instruments (listed in alphabeticalorder). The basic data on the works listedhere have been taken from the onlinecatalogue of Martinů’s œuvre athttp://katalog.martinu.cz/martinu/catlist.php

Commentary/“Archive” – gives the information as towhere the autograph score is deposited.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.

EASY ETUDES FOR TWO VIOLINS H. 191

Durata: 19'Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1930Performing forces: vl vlArchive: manuscript missing, draft: Alphonse

LeducPublisher: Alphonse Leduc, Paris 1932

(A. L. 18007 and 18008)Copyright: Alphonse Leduc, Paris

PIECE FOR TWO VIOLONCELLOS H. 377

Durata: 1'Place of composition: Schönenberg-PrattelnDate of composition: 1959Performing forces: vlc vlcDedication: Trauti Mohr-BallyArchive: formerly by Trauti Mohr-Bally,

presently autograph missing Publisher: Bärenreiter, Kassel 1960 (B. A. 3741)Copyright: Bärenreiter, Kassel

SCHERZO FOR FLUTE AND PIANO H. 174 A

Durata: 2'30''Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1929Performing forces: fl pfArchive: The Bohuslav Martinů Center

in PoličkaPublisher: Panton, Prague 1966 (P 404)Copyright: Panton International, Mainz

SONATA FOR FLUTE AND PIANO H. 306

Durata: 18'Place of composition: Cape Cod, South

Orleans, Massachusetts (USA)Date of composition: 1945Performing forces: fl pfDedication: Georges Laurent Performers of premiere: Lois Schaefer (fl),

Dolores Rodriguez (pf)Premiere: New York, 18.12.1949Archive: manuscript missing, blueprint at

Médiathèque Musicale MahlerPublisher: Associated Music Publishers,

NewYork 1951Copyright: Associated Music Publishers,

NewYork

SONATA FOR VIOLA AND PIANO H. 355

Durata: 9'30''Place of composition: New YorkDate of composition: 1955Performing forces: vla pfDedication: Lillian FuchsPerformers of premiere: Lillian Fuchs (vla),

Artur Balsam (pf)Premiere: New York, 12. 3. 1956Archive: The Bohuslav Martinů Center

in PoličkaPublisher: Associated Music Publishers,

NewYork 1958 (95735)Copyright: Associated Music Publishers,

NewYork

SONATINA FOR CLARINET (in B flat) AND PIANO H. 356

Durata: 10'Place of composition: New YorkDate of composition: 1956Performing forces: cl(B) pfArchive: The Bohuslav Martinů Center

in PoličkaPublisher: Alphonse Leduc, Paris 1957

(A. L. 21698)Copyright: Alphonse Leduc, Paris

SONATINA FOR TRUMPET (C or B flat) AND PIANO H. 357

Durata: 7'Place of composition: New YorkDate of composition: 1956Performing forces: tr (C or B) pfArchive: The Bohuslav Martinů Center

in PoličkaPublisher: Alphonse Leduc, Paris 1957

(A. L. 21699)Copyright: Alphonse Leduc, Paris

THREE MADRIGALS (DUO No. 1)FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLA H. 313

Durata: 15'30''Place of composition: New YorkDate of composition: 1947Performing forces: vl vlaDedication: Josef Fuchs, Lilian FuchsPerformers of premiere: Josef Fuchs (vl),

Lilian Fuchs (vla)Premiere: New York, 22.12.1947Archive: Library of Congress,

Washington, D.C.Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes,

London–NewYork 1949 (B&H 16506)Copyright: Boosey & Hawkes,

London–NewYork

DIVERTIMENTO FOR TWO RECORDERS H. 365

Durata: 5'05''Place of composition: RomeDate of composition: 1957Performing forces: fl flArchive: Paul Sacher Stiftung, BaselPublisher: Max Eschig, Paris 1966 (M. E. 7636)Copyright: Max Eschig, Paris

DUO FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLA No. 2 H. 331

Durata: 14'Place of composition: New YorkDate of composition: 1950Performing forces: vl vlaDedication: Rosalie Leventritt Performers of premiere: Joseph Fuchs (vl),

Lillian Fuchs (vla)Premiere: New York, 5. 2. 1951Archive: Max Eschig, ParisPublisher: Max Eschig, Paris 1964 (M. E. 7255)Copyright: Max Eschig, Paris

DUO FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLONCELLO No. 2 IN D MAJOR H. 371

Durata: 10'Place of composition: Schönenberg-PrattelnDate of composition: 1958Performing forces: vl vlcDedication: Trauti Mohr-BallyPerformers of premiere: Hansheinz

Schneeberger (vl), Dieter Stähelin (vlc)Premiere: Basel, 4. 3. 1962Archive: The Bohuslav Martinů Center in

Polička (Deposit of the Bohuslav MartinůFoundation Prague)

Publisher: Max Eschig, Paris 1964 (M. E. 7187)Copyright: Max Eschig, Paris

DUO FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLONCELLO No. 1 H. 157

Durata: 11'30''Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1927Performing forces: vl vlcDedication: Stanislav Novák, Maurits FrankPerformers of premiere: Stanislav Novák (vl),

Maurits Frank (vlc)Premiere: Paris, 17. 3. 1927Archive: National Library of the Czech

Republic, PraguePublisher: La Sirene musicale, Paris 1928

(S. M. 144)Copyright: Max Eschig, Paris

in Italy. Martinů’s Les Fresques de Piero dellaFrancesca, H. 352, inspired the famous directorand television personality Arthur Spirk to createa video production, which was screened for freeat the Café Mitte in the centre of Basel. Thecomposer’s music also inspired the jazz pianistKenny Drew Jr. and the vibraphonist ThomasDobler to create their “Martinů Suite” project.Commissioned by the festival’s management,the project was premiered at the Bird’s Eye jazzclub.

FOUR SAXOPHONES RECOUNTINGA FAIRY TALEThe biggest surprise was the festival’sconcluding concert – the traditional familyconcert at the Museum Tinguely. After receivinga special invitation from the festival’smanagement, clair-obscur, the innovativesaxophone quartet from Berlin, arranged theballet Who Is the Most Powerful in the World?H. 133, originally written for large orchestra.The celebrated Austrian narrator WolframBerger guided the audience through the storyof a little mouse lady whose parents want tomarry her off to the most powerful man in theworld, while her suitor, a little mouse prince,overcomes numerous obstacles of wind andweather. The story is forcibly depicted inindividual musical tableaux, which in places arereminiscent of Richard Strauss’s music. The

(…). I am still in the process of discovery (…),since I haven’t managed to decipher Martinů asquickly as I have the music of other composers.

With Martinů, an intellectual approach wasnecessary (…) But I hope that one day I willhave the skeleton key to his music.”

SURPRISING INTERPRETATIONSOF MARTINŮ WORKSMartinů was continually inspired by artisticensembles of his day and, conversely, Martinů’smusic continues to provide inspiration forvarious new modern artistic ensembles. Onesuch example is the Concerto for Piano No. 4“Incantations”, H. 358, which was interpretedas a contemporary dance performance bythe company ResExtensa, featuring the dancerand choreographer Elisa Barucchieri atthe Kunsthalle Basel. By means of dance,ResExtensa revealed the remarkable musicalpower of this piano concerto, which theensemble is scheduled to perform at festivals

/ CHRISTINE FIVIAN & CECILE PIERBURG

THE MARTINŮ FESTTAGE 2010 opened witha concert given by the ensemble Camerata Bernunder the artistic direction of Kolja Blacher.The entire evening at the Hans Huber-Saalat the Stadtcasino Basel was dedicated tothe concerto grosso. Works by Gideon Klein,Arcangelo Corelli, George Frederic Handel andBohuslav Martinů were performed. Undoubtedly,the highlight of the evening was Martinů’s Con -certo da Camera for Violin and String Orchestrawith Piano and Percussion, H. 285, which waspremiered at the same venue by Paul Sacherin 1942. In this work, the Baroque form of theconcerto grosso is revived in Neo -Classi cal style.The audience was spellbound by the entrancingrhythm and intensity of the per form ance.Kolja Blacher also appeared as a soloist, whileRobert Kolinsky, Artistic Director of the MartinůFesttage, performed the piano part.

“TOCCATA”: TITLE AS PROGRAMME The titles of the compositions within anotherof the festival’s concerts also afforded theprogramme designation of the whole evening.Audiences at the Hans Huber-Saal heard theyoung German pianist Martin Stadtfeld playingtoccatas by Bach, Schumann, Prokofiev andMartinů. Besides the Piano Sonata, H. 350,Martinů wrote another extensive piano workof great significance – Fantasy and Toccata,H. 281. Martin Stadtfeld, whose interest in theversatile Czech composer has been increasingof late, included this extremely demanding workin his programme. Stadtfeld explored theToccata upon the suggestion of Robert Kolinsky.In an interview for the Swiss magazine Musikund Theater, he said: “Martinů is a brand-newcomposer for me. As soon as I became awareof the Toccata, I got hold of the score and soonrealised that I would definitely want to play it

The centrepiece of the Martinů Festtage 2010 was once againthe music – as always, the festival presented an artisticallydemanding programme featuring internationally renownedsoloists, and it served up numerous unexpected surprises.

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y Kolja Blacher and the Camerata Bern

MARTINŮ AS A SOURCE16TH MARTINŮ FESTTAGE, 2010 / 17 NOVEMBER–1 DECEMBER 2010

performance was accompanied by illustrationscreated by the painter Meriel Price. The four-saxophone arrangement of the ballet hasalready been recorded in the studio and is nowbeing prepared for release with an illustratedchildren’s book.

REBRANDING CREATES A SOLID BASISFOR THE FUTUREThis year the “Internationale MusikfesttageBohuslav Martinů”, which was established byRobert Kolinsky sixteen years ago, receiveda thorough make-over, with a new logo andwebsite. Today the festival is called MARTINŮFESTTAGE. The aim of Robert Kolinsky and histeam has always been to present to a wideaudience Bohuslav Martinů’s extensive andvariegated oeuvre, conferring upon the

composer the acknowledgement he so richlydeserves. As in previous years, the festivalconcerts were broadcast by the Swiss radiostation DRS, as well as Deutschland RadioKultur. The opening concert with CamerataBern, the jazz performance featuring KennyDrew Jr. and Thomas Dobler, as well as theFamily Concert, were thus made available toa wide audience. Following the great successof the 2009 festival commemorating the50th an niversary of the composer’s death,the 2010 programme appeared to be lessambitious. Yet, at the same time, it served asthe starting point for future programmehighlights, which will culminate in 2015 withinthe celebrations of the 125th anniversary ofMartinů’s birth.

www.martinu.ch

martinůrevue12011 | 13

PROGRAM OF THE 16TH MARTINŮ FESTTAGE, 201017 November—1 December 2010

OPENING CONCERT – CONCERTO GROSSO> Wednesday, 17 November / 8 p.m.,

Stadtcasino, Hans Huber-SaalPartita, H. 212Concerto da Camera for Violin and StringOrchestra with Piano and Percussion, H. 285Camerata Bern – Conductor: Kolja Blacher (Violin)Matthias Würsch (Percussion) Robert Kolinsky (Piano)

MARTINŮ PERFORMING ARTS PROJECT> Saturday, 20 November / 9.00 p.m.,

Kunsthalle BaselINCANTATION (Piano Concerto No. 4, H. 358)Dance company ResExtensaElisa Barucchieri (Direction and Choreography)

PIANO RECITAL – TOCCATA> Sunday, 21 November, 7 p.m.,

Stadtcasino Basel, Hans Huber-SaalFantasie et Toccata, H. 281Martin Stadtfeld (Piano)

VIDEO> Friday, 26 November,

Unternehmen Mitte, Safe / Theater roomLES FRESQUESVideo enactment by Arthur Spirk for Martinů'sorchestra workLes Fresques de Piero della Francesca, H. 352

JAZZ> Sunday, 28 November, 5 p.m., Bird’s Eye Jazz ClubMartinů SuiteKenny Drew Jr. (Piano)& Thomas Dobler (Vibraphone)

FAMILY CONCERT> Wednesday, 1 December, 6 p.m.,

Museum TinguelyBohuslav Martinů's fairytale ballet Who is the Most Powerful in the World?, H. 133Wolfram Berger (Narrator) and Clair-obscur Saxophone Quartet

Pianist Kenny Drew Jr. in the Bird's Eye Jazz ClubMartin Stadtfeld in the "Hans Huber-Saal“

y Saxophone quartet “clair-obscur” playing the arrangement of the ballet Who Is the Most Powerfulin the World, Austrian narrator Wolfram Berger on the far left

Vibraphonist Thomas Dobler in the Bird's Eye Jazz Club

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OF INSPIRATION

(quotes) into a new musical contexts,and harmonic, atonal or collage-like recastings.On the other hand, Martinů applies a number ofother elements that can “give rise to” humourand comicality in music (with it being virtuallyimpossible to determine precise bordersbetween comicality, humour, wit and parody).We will demonstrate some of these “humorouselements” using examples from severalcompositions. (With regard to the currentstatus of research, which has partially dealtwith this issue in the operas, we will focus oninstrumental works.)

/ EVA VELICKÁ

IS BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ A “HUMOROUS” COMPOSER?When deliberating about humour in music, weare always confronted with the question ofwhat constitutes humour and how it can mani -fest itself. As the starting point for understand -ing Bohuslav Martinů’s musical humour, let usfirst of all recall the non-musical sources thatare unambiguously humorous and documentthe composer’s sense of humour. In additionto hundreds of letters, these sources includea collection of original caricatures and drawings,which show the composer contemplating thepeople and things around him and commentingon them in a highly humorous manner.

Many photographs also capture Martinůsmiling or laughing.

But is it possible, on the basis of these facts,to claim that Martinů was a “humorist” in musictoo? Some of his compositions are described inthe literature as burlesque, music-hall and slap -stick. In his commentaries, Harry Halbreich usesthe word “heiter” (cheerful) relatively often, yetmusical comicality and humour as such arementioned very rarely. Martinů’s typical meansof musical expression (which he deliberately andwittingly cultivated in the 1920s) are usuallyconcerned with elements in the harmonicframe work, and thus basically exclude certaintypes of 20th-century “humoristic methods,”such as transposing of borrowed themes

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Bohuslav Martinů, unlike a number of his contemporaries, such as Stravinsky,Satie, Hindemith, and Shostakovich, is not generally considered a composerwhose work is noted for humour in particular. The compositional techniquescommonly associated with humour in 20th-century music (collage, persiflageand parody) are not the primary substance of Martinů’s musical language.On the other hand, we are sufficiently aware of Martinů’s sense of humourand his affinity to the aforementioned composers, which may raise thequestion of whether humour appears in his music too.

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ch HUMOUR IN MARTINŮ’S

Bohuslav Martinů’s caricature “Laughing Martinů, Novák”© bohuslav martinů center in polička

Piano composition The ‘Kytara’ Club Ceremonial March© bohuslav martinů center in polička

Procession of >the Cats on >

Solstice Night, >bars 1–6 >

EXAMPLE NO. 1 – PIANO MUSIC“Cheerfully or sadly, however you wish.”New and characteristic of Martinů’s music fromthe 1920s is its reflection of dance music of theperiod. Imitation of dances (or marches) isgener ally considered a manifestation of humourin music. Martinů created several works withdance elements: the first time-concentratedoccurrences of dance rhythms – in the litera -ture sometimes erroneously identified as jazz –can be found in 1920 in several small-scalepieces for piano. In Martinů’s music, dancerhythms are often accompanied by a layer oflittle allusions and “witticisms”. We see the

interaction of humour of various types, suchas humour in the pictographic sphere (addeddrawings, comical descriptions, etc.), andcomicality in the music itself.

The minor piano composition Procession ofthe Cats on Solstice Night, H. 122 serves as anexample of the application of the classical tech -nique of “imitation,” which can be construed asa certain manifestation of humour. (Halbreichdescribes the composition as “humorous, repletewith dry irony and in the typical ‘cat step’.”)

The “humour” in another composition forpiano, The ‘Kytara’ Club Ceremonial March,H. 125bis is partially qualified by visualcontact with the score’s illustrations and isthus related to the aforementioned periodof Martinů’s drawn caricatures. Humour ismanifested here in additional drawings andwhimsical decorations in the score, as wellas in comical inscriptions and instructions onhow to perform the com position – for example“Cheerfully or sadly, however you wish. A la’Kytara’ club.” This type of subtle irony, whichin essence does not affect the musical style,was characteristic of Martinů in later years

too and its traces can also be found in hisnumerous letters.

A nice example of the application of severalhumorous techniques is the recently discoveredpiano piece Victory March of the R.U.R. SportsClub in Polička, H. 129bis dating from 1921.In addition to the humorous drawing onthe title page and performance instructions(including an indication for the pianist toexclaim “Nazdar!” in the end), the composition

martinůrevue12011 | 15

contains another type of musical comicality,which lies in the use of surprising dynamiceffects which are carried here to the maximumabsurdity (ffffffffff).

These issues are broached in the form ofthe piano cycle, such as in Martinů’s Film enminiature, H. 148 which was written in 1925 inPolička and Paris. The six short movements forpiano – Tango, Scherzo, Lullaby–Berceuse, Waltz,Chanson and Carillon – can be defined as char -ac ter istically modern pieces, blending togetherdance moments and influences from the Czechand French environments. In Film en miniature

Martinů makes use of subtle suggestions inhis pursuit of humour. In Tango, as in the caseof the later ballet La revue de cuisine, H. 161the tango is presented by means of stylisationof the habanera rhythm. The tonal tango is“spiced” with gentle exaggeration, such asparallel chord progressions, through which hecould parody the popular stylisations of theSouth American dance in Europe in the 1910sand 1920s.

MUSIC FROM THE 1920s

Piano composition Film en miniature – Tango, bars 17–19Victory March of the R.U.R. Sports Club in Polička, the finale © bohuslav martinů foundation, prague©

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another plan of purely musical humour which isnot a musical description of the libretto. Let ushave a look at the ballet’s first few bars. Theprologue starts with a fanfare and continueswith suggestions of fugatos, which caricaturepolyphonic techniques, yet never develop fully,since they have no chance amid the “dance”of cooking utensils.

The real theme, made up of three motifs, is thenindicated in bar 38 in the cello and after wardsits parts persistently return. In the pseudo-fugatos these motifs are taken up by the otherinstruments, until in bar 71 all these attemptsare “laughed at” (imitation of human laughter)in octave runs in the clarinet and bassoon. Thisbrief example clearly demon strates Martinů’ssubtle play with musical tradition.

CONCLUSIONBohuslav Martinů applied the techniques com -monly associated with humour in 20th-centurymusic very sparingly. The selected musicalexamples, however, document that he usedthem absolutely wittingly, always when heaimed to attain a humorous effect and makethe listener laugh. Although in the 1920s spe -cific technical methods (variable rhythms,displacement of accents, dynamic contrasts,harmonic thickening, tone painting, imitation)became part of Martinů’s musical language,they did not always serve to express humouror comicality. ❚

basic compound time. The solo part is deliber -ately assigned to the viola, which tries, nottotally assuredly (as is traditionally said aboutthe violas in the orchestra) to sing its cantilenaup to an attempt at a high “C”. In the score thisnote bears the instruction: “High »C« must beexpressed in a comical exalted manner”.

Here we encounter a multi-layered humour,encompassing imitation, illustration, ridicule,reflection on tradition, play on expectation,instrumentation jokes, etc. In his own com -ments, Martinů did not leave us many guide-posts, but a letter to his friend Stanislav Nováksupports the understanding that by the termmusical “fun” he could have primarily meantinstrumentation “fun.” In this letter he men -tions the scheduled premiere in Brno: “I thinkit will be great fun, especially in the orchestra.It will certainly sound very good, there areplenty of ideas there.”

When it comes to the ballets dating from1925–1927, the composer himself would lateron come to hold La revue de cuisine, H. 161in high esteem. In this piece, one of his mostpop ular, Martinů again applies allusions todance, specifically the tango and the Charleston.The libretto (completed with verses by JanLöwenbach) begins with text which humorouslydescribes the ballet’s individual characters withhuman properties. Yet the music in no waytakes up these descriptions. Against the back -drop of mostly dance forms, Martinů creates

EXAMPLE NO. 2 – BALLET MUSIC “I think it will be great fun.”In the 1920s Martinů similarly used dancemusic and connected it with the phenomenonof humour and burlesque in the realm of balletmusic. The ballet Who Is the Most Powerfulin the World?, H. 133 is generally understood asthe work in which Martinů abandons old com -po sitional techniques and finds his own uniquestyle: “Yet I had in mind a short, uncomplicatedand cheerful ballet, one in which I could applypurely dance forms.” Martinů again combinesdance music with humour and joviality, desig -nating the work as a burlesque: “I wasn’t tooshy to use various musical remi nis cences, whichare at the same time a cari cature; distortion…the entire subject is conceived not as a fairytale, but rather as a burlesque.”

The part entitled Serenade. Tempo di Menuetcontains humorous paradoxes already in thevery descriptions of the scenes. Within the firstfew bars, we find out that it is morning and themouse-daughter runs out in her morning attire.The image of the morning warm-up exerciseis interrupted by the Serenade – originally anevening music! This “morning serenade” is ac -com panied by the stage instruction: “A mouse-singer with a lute appears on the wall and sings.The mouse-singer plays the lute and makes theusual comical love-sick poses.” Martinů con -tinues to develop the serenade’s humorousconception in the musical realm. The lute isparodied by the strings, which establish the

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y Ballet La revue de cuisine – Prologue, bar 71< Ballet La revue de cuisine – Prologue, bars 38–40

Who Is the Most Powerful in the World? – Serenade. Tempo di Menuet

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ch> HUMOUR IN MARTINŮ’S MUSIC FROM THE 1920s

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THE MÉDIATHÈQUE MUSICALEMAHLER, a rela tively newprivate library in Paris, wasfounded by the renownedMahler scholar Henry-Louisde La Grange in 1986. Despiteits name, it does not confine itself exclusivelyto Gustav Mahler’s œuvre, but is rather a docu -mentary library focus ing on 20th-centurycomposers and performers in general. Theinstitution’s collections have been constantlyexpanding and it is there fore worth keepingan eye on its website.

Last year these web pages reported aboutthe acquisition of the papers of the famousFrench flautist René le Roy. Le Roy’s nameis synonymous with Martinů’s frequentlyperformed Sonata for Flute and Piano, H. 306(1945), which he first played in public in NewYork on 6 May 1950, less than half a year afterits premiere. The composition was written inthe idyllic surroundings of Cape Cod, SouthOrleans (Mass.), shortly after the end of WorldWar II. In its cheerful mood and distinct melo -diousness one can hear evocations of the bird-song of the local whippoorwill. During a studystay at the Médiathèque Musicale Mahler, itbecame clear that the abovementioned paperscontain immensely valuable sources, namelythe blueprint of the score (the title page and33 pages of sheet music) with numerous auto -graph insertions by both the composer and thetwo performers, and the blueprint of the piece’ssolo part (11 pages). The blueprint of the scorebears the inscription “Sonata / for flute andpiano. / B. Martinu / June 1945 – South Orleans.Mass. U.S.A.” on the title page and served thepianist as the piano part. In the top right cor -ner, it contains the signature “René Le Roy.”The most significant of the composer’s inser -tions is the 7 new bars of the piano part in the2nd movement (bars 45–52). The solo part,over leaf on the 1st page, also contains infor ma -tion about the durata of individual movementsand the com position’s total duration as per -formed by René Le Roy: “6.30 / 6. / 5 / 17.30.”

In addition to these valuable sources, thecollection also includes two interesting lettersby Charlotte Martinů. When reading the first ofthem, dated 12 December 1961 and written in

Vieux Moulin, any Martinů scholar would be leftspeechless: the composer’s wife informs theflautist that she “could not send the wind quin -tet, but hope that a friend who is just leaving forPrague will find it there.” It is without questionthe lost Woodwind Quintet, H. 187, dating from1930, which for decades has been consideredthe “Most Wanted” among lost Martinů works.

René Le Roy’s collection is accompanied bya set of 12 small-format photographs taken

in Ridgefield at the Three Chimneys estate andbearing the inscription “visite chez Martinůsept. 1944”.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the cura -tor, Mrs Alena Parthonnaud, and the Directorof the Médiathèque Musicale Mahler, Mr AlainGalliari, for making these invaluable materialsaccessible.

Aleš Březinawww.mediathequemahler.org

NEW MARTINŮ AUTOGRAPHSIN PARIS

Martinů & René le Roy in Ridgefield, USA, September 1944

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19 June 2011> Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche,

Berlin, GermanyPartita (Suite No. 1) for StringOrchestra, H. 212Brandenburg Berlin ChamberOrchestraRainer Johannes Kimstedt (Conductor)

20 June 2011> Wigmore Hall, London, England

www.wigmore-hall.org.ukSextet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet,2 Bassoons & Piano, H. 174Soloists of the London PhilharmonicOrchestra

25, 27 August 2011 > Sala São Paulo, BrazilMadrigals for Violin and Viola, H. 313Members of the Orquestra Sinfônicado Estado de São Paulo

(�FESTIVALS�)INTERNATIONAL PRAGUE SPRINGMUSIC FESTIVAL12 May 2011–4 June 2011www.festival.cz28 May 2011 > The Estates TheatreThe Marriage, H. 341(details – see OPERAS – page 3)

SWALEDALE FESTIVAL28 May–11 June 2011www.swaledale-festival.org.uk2 June 2011String Quartet No. 7, 'Concerto da camera' H. 314

CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL6 July 2011 Sonata for Viola and Piano, H. 355Maxim Rysanov (Viola)Katya Apekisheva (Piano)

Aspen Music Festival 27 July 2011> Aspen, Colorado, USA

www.aspenmusicfestival.comThe Frescoes of Piero dellaFrancesca, H. 352Aspen Concert Orchestra Tomáš Netopil (Conductor)

3 May 2011 > St. Matthew´s Episcopal Church,

California, USAwww.cmpalisades.org/

Trio in F Major for Flute, Violoncelloand Piano, H. 300Chamber Music PalisadesDelores Stevens (Piano)Ronald Leonard (Cello)Susan Greenberg (Flute)

5, 6, 7, 8 May 2011> Taper Foundation Auditorium,

Benaroya Hall, Seattle, USAwww.seattlesymphony.org

Toccata e Due Canzoni, H. 311Seattle Symphony OrchestraJakub Hrůša (Conductor)Vladimir Feltsman (Piano)

15 May 2011> Sundin Musíc Hall,

Minnesota, USAwww.hamline.edu/hamline_info/sundin/concerts.html

Sonata No. 2 for Cello and Piano,H. 286

15 May 2011 > New York,

New York, USAwww.bronxartsensemble.org

Fantasia for Theremin, Oboe,String Quartet and Piano, H. 301Darryl Kubian (Theremin)

24 May 2011> Rudolfinum, Suk Hall,

Prague, CZwww.ceskafilharmonie.cz

Easy Etudes for two Violins H. 191(excerpts)Songs on One Page H. 294 (arr. Eva Gina for voice, cello and two violins)Ivana Frajtová (Violin)Ivana Kovalčíková (Violin)Eva Gina (Cello, Piano, Violin & Voice)

1 June 2011 > Enmax Hall, Winspear Centre,

Alberta, Canadawww.winspearcentre.com

Sonata No. 2 for Cello and Piano, H. 286William Eddins (Piano)Pieter Wispelwey (Cello)

2, 3, 4, 5 June 2011 > Renée and Henry Segerstrom

Concert Hall, California, USAMemorial to Lidice, H. 296Pacific SymphonyCarl St. Clair (Conductor)

19 June 2011 > Sala São Paulo, BrazilNonet for Wind Quintet, String Trio and Double Bassin F major, H. 374Orchestra de Câmara da OSESPStefan Dohr (Conductor)

(�OPERAS & BALLETS�) SEE PAGE 3

(�CONCERTS�)16, 17 April 2011 > Kitchen Theatre, Ithaca,

New York, USA, www.ccoithaca.orgThe Kitchen Revue, H. 161Cayuga Chamber Orchestra

25 April 2011 > DePaul University: Concert Hall,

Chicago, Illinois, USAhttp://music.depaul.edu

Concertino for Cello, Brass, Pianoand Battery – in c, H. 143DePaul Wind EnsembleStephen Balderston (Cello)Cliff Colnot (Conductor)

28 April 2011 > Concert Hall of the City

of Ostrava Cultural Centre,Ostrava, CZ, www.jfo.cz

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra,No. 2, H. 237Janáček Philharmonia OstravaJan Chalupecký (Conductor)

29 April 2011> University of Vermont:

Recital Hall, Vermont, USAwww.uvm.edu/~music/

Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano, H. 356Atria EnsembleRomie de Guise-Langlois (Clarinet)Hyeyeon Park (Piano)Jessica Lee (Violin)

29, 30 April 2011 > St. Barnabas

Presbyterian Church,Richardson, Texas, USAOwens Art Center, SMU: CaruthAuditorium, Austin, Texas, USAwww.chambermusicinternational.org

Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola, H. 313Chamber Music InternationalCho-Liang Lin (Violin)Paul Neubauer (Viola)

1 May 2011 > Sunderman Conservatory of Music,

Pennsylvania, USAwww.mirandaliu.instantencore.com

Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola, H. 313Gettysburg CollegeAnyango Yarbo-Davenport (Violin),Adam Cordle (Viola)

events

The program is subject to change

This is only a selection of Martinů’sperformances all over the world.More events can be found atwww.martinu.cz, Section ‘BohuslavMartinů’, Subsection ‘Calendarof events’.

NEWSTHE PIANO QUINTET, H. 35FOR THE FIRST TIMEON CDTHE GRAFFE QUARTET (Štěpán Graffe,Lukáš Bednařík, Lukáš Cybulski, MichalHreňo), in co-operation with CzechRadio, is preparing the first-ever CDrelease of Bohuslav Martinů’s PianoQuintet, H. 35, dating from 1911.The piano part has been undertaken bythe Japanese-American artist MichikoOtaki. The CD will be released in April2011 on the Radio servis label and willalso contain Vítězslav Novák’s Quintetand Bedřich Smetana’s Quartet No. 2.

OPERA THE MARRIAGE, H. 341AT LA FABRIKALa Fabrika, Prague, Studio 2: Saturday, June 18, 2011

THE MUCH-LAUDED production of TheMarriage, H. 341, which was first seen atthe Janáček National Theatre in Brno in2009, will be given two special perform-ances to co-incide with the PragueQuadriennale of Stage Design 2011.The theme of this PQ is “ScenographyExpanded”. Directed by Pamela Howard, The Mar-riage was performed in the historicMozart Hall at the Reduta Theatre. Theopera is staged in an installation of1000 vintage objects representing Pod-kolyosin's Bachelor Walk Up, Agafya’sbasement apartment in a BrownstoneHouse, and a street in New York. It issung in English as Martinů wrote it in1953 when he was living there as an ex-ile. The Gogol story that inspired Mar -tinů has been updated to New York1953. It was originally a commission forNBC television as part of a series Operafor the Millions.The installation at La Fabrika will beopen to the public from the openingday of PQ, running from June 16th untilthe closing day June 26th as part of thedaily exhibition. Visitors are invited towalk through the installation, examinethe objects, and imagine the world ofthe people who live there. There willalso be screenings of the DVD of theBrno production, and the original Blackand White NBC 1953 production.The Marriage will have all the originalcast and orchestra from the 2009 pro-duction at the Brno National Theatreand will be conducted by Jakub Klecker,with lighting by Daniel Tesař.

For further information, visitwww.lafabrika.cz

NEW CDsCONTINUITY OF CHANGEBOHUSLAV MARTINŮ IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY MUSIC HISTORYKontinuität des WandelsBohuslav Martinů in der Musikgeschichtedes 20. JahrhundertsMartinů Studien 3Peter Lang AG, International Academic Publishers, Bern 2010

Edited by Aleš Březina and Ivana Rentsch Contains proceedings from the Bohuslav Martinů conferencein Prague in May 2009434 pagesISSN 1662-5366ISBN 978-3-0343-0403-0www.peterlang.com

MARTINŮ REVISITED 2009–2010Edited by Lucie Harasim BernáContains basic information on the Martinů Revisited project,selection of most significant opera productions, festivals,concerts and other events. Published by the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation in Prague,201096 pages, in English ISBN 978-80-254-8803-4Limited editionorders: incircle@martinu.cz10 EUR

SIGNIFICANT INSTITUTIONS OF CZECH COMPOSERSTHEIR HISTORY, MISSION AND PROJECTSFOR THE YEARS 2010–2014Edited by Lucie Harasim Berná and Zoja SeyčkováPublication originated in 2010 to mark the 15th anniversaryof the establishment of the Bohuslav Martinů Institutein Prague. The most prominent institutions entrusted withpreserving the legacy of Czech classical composers givea summary of their history, activities and current projects.(Bedřich Smetana Museum, Antonín Dvořák Museum, LeošJanáček Foundation, Bohuslav Martinů Foundation and Institute,Bohuslav Martinů Center)37 pages, in Czech and English ISBN 978-80-254-8802-7Limited editionOrders for free: incircle@martinu.cz

NEW PUBLICATIONS

martinůrevue12011 | 19

Bohuslav Martinů SONGS ON MORAVIANFOLK POETRYOPENING OF THE SPRINGSSongs on One Page, H. 294New Špalíček, H. 288Songs on Two Pages, H. 302Ludmila Peřinová (Mezzo-soprano)Eva Peřinová (Piano)The Opening of the Springs, H. 354The Ostrava University ChoirMusic Club, EU LuxembourgJan Spisar (Conductor)

Recorded in 2010 / Czech Radio Stylton RS-5206 2 11

Bohuslav Martinů CHAMBER MUSICSonata for Flute, Violin, and Piano, H. 254Sonata for Flute and Piano, H. 306Madrigal Sonata for Flute, Violinand Piano, H. 291Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano, H. 300Agata Igras-Sawicka (Flute)Bartłomiej Nizioł (Violin)Marcin Zdunik (Cello)Mariusz Rutkowski (Piano)

Recorded in 2010 / DUX Recording ProducersDUX 0768, 2010

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SIR CHARLES MACKERRASLIFEWITH CZECH MUSIC

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Slavonic Dances, 1st & 2nd Series, Opp 46 & 72 / SymphonicVariations, Op. 78 / Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60 / Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88– Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 ‘From the New World’ – Legends, Op. 59 –Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66 – In Nature´s Realm – concert overture, Op. 91 –Symphonic Poems Opp 107–110

BEDŘICH SMETANA Má vlast / My Country

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra

LEOŠ JANÁČEK Jealousy – The Cunning Little Vixen. Orchestral suite –Šárka. Overture – Taras Bulba – Káťa Kabanová. Overture, interludes –Schluck und Jau – Sinfonietta – Glagolitic Mass – Amarus

BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ Juliette. Orchestral suite – Field Mass – Double Concerto –Les Fresques de Piero della Francesca

DVD / LEOŠ JANÁČEK Glagolitic Mass – Jealousy –Taras Bulba

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra,Prague Philharmonic Choir

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“I am a great fan of Dvořák’smusic, because it alwaysseemed to me that apartfrom Mozart Dvořák is thegreatest composer...”

Sir Charles Mackerras

“Nobody needs me to say thatMozart and Händel are greatcomposers, whereas they didneed somebody to say thatJanáček is the great composer,and that’s what I did. If I haveachieved anything in my life, itis the propagation of Janáček.”

Sir Charles Mackerras

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