THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ FOUNDATION THE BOHUSLAV … · THE FORGOTTEN PIANO BALLADE AN INTERVIEW WITH ... Theseus Martin Bárta, Jakub Kettner Additional performances: 16 January 2011,

THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ FOUNDATIONTHE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ INSTITUTE

THE INTERNATIONAL MARTINŮ CIRCLE martinůrevueSEPTEMBER—DECEMBER 2010 VOL.X NO.3

REMEMBERING SIR CHARLES MACKERRAS

THE ARCHIVES OF RADIO FRANCE

THE FORGOTTEN PIANO BALLADE

AN INTERVIEW WITHA PAST PUPIL OF MARTINU̇

ķ

MARTINŮ Mount of Three Lights StyltónRS05152DVOŘÁK, JANÁČEK Songs

MARTINŮ Chamber Music Studio Matoušfor Wind Instruments MK00072131

ArteS MonAS7162

AntiphonaAA00642231

Studio MatoušMK00452131

MARTINŮ Opening of the Wells & SUK Ten Songs RKM0112211

presents

ŠIROKÝ DVŮRLoretánské náměstí 4

118 00 Praha 1-Hradčany / Czech Republic

Tuesday–Saturday 10–13 & 14–18

e-mail [email protected]/martinu

contents

2 news

3 Martinů Revisited Highlights

4 International Martinů Circle

6 obituary Remembering Sir Charles Mackerras

PATRICK LAMBERT

8 premieres Larmes de couteau in Paris

LÉNA RONDÉ

9 research The Forgotten Piano Ballade

TOMÁŠ VÍŠEK

10 news Dr Jan Kapusta Honoured La Revue de cuisine in New York

11 special series List of Martinů’s Works X

12 research The Lost Score – Part 1I

GREGORY TERIAN

14 research Martinů Recordings in the

Radio France ArchivesPATRICE CHEVY

16 interview with Karlos Moser, a Past Pupil of Martinů

JUSTIN KRAWITZ

18 events

19 news New CDs / Peephole into BM Center Keep the Beat!

martinůrevue32010 | 3

ķhigh

lights

8 December 2010ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK THEATRE / OSTRAVA, CZ

ARIANE / H. 370

Rocc (Director)Jakub Klecker, Jan Šrubař (Conductors)

Jurij Galatenko (Choirmaster)Jakub Klecker (Musical director)

Ariane Agnieszka Bochenek-Osecka, Zuzana MarkováTheseus Martin Bárta, Jakub Kettner

Additional performances: 16 January 2011, 21 January 2011, 23 March 2011

Premiere: 22 September 2010

www.ndm.cz

23 December 2010 – premiere OPERA TRIONFO / HAARLEM / NETHERLANDS

MIRANDOLINA / H. 346

Ed Spanjaard (Conductor)David Prins (Director)Bart Visman (Scene)Mirandolina Pamela Heuvelmans (Soprano)Ortensia Francis van Broekhuizen (Soprano)Deianira Ekaterina Levental (Mezzo-soprano)Fabrizio Jan-Willem Schaafsma (Tenor)Il Conte d’Albafiorita Mattevz Kajdiz (Tenor) Marchese di Forlimpopoli Zenhua Chang (Baritone) Cavaliere di Ripafrata Jan Willem Baljet (Basbaritone)

Additional performances:6, 8, 24, 27 January 2011(Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Amstelveen) www.operatrionfo.nl

OPERA

OPERA

IN 2010 WE ARE CELEBRATING A MOMENTOUS ANNIVERSARY – 120 years since the birth of Bohuslav Martinů (8 December 1890, Polička).Numerous ensembles and music organisations have included Martinů’s works in their 2010 repertoire. We have kept you up to date on this pagewith the most significant events.

MORE INFORMATION > www.martinu.cz > www.czechmusic.org

THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŲ DAYS 201028 November 2010, 7.30 pm

B> Martinů Hall, HAMU, Malostranské nám. 13,

Prague, www.martinu.czConcert of Prize-winners from the 2010Martinů Foundation Competition in theCategories of Piano Trio and String Quartet

9 & 10 December 2010, 7.30 pm> Rudolfinum, Prague, CZ,

www.ceskafilharmonie.cz 1Rhapsody-Concerto for viola and orchestra, H. 337Czech Philharmonic OrchestraTabea Zimmermann (Viola)Petr Altrichter (Conductor)

(�OPERAS�)15+26 February, 13 March, 25 April 2011> National Theatre, Prague, CZ

www.narodni-divadlo.czThe Miracles of Mary, H. 236Jiří Bělohlávek / David Švec (Conductor)Jiří Heřman (Director)

9 January 2011> The Wrocław Opera,

Wrocław, Poland, www.opera.wroclaw.plThe Miracles of Mary, H. 236in co-production with National Theatre PragueTomasz Szreder (Conductor)Jiří Heřman (Director)

12 March, 23 March, 2 April 2011> Janáček Theatre, Brno, CZ

www.ndbrno.czJulietta, H. 253Tomáš Hanus / Jakub Klecker (Conductor)

(�BALLET�)10, 11, 12, 19 February, 4 & 17 March 2011> Pärnu Concert Hall, Pärnu & Theatre Hall,

Estonian National Opera, Talinn, Estoniawww.opera.ee

Before Nightfall: Double Concerto for TwoString Orchestras, Piano and Timpani, H. 271Nils Christe (Choreographer, Stage Director)Mihhail Gerts, Risto Joost (Conductors)

4 | martinůrevue32010

�) EVENTS

incircle

new

s

�) RARE RECORDINGS

�) NEW ENGLISH-CZECHAND CZECH-ENGLISHMUSIC DICTIONARY

THIS DICTIONARYis an update ofthe English -Czechdictionary whichappeared in 1996,written by Dr. JanSpisar of theUniversity of Ostravaand published byMontanex of Ostrava.This new edition istwo-way, the Czech --English part havingbeen prepared by IMC

member Dr. Ludmila Peřinová.It is very handsomely bound and runs to over

230 pages. It was sponsored by our Board MemberGeoff Piper.

It contains terms which a musician or music-lover might encounter. It is not limited to thespecialised terminology of music theory, thoughthis aspect is very well covered.

The dictionary can be ordered throughthe IMC (please send your orders at e-mail:[email protected]), price EUR 19 includingpostage to Europe. Persons living outside Europeor wishing to pay in another currency are invitedto contact Geoff Piper, e-mail: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL MARTINŲ CIRCLE NEWS

❚ IMC MEMBER NEWTON FRIEDMAN fromVentura, USA has kindly sent us a recording ofa public perform ance of Martinů's Sonatina for twoviolins and piano which he gave in November 1999with the violinists Peter and Heidi Weimar. We alsomuch appreciate his donation of transcriptions ofseveral rare LP recordings including a Melodiyadisc featuring the Concertino for String Trio andString Orchestra as performed by the LeningradState Philharmonic Orchestra conducted byGennadi Rozhdestvensky and a Urania disc whichincludes both the Sonatina and Sonata fortwo violins and piano performed by Willy andMargarete Schweyda with the pianist Jan Behr.These recordings will be preserved in the MartinůInstitute sound archive.

❚ KARL MILLER, our esteemed member fromAustin Texas, who has provided the MartinůInstitute with some remarkable historic Martinů

�) CONCERTS BY OUR MEMBERS

sound docu ments, has now located a rare com -mercial LP from the EMS label dating from 1950.One side is devoted to the Martinů Flute Sonataperformed by René Le Roy who premiered the workin New York in 1945. Side 2 contains performancesof Les Ritournelles and a selection of Etudes andPolkas as performed by the pianist Charles Rosenwho studied with Martinů at Princeton. It is hopedto include selected items on a future MartinůFoundation CD.

Also from 1950, Karl has produced a transfer ofthe old Alco recording of the Sinfonietta La Jollaperformed by Nikolai Sokoloff with the Orchestraof the Musical Arts Society of La Jolla which com -mis sioned the work. Made at the time of the worldpremiere, the performance is remarkable for itscompelling freshness and vitality. The transferhas been expertly done and again demonstratesthe fine sound quality which can be obtained fromsome of these early mono LPs. Gregory Terian

❚ OUR MEMBER Pamela Howard has beenenjoying a hectic period of activity. A film of her2009 production of Martinů's “The Marriage” wasscreened at the Victoria and Albert Museum inLondon on 19 September 2010 and by all accountswas a great success, as was the related exhibitionof costumes and props. The personal appearanceof the lead soprano Tereza Merklová enhancedthe occasion and was enjoyed by all. Pamela hadjust returned from Washington and the Americanpremiere of another of her creations “The GreatGame”, a drama set in Afghanistan. Days later shewas setting out for Brno to direct a new productionof Janáček's opera “The Excursions of Mr Brouček”at the National Theatre. The premiere is due to takeplace on 17 November.

❚ TO HIS UNMATCHED catalogue of Martinůorchestral performances, Jiří Bělohlávek has nowadded a rarity in the shape of The Rock, H. 363 ina performance with the BBC Symphony Orchestrawhich was broadcast on 21 Octobre 2010. It is a late

and unjustly neglected work which is published byUniversal Editions, Vienna, our latest corporatesubscriber. Some late news is that the splendidperformances of the Martinů Symphonies whichthis conductor and orchestra gave at the Barbican,London last season will be appearing on Onyx labelCDs in the Spring.

❚ SECOND MOVEMENT Opera Company, whichrecently joined the IMC, staged selected scenesfrom Martinů's opera The Three Wishes at theRiverside Studios in London on 14/15 August 2010.The show attracted an appreciative audience andwas well received. The company hopes to stage thecomplete opera in London next summer. It wouldrank as the UK premiere of this most entertaining ofMartinů's works for the theatre. We wish them wellwith the project. In the meantime they were due totake their earlier 2007 production of Tears of theKnife to the Czech Republic on 30 and 31 October2010 with performances in Prague and Brno.

Gregory Terian

OUR GOOD FRIENDS in the Martinů Quartet willbe undertaking a further tour of Britain next March.Among the works to be featured is the MartinůString Quartet No. 5, a favourite with bothperformers and audiences. It can be heard atLeamington on 18 March 2011 as part of theLeamington Music International String QuartetSeries. The work is also due to be performed at

Droitwich on the following day and Helmsleyon 20 March.

Recently (on 23 November) they performedon their concert in Rokycany, CZ, string quartetThree Riders, H. 1 (1902) which is very rarelyplayed piece.

www.martinuquartet.eu

�) MEMBERSHIP OF THE IMC –OFFER TO PROFESSIONALMUSICIANS

THIS ISSUE of Martinů Revue carries a newcolumn CONCERTS BY OUR MEMBERS devotedto members who are professional musicians andhave a concert scheduled which includes a workof Martinů in some reasonably well-knownconcert hall anywhere in the world. There isno charge for the announce ment but musiciansshould note that we cannot guarantee publicationif the news item is not received well in advanceof our publication deadlines.If interested, please send the usual information(date, location, musical programme) to e-mail:[email protected]

Geoff Piper


AT A MEETING OF THE BOARD OF THE IMC IN PARIS ON 24 JUNE it wasagreed that the annual subscription rates should be increased effective from1 January 2011. The new rates are shown on this page. As will be seen, we arealso introducing a special concessionary rate for students. The subscription rates have remained at their present levels since the MartinůRevue (formerly the Newsletter) first appeared ten years ago. In the interim thepublication and distribution costs have increased substantially making an in-crease inevitable. We hope that members will agree that the new subscriptionrates will still provide excellent value. As an additional service to members, augmenting the Revues, we are introducingregular email updates with details of forthcoming Martinů concert and opera per-formances, future CD releases and other related events. Members wishing to re-ceive these updates should send confirmation to Jana at [email protected] assoon as possible. We look forward to your continuing support through the coming year.

Gregory Terian, Chairman

[�OBITUARY)AS ONE OF OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS, news of the death of Sir Charles Mac -kerras on 14 July 2010 was received with great sadness. He was one of the pre-eminent interpreters and promoters of the music of Martinů. His death coincidedwith the publication of the summer edition of the Revue, made all the morepoignant by the announcement of his forthcoming engagement with the BerlinPhilharmonic and Magdalena Kožená to perform Three Fragments from Juliette.An appreciation of Sir Charles by Patrick Lambert appears in this issue (pages 6and 7).

[�2010 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), [email protected], 3 WarrenCroft, Storrington, RH20 4BE Great Britain

> Patrice Chevy (France), [email protected], +33675620321,11 Résidence FOCH, 923 80 Garches, France

> Mari Tokuda (Japan), [email protected], +81 339 393 395, +81 359 990793

> Geoff Piper (Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria), [email protected],+352-474269, 24, rue des Cerisiers, Luxembourg, L – 1322 Luxembourg

> Gert Floor (Netherlands), [email protected], +31725095262,Gortersweg 6, 1871 CC Schoorl, Netherlands

> Robert Simon (USA), [email protected], mobile number 216-973-7716 ,3055 W Eastwood Ave #3, Chicago, IL 60625, USA

> Jaroslav Šonský (Sweden), [email protected], +4611318475,Knopgatan 6, 603 85 Norrköping, Sweden

> Petra Richter (Germany), [email protected], 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 [email protected]. ❚

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 theBohuslav Martinů Foundation andBohuslav Martinů Institute in Prague.

MEMBERSHIP & SUBSCRIPTIONINFORMATION> YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION:

25 EUR / 30 USD> 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: [email protected] 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)> Pavel Bílek, Široký dvůr CD shop> Leslie Kinton, Ph. D., Canada> Jaroslav Kubita (In modo camerale),

CZ> Martin Škampa, CZ> Jana Vonásková-Nováková

(Smetana Trio), CZ > UNIVERSAL EDITION VIENNA

(CORPORATE MEMBER)

b ]TH

E PR

EVIO

US I

SSUE

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 HarasimBohuslav Martinů InstituteJustin Krawitz (with special thanks)

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

Translation Veronique Firkušný-CallegariHilda 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.

CoverSir Charles Mackerras© Zdeněk Chrapek

ISSN 1803-8514MK ČR E 18911

incircle

new

s

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

d

phot

o da

vid

port

(�INTERNATIONAL MARTINŮ CIRCLE]PATRON MAGDALENA KOŽENÁ (]

Sixth Symphony which quotes motifs from theopera Juliette. And Juliette is, in my opinion,Martinů’s greatest composition…” (RudolfinumRevue, 2008/09 [2], p. 9)

A landmark event in Mackerras’ promotion ofMartinů’s music was the UK premiere of Julietta(to give the version of the title used in thosedays) sung in Brian Large’s English translation atthe London Coliseum on 5 April 1978: “CharlesMackerras devotes all his skill and insight to therealisation of the composer’s strange and originalvision” (Desmond Shawe-Taylor, The SundayTimes, 9 April, 1978). Mackerras followed upthis success three years later with a further UKpremiere – The Greek Passion, H. 372/II (secondversion) mounted by the Welsh National Opera.It opened in Cardiff on 29 April 1981 and withina few weeks, Mackerras made his very successfulrecording with the same cast in Brno (Supraphon10 3611-2). “The music was realised by SirCharles Mackerras and his strong forces witha fierce intensity that went far to minimize theoddities of the work as a whole” (D. S.-T., TheSunday Times, 3 May 1981). I recall the singleLondon performance given by WNO at theDominion Theatre, and afterwards, following outof the theatre John Drummond, the Con troller ofBBC Radio Three at that time, who announced tohis companion in a loud, superior voice, “This isprecisely the kind of music that we do not needto broadcast on Radio Three”. Such were thenegative views Sir Charles had to struggle

You will have noticed that I have not yetturned to Martinů. It is a sad fact that all theobituaries I have come across do not even men -tion Mackerras’ sterling work in performingBohuslav Martinů’s music all over the world. Yet,one of his most recent successes was the pre -miere performance in Prague with the CzechPhilharmonic and a cast headed by MagdalenaKožená of the Three Fragments from the operaJuliette, H. 253 A to launch the Martinů Revisitedproject, the live recording of which received atop Gramophone award (Supraphon SU 3994-2).

Although Janáček was undoubtedly his firstlove, the seeds of Mackerras’ interest in Mar -tinů’s music must surely also have been sownduring his formative post-war encounter withCzech musical culture in Prague. Not only didhearing for the first time Katya Kabanova con -ducted by Talich at the National Theatre strikehim “like a thunderbolt”, but his curiosity musthave been aroused by the knowledge that Talichhad scored a great success with Juliette justbefore the war and that Martinů had dedicatedthe opera to him. “My interest in Martinů beganwhen I realised that here was a second Mora -vian composer besides Janáček, who really hada special voice, very different from Janáček, ofcourse, but also very different from all the other20th century Czech com posers that I knew,such as Suk, Novák, Foerster… The Double Con -certo is a particular favourite. Another favouritework of mine is the Fantaisies symphoniques or

/ PATRICK LAMBERT

WARMTH, APPROACHABILITY, honesty andintegrity are words that spring to mind whenone recalls Charles Mackerras (* 1925, † 2010)the man. Despite his self-effacing modesty, hewas a musician of enormous charisma. Behindhis friendly counte nance and ready smile wasa penetrating mind. Unlike many of his con duct -ing colleagues, he regarded musicologists as hisallies rather than enemies. Indeed, he himselfwas a musicologist of considerable distinction.I recall how impres sed I was as a studenton reading his erudite and beautifully writtenprogramme notes on Janáček’s Glagolitic Masswhen it was performed at the 1964 EdinburghInternational Festival by Jaroslav Krombholcand the Chorus and Orchestra of the PragueNational Theatre. Who would have guessedthen that Mackerras himself was also toconduct that same work in the Usher Hallalmost three decades later when he broughtthe Czech Philharmonic to the EdinburghFestival in 1991!

To describe Mackerras as a ‘Janáčekspecialist’ would be to seriously underestimatethe breadth of his musical interests. He wasalso a ‘Handel and Mozart specialist’ an ‘Elgar,Delius and Holst specialist’, a ‘Beethoven,Brahms, Dvořák and Mahler specialist’ anda ‘Gilbert and Sullivan specialist’. Indeed, onecould say that he was a specialist in the musicof so many composers that he was no longera specialist at all, simply a universal musicianwho embraced every style and genre.

The great Václav Talich, Mackerras’ mentorduring his study period in Prague on a BritishCouncil scholarship (1947/48) taught him that“a conductor must also understand what’s be -hind the notes, that music isn’t just tech nique,but that it has something in common with thesoul”. Whenever confronted with a score,Mackerras with his inquiring mind wanted firstto establish what the actual notes were, and inthe case of Janáček’s works this presented anenormous problem. Through painstaking workand with the assistance of scholars such asJohn Tyrrell he established original versions ofthe operas which are nowa days performed inhis editions throughout the world.

obituary

Charles Mackerras & Magdalena Kožená, Bohuslav Martinů Days 2008, Prague


REMEMBERINGSIR CHARLESMACKERRAS

against in his championship of Bohu slav Martinů.In 1982 he recorded the Double Concerto, H. 271and Frescoes, H. 352 with the Prague RadioSymphony Orchestra and, two years later, TheField Mass, H. 279 with the Czech PhilharmonicChorus and Orchestra (Supraphon SU 3276-2).It is a great pity that he did not also recordcommercially his favourite Fantaisies sym -phoniques (Symphony No. 6, H. 343). His unfor -gettable and powerfully communicative perfor -mance of this work at the 1986 Prague SpringFestival conducting the Czech Philhar monic(25 May) was convincing proof of his profoundunderstanding of Martinů’s music: “Mackerraspointed in a masterly way its link with the Czechmusical tradition as well as emphasising Martinů’suniversally comprehensible message. His ability toconvey to the listener the rich musical charge ofthis work was one of the deepest impressions ofthe evening” (Petr Vít, Hudební rozhledy, 3/1986,p. 344). Mackerras went on to record commer -

cially the Sinfonietta giocosa, H. 282 with theAustralian Chamber Orchestra in Sydney and,with the Brno State Philhar monic Orchestra, theDouble Concerto (again) and music from Špalíček,H. 214 (Conifer, CDCF 170; CDCF 202). A furtherprestigious contribution to the Martinů causewas his appearance with the Czech Philharmonicat the final concert of the 1999 Martinů Festivalin Prague, which included the Fifth Symphony,H. 310 and the First Violin Concerto, H. 226 withJosef Suk as soloist.

It was Mackerras who after a chance meet ingwith Aleš Březina initiated the idea of recon -struct ing the original ‘London’ version of TheGreek Passion for performance. The outcome –a co-production by the Bregenz Festival and theRoyal Opera, Covent Garden – was for him an

unimaginable triumph as well as an indictmentof Covent Garden’s unjust rejection of the workforty years earlier. Though the honour of givingthe premiere went to another conductor atBregenz (20 July, 1999), it was the septuage nar -ian Mackerras and the highly imaginative stag -ing by David Pountney that made the greatestimpact: “Last year’s Bregenz performance wasgood, but at Covent Garden we had CharlesMackerras at his most inspired, showing not theleast embarrass ment at embracing Martinů’s(apparently) naïve structures wholeheartedlyand making them work. The luminous orchestralplaying and choral singing are eloquent beyonddescription. A stirring, his toric, and probablyunrepeatable occasion – don’t miss it!” (RodneyMilnes, The Times, 27 April 2000).

In the context of this article it would befoolish to try to list all Sir Charles’ achievementsthroughout his long career and also a uselessexercise since they have been so widely recog -

nised, with honours showered upon him fromevery quarter. But I should just mention hisbeing given the freedom of the city of Prague(1991) and being awarded the Medal of theBohuslav Martinů Foundation (1997) and theMedal of Merit (1996) presented to him byPresident Václav Havel for his contributionto Czech musical culture in general.

Like his beloved Janáček, Sir Charles resistedthe idea of growing old. A keen yachtsman athis Mediterranean retreat on the Island of Elba,he named his boat Emilia Marty after Janáček’s(almost) immortal heroine. Sadly, no elixir of lifeknown to medical science could ameliorate hisbattle with cancer, though this did not stop himaccepting further engagements. “I’ll keep goingfor as long as I can” was his stoical comment.

Charles Mackerras & Václav Talich, 1948 © museum of český kras, beroun


It is especially poignant that he was planningto repeat his triumph with the Juliette Frag -ments this September/October in Berlin withMagdalena Kožená and the Berlin Philharmonic.

Sir Charles Mackerras’ death on 14 July at theage of 84 will have greatly saddened all thosewho knew and admired him, all those touchedby his music-making throughout the world.Back in January 1949, Talich had written to him:“All I do is to show the way and perhaps one ofthese seeds will grow into a flower”. He wouldbe proud to know that in his young, lankyAustralian pupil that seed was to flourish sofruitfully. ❚

MACKERRAS & MARTINŮA recording history (July 1979—December 2008)Compiled by Bill Marsden

JULY 1979Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras,Piano and and Timpani (H. 271) BBC Symphony Orchestra Carlton/Imp Classics (BBC Radio Classics) 15656 9135-2

JUNE 1981The Greek Passion (Řecké pašije) (2nd Version), H. 372 IIJohn Mitchinson, Helen Field, John Tomlinson, PhillipJoll, Rita Cullis, Jeffrey Lawton, Jana Jonášová and othersoloists, Czech Philharmonic Chorus, Kühn Children’sChorus, Brno State Philharmonic OrchestraSupraphon 10 3611-2 (DVD SU 7014-9)

FEBRUARY 1982Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras,Piano and and Timpani (H. 271) Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra Supraphon/Denon33CO-1056 (Supraphon 10 3393-2; SU 3276-2)The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca (H. 352) Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra Supraphon/Denon33CO-1056 (Supraphon 10 3393-2; SU 3276-2)

JANUARY 1984Field (Military) Mass (Polní mše) (H. 279)Václav Zítek, Prague Philharmonic Choir,Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; Prague RadioSymphony Orchestra Supraphon/Denon 33C37-7735 (Supraphon SU 3276-2)

DECEMBER 1988Sinfonietta Giocosa for Piano and Small Orchestra (H. 282)Dennis Hennig, Australian Chamber Orchestra Conifer CDCF 210 (CDCF 75605-51170-2)

OCTOBER 1990Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras,Piano and Timpani (H. 271) Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra CDCF 202 (CDCF 210; CDCF 706)Špalíček: Orchestral Suites (H. 214A/B)Brno State Philharmonic OrchestraConifer CDCF 202

1992Concertino for Cello, Wind Instruments,Piano and Percussion (H. 143)Bohuslav Pavlas, Prague Chamber OrchestraVars VA 0090-2

DECEMBER 2008Juliette: Three Fragments (H.253A); Orchestral Suite from Juliette (arr. Vostřák) (H. 253B)Magdalena Kožená, Steve Davislim, Frédéric Goncalves,Michèle Lagrange, Nicolas Testé, Czech PhilharmonicOrchestra. Supraphon SU 3994-2

talk about solitude, mad love, desire, seekingthemselves and others?

Final interpretation will return to the audi -ence itself. No illusion on the stage, no falsetheatrical reality will be created, but, on thecontrary, fantasy and imagination of thespectator will be awoken through the con -struction of an absurd and fictitious world.

MARTINŮ: Larmes de couteau, H. 169Soirée DadaLéna Rondé (Director)Clovis Weil (Scénography)Léo Warynski (Musical directory)

14, 15 and 16 October 2010Czech Center, 18 rue Bonaparte, Paris

translated by Hilda Hearne

and make visible the bipolarity of energy typicalof Dada (provocation, irony and sarcasm on theone hand; lyricism and verve for the absolute onthe other). They thus open an absurd ball, whichis to be the opera, gradually inviting in variouscharacters.

After this preamble, the opera can start.The staging is not without intricacies. The workis indeed very brief, the libretto absurd, thecharacters scarce and without coherent psy -chol ogy, the place and time vague. However,these exceptional qualities demand inter pre -tation. The director appears to have free reign,but is in fact significantly constrained by thework’s absurdity. Indeed, how does one portraycharacters with unstable or grotesqueidentities, without a past and future, whonevertheless, in their quite faltering humanity

/ LÉNA RONDÉ

I DEDICATED TWO YEARS of my life (one ofthem spent in Prague) to exploring BohuslavMartinů’s opera Juliette, ou La clé des songes,H. 253 (Juliette, or The Key to Dreams), and itis difficult just to let things rest at that point.It is not that easy to brush aside a composersuch as Martinů, whose œuvre is so abundantand engrossing. Yet for me it ended whenI completed my studies in musicology andafterwards became concerned primarily withthe production of operas, hoping that one dayI would have the opportunity to stage one ofthe sixteen operas created by the composerI so adored…

At the time, as fate would have it, I encoun -tered another Léna, Léna Brisson, who hadbegun working on her research into Martinůand his relationship to the Dada poet GeorgesRibemont-Dessaignes, namely on an opera thatwas the fruit of their co-operation: Larmesde couteau, H. 169 (The Tears of the Knife).The idea was to create a production of thisthirty-minute Dada opera, whose expression,invention, lyri cism and humour simply cannotleave anyone untouched.

Dada opera, an oxymoron. The conception ofDada art itself falls short of the mark; just recallthe provocative innovations of Marcel Duchampor Tristan Tzara. Nevertheless, it is extremelytempting to classify Larmes de couteau asa Dada opera, since the text from the librettois written by a “pure Dada spirit”, GeorgesRibemont-Dessaignes and exudes the spirit offreedom, Dada. And it probably was ultimatelythis that allured Bohuslav Martinů.

I felt like creating a performance that wouldpresent this little gem while placing Larmes decouteau in its context: the Dada movement, anobject of desire and disgust, saying somethingand its opposite at the same time. This is whatled to the idea for a certain preamble, anintroduction within which the actors in thisopera express themselves by means of texts,sonic experiments and brief pieces of musicexcerpted from the Bohuslav Martinů repertoire.This prologue affords the audience the firstcontact with this peculiar object, Larmes decouteau. Two masters of ceremonies embody

premiere

s


(��OBITUARY�]Dr. DIETRICH BERKE A FOUNDING MEMBER of the Editorial Board of the Bohuslav MartinůComplete Edition, died on 16 October 2010. As longstanding chief editorof complete editions at Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel (Germany), through hisexpert ise and experience he made a significant contribution to the prepa -ration of the editing principles and schedule of the volumes of The Bohu -slav Martinů Complete Edition. ❚

LARMESDE COUTEAU IN PARIS

Tears of the Knife, Paris, Czech Center

/ TOMÁŠ VÍŠEK

ONLY A FEW WORKS in the body of piano liter -ature have been inspired by specific worksof art. Among the famous ones are of courseMussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition – therest, from Liszt to Fibich and others, are veryseldom played anymore. Bohuslav Martinů (be -sides his famous orchestral work The Frescoesof Piero della Francesca H. 352, and the muchless performed Ballad “Villa by the Sea,” H. 97,after the painting by Arnold Boecklin), addedthe interesting Ballade under Krzec’s painting“Chopin’s last chords,” H. 56, to this treasuretrove. Krzec is irrelevant – the man in questionwas a Polish painter named Józef Krzesz --Mecina (1860-1934), about whom Polish (aswell as non-Polish) sources remain somewhatconspicuously silent. The painting in questioncan, nevertheless, be found on the internet, andin 1910 was in fact reproduced in “The Studio”

(vol. 50/1910/p.80). It is probably here thatMartinů saw this painting – there is no docu -men tation attesting to any exhibition of Polishpainters either in Prague or elsewhere inBohemia, and at that time Martinů was not yettraveling abroad. (By contrast, international artprints were available in Prague.) Other fac torsremain unattested as well – namely the to-dateunpublished composition exists in two auto -graphs, one residing in the Bohuslav Mar tinůCentre in Polička, the other in the Czech Mu -seum of Music in Prague; funda men tally theycoincide, but in details and number of meas uresthey differ, and neither version is dated. Thedate of origin of 1912 (see Halbreich’s cata -logue) is merely hypothetical, based on thepremiere on August 15, 1912 in Polička(Halbreich erroneously lists August 14, 1912),played by Martinů himself (albeit he was nota pianist!). Martinů personally wrote up a listof his compositions from that period, but it istotally disorganized, the chronology is mixed up,composition dates are almost entirely omitted,in other words this document is not of muchhelp to us either. The author of this article givespriority to the “Polička” version – it comesacross more crystalline, immediate, and yetmore developed than the “second” version,with its occasional added octaves, certain

measures dropped, and certain tracts crossedout in pencil (although so faintly, that theycould be cuts that were erased). That, however,is already a matter of subjective opinion.

The ballade itself has a distinctly two-partformat, with a three-part format indicated –the first part (approx. 2 pages) is drawn out,wistful, and moves along like a slow march; thesecond part (approx. 1 page) is quick, edgy, andin a several of the final measures harks backto the theme and tempo of the first part. Thebasic themes of both parts are spelled outalready in the first measure of the entire com -position – the right hand sings the melody oftheme 1, while the left plays counterpoint usingthe basis of the melodic outline of the secondpart. Over various connecting sections severaladditional themes are gradually heard; a littlemotif in the left hand is occasionally broughtup to the right hand, and, just before the endof the first part, foreshadows the melodic andrhythmic character of the second part, whicheventually takes over completely. And yet in thefinal measures of the entire composition, thethemes suddenly return to the respective rolesthey had at the outset. Although one would stillsearch in vain here for any typically Martinů-likeintonations or harmonies (just as nothing ofChopin is directly cited – nor is anything known

about what relationship Martinů may havehad with Chopin’s music), we are dealing witha work of great inner conviction, and the effortto convey a powerful emotional feeling comesacross with a sense of authenticity, evensuggestiveness. Furthermore, when this pieceis played in concert, it tends to be very wellreceived. In conclusion, a reference to one othercuriosity. On October 10, 1910, Martinů com -posed another Ballade, H. 24, actually a mere28 measure-long fragment with a hopelesslycrossed out continuation, although the variousaltered thirds are a little more evocative ofthe future Martinů; it is playable even in itsunfinished form. (So far I have only ventured toplay it as an encore at one concert.) The mottoMartinů chose for this piece was a quotationabout a “pale lad” from Vítězslav Hálek’s bookof poetry Večerní písně (“Aj, bledý hoch sezachvěl…” “The lad he sways and trembles /a fear benumbs his feeling / and from his pallidvisage / hot tears of shame are stealing” –transl. by Jan Sliwinski). Could he possiblyhave been thinking of Chopin? And would heeventually have cast this ballade away, onlyto write a brand new one two years later?Another question, it seems, to which we willnever know the answer. ❚

translated by Veronique Firkušný-Callegari

research

“Chopin’s last chords” from the painter Józef Krzesz-Mecina


THE FORGOTTENPIANO BALLADE

aesthetics and history of music at PalackýUniversity in Olomouc. He was a member of theBoard of Directors of the Bohuslav MartinůFoundation from its establishment in 1975 until2008, when he had to step down for healthreasons. He founded the Opening of the Springsfestival in Vlčkov and is the author of 10 booksand some 500 essays on 19th-century music,Bohuslav Martinů and the fine arts. He was atthe helm of the Litomyšl Museum for twelveyears and between 1972 and 1984 was Directorof the Municipal Museum in Polička.

Together with a few other experts, he partici -pated in the transport of Bohuslav Martinů’sremains to his homeland. He wrote about thisevent in an extensive essay titled Neuvěřitelnákauza Martinů (The Incredible Case of Martinů),and in a report on how it happened that on17 August 1979 the remains of the composerBohuslav Martinů were transported from nearbySwitzerland to his native town of Polička.

Naďa ŠauerováExcerpted from Jitřenka 6/2010.

With their kind permissiontranslated by Hilda Hearne

of cultural organisations in Polička, journalists,as well as the mayors of the two towns whereDr. Kapusta worked: the Mayor of Litomyšl,Michal Kortyš, and the Mayor of Polička,Jaroslav Martinů, who opened the gala event.

Jan Kapusta was born in 1932 in Česká Tře -bová. From 1951 to 1956 he studied musicology,

Dr. JAN KAPUSTAHONOUREDTHE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ CENTRE in Poličkawas a fitting venue for the handing over ofa diploma and Bohuslav Martinů Medal toDr. Jan Kapusta. With these accolades, theBohuslav Martinů Foundation expressed itsgratitude for the immensely important workDr. Kapusta has done in raising awareness ofBohuslav Martinů. The medal is awarded todistinguished international and Czech personswho have contributed to promoting the workof Bohuslav Martinů and thereby Czech culturein general. The guests included members of theBohuslav Martinů Foundation, representatives

news


(�REVIEW�)LA REVUE DE CUISINEIN NEW YORK/ VERONIQUE FIRKUŠNÝ-CALLEGARI

ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, the Copland House(www.coplandhouse.org) held its annual culi -nary and musical gala, Revue de Cuisine, atNew York’s Daniel restaurant. Famed chefDaniel Boulud composed a four-course gastro -nomic “symphony” for the occasion, which wascomplemented by a program featuring BohuslavMartinů’s ballet suite, La Revue de cuisine,H. 161 A. This delightful four-movement piece,with its capricious kitchen characters and jazz --inspired melodies, was accompanied by a wittytext, written by Lawrence Krauser, and narratedwith much aplomb and pizzazz by Jamie Bern -stein, daughter of the late Leonard Bernsteinand Felicia Montealegre. The frisky score, playedby the Music from Copland House ensemble,infused the room with its whimsical spiritand by the end, with Lid tightly reunited withPot, the whole room was bubbling over withlaughter and applause. Musical “appetizers”by Danny Barker, Grant Beglarian, Derek Bermeland Leonard Bernstein, along with a wickeddessert concocted by William Bolcom,completed this delectable evening. ❚

This publication you can order

in the Palacký University Shop.

Phone: +420 585 631 783

Fax: +420 585 631 786

E-mail: [email protected]

www.e-shop.upol.cz

PALACKÝ UNIVERSITY PRESS

Dear friend: Bohuslav Martinů’s Letters

to Zdeněk Zouhar

Milý příteli: Dopisy Bohuslava Martinů

Zdeňku Zouharovi

Zdeněk Zouhar – Vít Zouhar

First edition, 2008, 436 pp., ISBN 978-80-244-1951-0,

price 502 CZK

This unique collection of 26 letters from the last

ten years of Bohuslav Martinů’s life addressed

to Zdeněk Zouhar is a key testimony to Martinů’s

works, life and the relationship between the

composer and the interpreter of his works who

premiered the cantata The Opening of the Springs,

the cycles Three Part-Songs and Three Sacred Songs

and initiated the origin of the Primrose cycle.

In the letters, published for the first time after

almost fifty years, Martinů conveys his ideas of

how the opera What Man Live By, the Primrose

cycle, the male choruses Brigand Songs, the cantata

The Opening of the Springs should be performed,

gives opinions on the new music, Leoš Janáček and

Moravian folksongs, his return from exile and many

others topics.

This annotated bilingual (English and Czech) edition

captures Martinů’s specific literary style in authentic

form, without corrections, provides facsimiles of

letters and juxtaposes the correspondence with

the composer’s letters to his family, friends,

performers, as well as the reminiscences of his

wife Charlotte. A more detailed picture of the

composer’s last year is emerging.


Series—Special—LISTOF MARTINŮ’S WORKSX

> LIST OF MARTINŮ’S WORKS X > Category CHAMBER MUSIC > Subcategory DUOS FOR CELLO AND PIANO

CATEGORY/

| CHAMBER MUSIC SUBCATEGORY/

| DUOS FOR CELLO AND PIANO

✂

IN THIS ISSUE of the Revue we continuewith our publishing of the complete list ofBohuslav Martinů’s works. We began with theoperas and have since considered the ballets,incidental music and film music, works forlarge 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. The next subcategory are the Duos for Celloand Piano (listed in alphabetical order). Thebasic data on the works listed here have beentaken from the online catalogue of Martinů’sœuvre at http://katalog.martinu.cz/

Commentary/“Archive” – gives the information as towhere the autograph orchestral scoreis 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.

SEVEN ARABESQUESRHYTHMIC ETUDES FOR CELLO AND PIANO H. 201

Durata: 16' Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1931Performing forces: vlc pfArchive: manuscript missingPublisher: R. Deiss, Paris 1932 (R. D. 7465)Copyright: Édition Durand – Salabert – Eschig,

Paris

SONATA No. 1FOR CELLO AND PIANO H. 277

Durata: 19'Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1939Performing forces: vlc pfDedication: Pierre FournierPerformers of premiere: Pierre Fournier (vlc),

Rudolf Firkušný (pf)Premiere: Paris, 19. 5. 1940 Archive: National Library of Austria, ViennaPublisher: Heugel, Paris 1949 (H. 31218)Copyright: Alphonse Leduc, Paris


Durata: 20'Place of composition: Jamaica (Long Island),

USADate of composition: 1941Performing forces: vlc pfDedication: Frank RybkaPerformers of premiere: Lucien Laporte (vlc),

Constance Russell (pf)Premiere: New York, 18. 3. 1942Archive: manuscript missingPublisher: Associated Music Publishers,

NewYork 1944 (A. S. 194312)Copyright: Associated Music Publishers,

NewYork


Durata: 22'Place of composition:Vieux-MoulinDate of composition: 1952Performing forces: vlc pfDedication: A la mémoire de Hans KindlerPremiere: Washington, D.C., 8. 1. 1953Archive: Bohuslav Martinů Center in PoličkaPublisher: Státní nakladatelství, Prague 1957

(H. 2360)Copyright: Editio Bärenreiter, Prague

VARIATIONS ON A SLOVAKFOLK SONGFOR CELLO AND PIANO H. 378

Durata: 8'Place of composition: Schönenberg-PrattelnDate of composition: 1959Performing forces: vlc pfPerformers of premiere: Alexander Večtomov

(vlc), Vladimír Topinka (pf)Premiere: Prague, 17. 10. 1959Archive: Bärenreiter, KasselPublisher: Bärenreiter, Kassel 1960 (B. A. 3969)Copyright: Bärenreiter, Kassel

VARIATIONS ON A THEMEOF ROSSINIFOR CELLO AND PIANO H. 290

Durata: 8'Place of composition: New YorkDate of composition: 1942Performing forces: vlc pfDedication: Gregor Piatigorsky Performers of premiere: Gregor Piatigorsky

(vlc)Premiere: New York, 1. 5. 1943Archive: National Museum, Czech Museum

of Music, Prague – only draftPublisher: Boosey & Hawkes,

London-NewYork 1949 (B&H 16505)Copyright: Boosey & Hawkes,

London-NewYork

DUOS FOR CELLO AND PIANO

ARIETTE FOR CELLO AND PIANO H. 188 B

Durata: 1'30''Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1930Performing forces: vlc pfArchive: manuscript missingPublisher: Alphonse Leduc, Paris 1931

(A. L. 17906)Copyright: Alphonse Leduc, Paris

MINIATURE SUITESEVEN EASY PIECES FOR CELLO AND PIANO H. 192

Durata: 12'30''Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1931Performing forces: vlc pfArchive: Alphonse Leduc, ParisPublisher: Alphonse Leduc, Paris 1932

(A. L. 18009-18015)Copyright: Alphonse Leduc, Paris

NOCTURNESFOUR ETUDES FOR CELLO AND PIANO H. 189

Durata: 14'30''Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1931Performing forces: vlc pfDedication: Karel KošťálArchive: manuscript missingPublisher: Alphonse Leduc, Paris 1931


PASTORALSSIX PIECES FOR CELLO AND PIANO H. 190

Durata: 29'Place of composition: ParisDate of composition: 1931Performing forces: vlc pfArchive: Alphonse Leduc, ParisPublisher: Alphonse Leduc, Paris 1931


Orchestra under Wolfgang Sawallisch. The notedviolinist Petr Rybář, who had been a friend of thecomposer, was the concert master of the SuisseRomande Orchestra at this time. The concerttook place on 15 March 1978 and a recording ofthe performance appeared on a Cascavelle CDin 1990.

MISSING DOCUMENTATION RELATING TO VERSION No. 2Reference books including Halbreich (2007)have classified the score of the re-orchestratedrevision (Version No. 2) as “lost”. This seemedquestionable given the frequency of perform -ances of the work up until 1955. With this inmind, I contacted Jean Fonda-Fournier (son ofPierre) to see if he could throw any light on themissing score.

It transpired that he had in his possession theperformance copy of the solo cello part whichFournier had used from 1938 until 1955, bearingmany amendments and annotations by the cellistand some by the composer and which formed thebasis of the final revision of the solo cello partin 1955. The orchestral score of Version No. 2,used exclusively by Fournier until 1955, alwaysremained in the personal custody of the cellist.Following the death of his father in 1986, Jeanrecalls his decision to donate the score to amajor Prague music institution believing it to bethe appropriate permanent home for this unique

by a passage in the slow movement (“ce longpassage en sixtes et doubles”). He wasundecided as to whether his revision or theoriginal was the better and left the finaldecision to Fournier.

Earlier he had appealed to the cellist neveragain to perform the original version becauseit was full of faults and the orchestration wasbad and overwhelmed the cello.

FIRST PERFORMANCE OF VERSION No. 3Pierre Fournier gave the first performance ofthe final and definitive revision of the concertoon 5 December 1955 with the LausanneChamber Orchestra under Victor Desarzens.The programme also included Chabrier's SuitePastorale.

The relevant reference works had previouslywrongly attributed the first performance toMiloš Sádlo and the Finnish Radio Orchestraunder Parvo Berglund on 6 March 1956.Halbreich (2007) lists a first performance byan unidentified soloist on Bayerischer Rundfunkin 1955. Enquiries to that organisation haverevealed performances by Fournier with theBayerscher Rundfunk Symphony Orchestraunder Eugen Jochum but they took place on26/27 April 1956.

Thereafter Version No. 3 of the concertoappeared regularly in Fournier's concertprogrammes, including performances with theBBC Symphony Orchestra under Rudolf Schwarzand with the Berlin Philharmonic under RafaelKubelík. Jean Fonda-Fournier recalls that, afterhearing the latter performance, Herbert vonKarajan expressed his admiration for the workand a wish to perform it with Fournier. Thisnever came to pass.

Towards the end of his career Fournierperformed the work with the Suisse Romande

/ GREGORY TERIAN / PART 2FINAL REVISION 1955On 12 January 1955 Martinů wrote to Fournierfrom Mont Boron near Nice saying that he hadrecently listened to a radio broadcast of theconcerto and was very unhappy with what heheard, finding the orchestration full of faults.He had approached Schott but they replied thatthey no longer held a copy of the score. On thecomposer's suggestion, however, they agreedto publish a newly revised edition. Martinůindicated that he was very fond of the concertoand keen to reproduce a definitive edition. Hewas anxious to re-work the orchestral parts(omitting the piano) and also the cello part. Heasked Fournier to forward his copy of the scoresaying that he had some time available andcould start work on the revision immediately.

A dyeline copy of the autograph of the fullyrevised score, signed by the composer andannotated in ink, pencil and crayon by Fournier,is now held by the British Library. It is datedNice 28 June 1955 and bears a dedication toFournier “avec mon amitié et admiration”.

However, it is apparent that the score hadnot been finalised by that date. In a letter toFournier dated 23 July 1955, Martinů statesthat he wishes to simplify some of the solowriting, hastening to add that this was not forthe benefit of Fournier, for whom the originalwould present no problems, but to help lessaccomplished cellists tackle the work.

On 23 August he wrote to Fournier fromVieux Moulin: “C'etait un big travail. Si tu trouveencore des choses qui serait maladroit orclumsy in solo part, corrige les”. He also makesreference to the availability of the finalisedscore for a forthcoming concert in Lausanne.As late as 26 August Martinů was still troubled

The Cello Concerto No. 1 is one of the few compositions that exist in threevariants, all of which have been preserved. Accordingly, in terms of editingthey represent a very difficult topic for musicologists. The present author’stwo-year in-depth research has resulted in significant new findings.The previous Martinů Revue contained the first part of an article describingthe genesis and fate of the first two versions of the Cello Concerto.

research


THE LOST SCOREPIERRE FOURNIER & MARTINŲ’S CELLO CONCERTO No.1

y Cello concerto No. 1, third version – autographinscriptions on the title page

document. However, in 1996 he becameaware that the score had found its way intothe Sacher Foundation archive in Basel.

In response to my enquiry, on 11 August2008 the Sacher Foundation confirmed thatthey held the score which bore notations byFournier, Barbirolli and an “unknown hand”.Further enquiries established that the scorehad been acquired through Albi Rosenthal andplaced in the care of the Sacher Foundation byPaul Sacher on 14 January 1994. Albi Rosenthalwas a well known dealer in rare manuscriptswho died in 2004. I had hoped that the scorewould pinpoint the specific date of the revisionbut the Sacher Foundation responded thatno further information could be divulged.Inspection of documents on microfilm wasavailable only on personal attendance at theFoundation. No copies could be provided.

I alerted Aleš Březina, Director of theBohuslav Martinů Institute in Prague, to theexistence of the missing score. He was ableto visit the Sacher Foundation in August 2009and carried out a thorough examination of allthe associated documents. No date was shownon the score but other surprising revelationscame to light.

The relevant catalogue card was noted:“C'est en 1938 que le compositeur tchèque ona etabli la version définitive pour orchestresymphonique et la dédiée a Pierre Fournier quia crea a Paris avec Charles Munch”. The inspec -tion also revealed that the front cover of thescore had been noted in Martinů's hand:

“La Partition d'orchestre, autograph” and borehis 1939 address at 31 Avenue du Parc Mont -souris, Paris 16. The undated account of thecopyist Georges Marey is also endorsed on thecover and shows that he produced 720 pagesof manuscript for a total cost of 6,728.60francs, payment to be made by Pierre Fournierof 15 rue Lesueur, Paris 14.

Aleš Březina also established that the scorebears the names of conductors who had

performed Version 2 with Fournier includingKubelík and Mitropoulos. The Manchesterperformance had clearly been enjoyed byboth artists. Barbirolli, who had started lifeas a cellist, had written on the score “To thehappiest remembrance pour collaborationManchester 1948”. It also bore the name ofCharles Munch, but not his signature, as wasthe case with the other conductors. This indeedraised the possibility of Version 2 actuallyhaving been premiered in Paris in February 1938with Munch.

To test that assumption, I directed anenquiry to the BBC Written Archives Centre asto whether they had retained a listing of theorchestral musicians who had participated inthe BBC concert performance in February 1939.Somewhat to my astonishment, they respondedthat they had found a letter on their file fromFournier to the BBC dated 3 January 1939 inwhich he set out precise details of the orches -tral musicians required for the performance.These clearly relate to Version 1 and not tothe expanded orchestra required for Version 2.It follows that Version 2 was created laterin 1939 after the BBC concert. There is noevidence of any further Fournier performanceof the concerto having taken place prior toWorld War II. As Martinů himself commentedyears later, “il parait que l'annee 1939 n'étaitpas bonne pour la création”.

Fournier's address at 15 rue Lesueur, asshown on the score, is where he moved to inthe latter part of 1944 after the Liberation.

Bohuslav Martinů and Rafael Kubelík, Besançon,France 1955


< Bohuslav Martinů to Pierre Fournier: “C'etait un big travail. Si tu trouve encoredes choses qui serait maladroit or clumsy in solo part, corrige les.” (Letter from23 August 1955, Vieux Moulin)

y Reference to a questionable passage in the slow movement (Bohuslav Martinůto Pierre Fournier, letter from 26 August 1955, Nice, France)

and again in 1959 (Germaine Leroux – to whomthe work is dedicated – and Georges Tzipine).

La Bagarre has been a favourite in the reper -toire of the “National” and also of the “Philhar -monique”, with most of the famous Frenchconductors in addition to Rosenthal.

Very precious too would be a recording ofCharles Munch conducting Les Paraboles, H. 367with the same orchestra (September 1959). Alsoof particular interest are perform ances of bothof Martinů’s violin concertos by the “National”with Josef Suk as soloist.

The Orchestre Philharmonique also has a widerange of Martinů in its repertoire, includ ing theSymphonies No. 1, 4 and 6. A perfor mance ofthe Piano Concerto No. 2 with Germaine Lerouxand Charles Bruck in 1963 should be noted, asshould two performances of the viola concerto.

With the Orchestre Lyrique (and chorus)the earliest performance is one of Comedyon the Bridge, H. 247 (without any reference)in 1950. This is no real surprise and one canfind other recordings of this opera, and ofAlexandre bis, H. 255 and of course Juliette,H. 253. Choral works are also listed.

Other orchestras offer a great variety ofworks. In the earliest of all INA Martinů archiveswe find a performance of the Piano ConcertoNo. 1, H. 149 by Ina Marika (whose name isfrequently found in the chamber music sectiontoo) with Orchestre André Girard (conductor)in November 1945.

Interesting, too, is a performance of theConcerto for Harpsichord and Small Orchestra,H. 246 performed by Marcelle de Lacour andOrchestre Radio Symphonique de Paris in 1951.

The performances which followed all look veryattractive. Many concerts were given by Frenchorchestras, or by guest foreign orchestras visit -

/ PATRICE CHEVY

THE FRENCH RADIO archives are carefullymaintained by Institut National de l’Audiovisuel(INA). My first thanks go to Michelle Erismann,who managed to resolve issues of confiden tial -ity. Then, great thanks also to Mrs HaudeVassent from INA, who undertook the incredibletask of compiling all of the existing Martinůconcerts in the archives. The result is astound -ing: more than 300 broadcast programmes.I have extracted precise data regarding theevents at which these Martinů’s works wereperformed, and this information is availableat the Bohuslav Martinů Institute’s library.

Here I would like to give to Martinů loversa broad idea of the contents of this list.

The concerts are those from OrchestreNational (22 references), Orchestre Philhar -monique (26 references), Orchestre Lyrique (20),other orchestras (64), plus a great numberof chamber music concerts (more than 200).In addition, there are some important radioprogrammes concerning Martinů. The archivedprogrammes cover the period from 1945to the present day.

The conductor of the Orchestre Nationalafter the Liberation in 1945 was ManuelRosenthal, a very distinguished conductorand composer. La Bagarre, H. 155 favouriteMartinů work and several of his later per -formances (1963/1968) are preserved in thearchives. The earliest of all “National” record -ings is a 1947 performance of Martinů’s PianoConcerto No. 2, H. 237 by Lucette Descaveswith Orchestre National under the baton ofErnest Bour. Two other performances of thisconcerto with the same orchestra appear in1957 (Andor Foldes and Manuel Rosenthal)

research


Mr Patrice Chevy, a member of the International Martinů Circle, has madean extensive record of Martinů recordings and concert programmes atFrance’s Institut National de l’Audiovisuel. His research documents theextremely high frequency with which Martinů’s works were performedby French orchestras and chamber ensembles. We are publishing in theMartinů Revue the main findings of the very first detailed research intothe French radio archives.

It must follow that the work of the copyistGeorges Marey in producing the orchestralparts was undertaken in 1945 or 1946. Allthe indications thus point to Fournier havinggiven the premiere of Version 2 on theoccasion of the first post-war visit to Parisby the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra underKubelík in October 1946.

RECORDINGS Although he gave many performancesbetween 1946 and 1955, no broadcast tapeof Fournier's interpretation of Version No. 2appeared to have survived in any of the radioarchives in Europe or America. Halbreich(2007) suggests that a 1970 Russian LPrepresents a recording of that version. Mostcontemporary reviews had remarked on theprominent piano part. No piano is to be heardon the Russian recording and it must be bornein mind that the score of Version No. 2 alwaysremained in the personal custody of Fournier.

Finally, in July 2009, following extensiveenquiries, I was able to establish thatSüdwest rundfunk (SWR) had preserveda recording of the performance given byFournier in Baden-Baden in 1953 with ErnestBour conducting. Following representationsto SWR as to its significance, it is to be hopedthat this historic document will be madeavailable on CD. It reflects the individualisticspirit of Martinů in 1930s Paris with theextensive use of the orchestral piano.In contrast, the 1955 version comes withthe maturity of a composer who has createdsix symphonies in the interim. As Aleš Březinahas remarked, “it is astonishingly differentmusic”.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:With special thanks to Jean Fonda-FournierEleanor Roberts (Hallé Orchestra Archivist)Richard C. Wandel (New York PhilharmonicAssociate Archivist)Stadsarchief AmsterdamRachel Lawson (BBC Written Archives Centre)Zoja Seyčková (Bohuslav Martinů Institute) Patrick Lambert and Aleš Březina

© THE AUTHOR

MARTINŲ RECORDINGSIN THE RADIO FRANCE ARCHIVES

ing France. Some were broadcast from else -where, and others come from archives (Czechmostly). It is not always easy to find exactlywhere some programmes come from andI leave this discussion open for specialists…

A broadcast performance of Epic of Gilga -mesh, H. 351 by Paul Sacher in 1960 (probablyfrom the Vienna Festival 1959) would be anextremely precious archival performance to beput on record: it featured an outstanding cast –Marylin Horne, Otto Wiener, Murray Dickie,Walter Berry and the Hungarian PhilharmonicOrchestra.

As mentioned earlier, the listing of chambermusic is impressive. You can find there thegreat names of French soloists, and of coursethe best foreign ones who were visiting France.The same observation as before can be madeabout the origin of some of the broadcastworks. The earliest surviving record in 1947concerns what I think was Etudes faciles for2 violins, H. 191 by Sampigny-Bailly andBouquet -Gard. A continuous flow of perform -ances followed this one. A peak is quite obviousin 1990, but we must recognize since the turnof the new century performances become less

and less frequent. Among the favourite worksfor per form ers, the Flute Sonata, H. 306 (andother chamber music with flute) is the mostfrequently found. Cello sonatas (and especiallythe two variation sets) come closely after.The variety of per formers is quite impressive.The violin sonatas (including the Cinq piècesbrèves, H. 184), the string duets, the trios(most of them) and performances of the pianoquartet are also to be found frequently. Youwill find some rarities too, like Vigilie, H. 382or the cembalo pieces.

It is interesting to note 3 programmes withthe pianist Geneviève Joy (1919–2009), wife ofHenri Dutilleux, in the Cello Sonatas No. 1 & 3and in the Toccata e due canzoni, H. 311(no less than the premiere in 1955 with Sacher).Dutilleux I met in person at many concertswhere Martinů was played, and I still find links,for instance in Dutilleux’s 2nd symphonyLe Double.

One area which is especially valuable is theone concerning radio programmes about Mar -tinů, where we can find the names of producersand musicologists particularly familiar with hismusic and this period.


The first of these was pro -duced in 1973 by Georges Léonand includes the participationof Josef Páleníček. In 1975,a programme by the sameproducer includes participation of GeorgesNeveux and André Wurmser (author of thelibretto of Alexandre bis).

In 1979, Martine Cadieu proposed 8 pro -grammes of about one hour each based onCharlotte’s Mémoires (she just died 6 monthsbefore).

Other programmes followed, like Alain Pârisin his Paul Sacher’s series (1980), Pierre Vidalwith Georges Neveux (1982), Radoslav Kvapiland a portrait of Martinů (1990).

1990 was a very rich vintage of course, withthe series produces by Georges Boyer withGuy Erismann (5 programmes of 2 hours each);5 programmes of the same duration proposedby Myriam Soumagnac about “École de Paris”.Finally for the centenary at year end, a 3 ½ hourprogramme produced by Jean-Michel Damian,with the participation of Pierre Vidal, GuyErismann, Radoslav Kvapil, among others. ❚

(�ADVERTISEMENT]

as to how he could fit into the program. I mustadmit that the university did fairly well. He wasreally the first bright outsider to come in andthey had to find a way of dealing with him.Martinů would come in from New York to do histeaching. He didn’t live on campus, so there wasa certain sense of rushing in and rushing out.You must remember that it was unusual forPrinceton to offer anything like this becausethe music department had been establishedonly a few years before, in 1945.

What were the lessons with Martinů like?The lessons were private, one-on-one. Martinů’sassignments were a little different from whatwe had expected. He always asked us what wehad done before, even though we were buteighteen-year-olds! Sometimes he would ask usto make an arrangement, rather than composesomething new.

And these arrangements – were theyof his works?No, no. They were of our own works or standardworks. The sort of arrangements Schoenbergwas making of Brahms’s works at the time.Edward Cone I remember as a better teacher.A good composer doesn’t necessarily makea good teacher. It was a little tricky for Martinůto come in as a teacher and I think it wasrather bold of the university to take himbecause he didn’t know English that well andhis credentials were not in theory, as such.

Did you have the opportunity to hear anyof his works in his presence?No. We were not doing that. I think there wasa bit of a flurry of hearing his works whenhe first arrived in 1941, in New York, but weat the university did not perform any of hisworks. (Aleš Březina has noted that in thedocumentary film Martinů & America MichaelSteinberg, another of Martinů´s pupils, doesindeed recall a performance of Martinů's FieldMass at Princeton) Performance was not yetan established field at Princeton. There wasno Princeton University orchestra. Remember,there was no perform ance major available andno credit available for performance activities.The university was bright enough to know that

tion as a way to better understand the vastamount of music I wanted to conduct. ButPrinceton did not offer what we call appliedmusic.

At all?At all. In the somewhat mediaeval scheme ofthings we were lucky to have music in additionto the classic subjects such as astronomyand philosophy. They allowed majors only inmusicology and in composition. By the timeI had to declare my major there were twocomposers on the faculty: Edward Cone andRandall Thompson. Martinů arrived later. I hadsome courses with Thompson before studyingwith Martinů.

When the name of Martinů first came up,there was general interest, but also concern

Mr Moser, how did you first meetBohuslav Martinů?I met Martinů while working on an under -graduate degree in composition at PrincetonUniversity. I began my studies there in 1946and Martinů joined the faculty in 1948. I workedwith him regularly during his first year thereand more sporadically during the following year,which was my last at Princeton. I must admitthat my memory of this period is already quietvague.

Were you majoring in composition?Yes, ultimately I decided to major in composi -tion, but I did not consider myself a composer.I considered myself a musician, a pianist.I wanted to be a conductor. I had studieda little composition and I recognised com posi -

intervie

w


Karlos Moser, now 80, served as Director of the Opera Program at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison from 1961 until 1998. In November 2008Justin Krawitz met with Moser at the UW-Madison School of Music,where the former opera director recalled his contact with Martinů duringhis student days at Princeton in the 1950s.

Karlos Moser

WITH A PAST PUPIL OF MARTINŲ

KARLOS MOSER


Martinů was valuable, but did not have thefacilities for performing his works. We didn’thave concerts. We didn’t have a series or evena hall where there was a piano. So again, I thinkthat at that time the university’s efforts tosupport its composition major were bold, butthe music department was very new and theydidn’t really know how to handle it.

Going back to Martinů’s precise methods,could you talk a little more about the pieceshe would give you to make arrangements of?Would he provide themes for you to basea composition on? And what type of criti -cisms did he give?Some of the arrangements he’d ask us to dowere fairly obvious. There were some piecesby Bach, some by Brahms. But then there wasa surprise – there was a folksong, which I mustconfess I don’t even remember. I don’t evenknow if it was Czech because we were alsotalking a bit about Bartok at the time. He wouldask us to make arrangements for sometimesunexpected combinations: saxophone andpiano, or piano, violin and double bass, ratherthan a more conventional combination ofinstruments. Who knows why! I think he wasa little frustrated with us. We were a bunch ofstodgy white American males and he did nothesitate to criticise. I felt the criticism wassometimes unfair, in the sense that he simplysaid, “This isn’t good.” So we would have torewrite it. But given the time and the waypeople approached things, he did give us whatwe needed. We needed to be challenged. I don’tremember that he ever gave me an alternative.He wouldn’t suggest something. He wanted meto come up with something. He gave us quitea bit of work. It was as if he were saying, “I cando it, I can write a lot. Why can’t you write a lot,too?” In a way I was luckier than some, in thatI could write things and hear the music in myhead, and I think he liked that. The otherswould mostly have to sit at the piano and playwhat they had written, which he looked downon a little bit, understandably.

When he was more constructive in hiscriticism, what about his criticisms do yourecall? What was generally the focus?He generally wanted more counterpoint. I recallwriting something fairly bland where all thevoices were moving in the same direction andhe said, “Keep the top and the bottom, butchange the middle.” This was one of his rareactual criticisms, instead of just saying, “That’sjust not very good,” and leaving it at that.

Did Martinů use his own compositionsas teaching aids at any stage?No, not with me. He may have thought thathis role there was more to bring out what wecould do. It’s a great pity. I would have lovedto have gotten to know his works then.Because of that, when I first came to Madisonto direct the opera program at the Universityof Wisconsin in 1960, I choose to do one ofMartinů’s operas for my very first production.

Which one?Comedy on the Bridge. A decade after my timewith Martinů I thought to myself, “I shouldhave known this guy more!” But he was notin a position to be open to us. There were somany roadblocks over there, being in a foreigncountry, with foreign structures… I never heardhim complain, though.

How would you characterise the Americanreception of Martinů’s works during hislifetime, and then after his death?Well, back when I was at Princeton he wasn’tterribly famous. We’d kind of heard about hisViolin Concerto and the Concerto for Two Pianosbefore he arrived, but I personally was notaware of much of his output during my timeat Princeton. At least there didn’t seem to be

many premieres. I got to know his music more,frankly, only in the 1960s here in Madison, whenI found his Comedy on the Bridge and throughthe chamber music I’ve played privately. In theUnited States, though, I do think he’s one ofthose composers who is valued more and more.

And how would you characterise his positionin the US in general at the time of yourstudies with him?At that time pretty marginal. The US was justcoming out of the war and there was a hugeinflux of wonderful musicians. I think at thattime, with regard to composers, the big onesthat we knew, the ones who we honoured,were Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Bartok… andthen came Martinů. Bartok had made moreof a splash possibly because of his connectionwith the Boston Symphony.

Did Martinů seem happy to be in the US?Can you recall any details regarding hismood, his general demeanour?Martinů was a little decrepit. All in all, he didn’tseem a happy man. I don’t remember him asan overtly emotional person. Coming in toPrinceton he seemed as if he were saying tohimself, “Well, I have to do this, but I love musicso I’ll try to help them.” We discussed earlierthe idea of saxophone and piano – why dothat? It may have been him thinking “Whatcan I do to goose up these little Mid-Westernboys?!” So we did not warm to him particularlyand never got close enough to him to geta sense of whether or not he was content inAmerica. He never really became a part of theuniversity community.

To end off, what did Martinů mean to you?In retrospect of course it was wonderful! I’dhoped that he could have helped me morethrough the last year of my degree. He couldn’tbecause, if I recall correctly, he wasn’t thereoften enough. My composition landed up beingsomething I could occasionally dabble in,serving more as an aid to understanding thebulk of music that I needed. Now I noticethat Martinů has also taught Hovhaness and,surprisingly, Burt Bacharach. I wonder if he,in slightly happier times, could have made memore excited about composing. But I do thinkhe’s a marvellous composer and I hope Americacomes to accept him more.

Karlos Moser, thank you very much.You’re very welcome.

JUSTIN KRAWITZ

Bohuslav Martinů at Princeton, 1948 © cbm polička


24 March 2011> Großer Saal, Konzerthaus,

Klagenfurt, Austria www.musikverein-kaernten.atConcertino for Piano Trio and StringOrchestra, H. 232KSO Kärntner SinfonieorchesterOrfej Simic (Violin)Eva Simic-Nemeth (Cello)Peter Marschik (Piano)Yuri Yanko (Dirigent)

24 March 2011> Besední dům,

Brno, CZ www.filharmonie-brno.czConcertino for Piano Trioand String Orchestra, H. 232Brno Philharmonic OrchestraPuella TrioJakub Klecker (Conductor)

30 March 2011> Suk Hall, Rudolfinum,

Prague, CZ www.ceskafilharmonie.czSonata for Two Violins and Piano,H. 213Miroslav Vilímec (Violin)Libor Vilímec (Violin)Vladimír Vilímec (Piano)

1 April 2011> Spa Lazne III,

Karlovy Vary, CZ www.kso.czSymphony No. 4, H. 305Karlovy Vary Symphony OrchestraMiloš Formáček (Conductor)

7 April 2011> Historical Building of SND,

Bratislava, Slovakia www.filharmonia.skMemorial to Lidice for SymphonyOrchestra, H.296Janáček Philharmonic OstravaTheodore Kuchar (Conductor)

8 April 2011> Amphithéâtre 1, Centre Assas,

Université Panthéon-Assas,Paris, France

www.sorbonne-universites.frTrio for Flute, Cello and Piano, H. 300Vincent Lucas (Flute)Emmanuel Gaugué (Cello)Laurent Wagshal (Piano)

10 April 2011> Philharmonie-Et. Public Salle

de Concerts Grande-DuchesseJoséphine-Charlotte, Salle deMusique de Chambre, Luxembourg

www.philharmonie.luThe Prophecy of Isaiah, Cantata forSoli, Male Chorus and InstrumentalAccompaniment, H. 383Orchestre de Chambre du LuxembourgEnsemble 95Mariette Lentz (Soprano)Gérard Caussé (Alto)David Pike (Baritone)Martin Folz (Chorus Master)Nicolas Brochot (Conductor)

13 April 2011> Suk Hall, Rudolfinum,

Prague, CZ www.ceskafilharmonie.czVariations on a Theme of Rossini,H. 290Štěpán Švestka (Cello)Renata Ardaševová (Piano)

14 April 2011> Cultural and University

Centre, Zlín, CZ www.filharmonie-zlin.czSymphony No. 1, H. 289Bohuslav Martinů PhilharmonicOrchestraJakub Hrůša (Conductor)

15 April 2011> Theater der Stadt Schweinfurt,

Schweinfurt, Germany www.bamberger-symphoniker.deSinfonia Concertante, H. 322Bamberger SymphonikerJohn Storgårds (Conductor)

16 April 2011> Holmes Chapel Leisure Centre,

Holmes Chapel, UK www.themusicsociety.org.uk/

39th/apr.htmString Sextet for Two Violins,Two Violas and Two Cellos, H. 224Manchester Chamber Ensemble

17 & 18 April 2011> The Semper Opera House, Dresden,

Germany www.semperoper.deSymphony No. 4, H. 305Sächsische Staatskapelle DresdenJiří Bělohlávek (Conductor)

28 April 2011> Cultural Centre, Ostrava, CZ www.jfo.czConcerto for Piano and OrchestraNo. 2, H. 237 (1st movement)Janáček Philharmonic OstravaMarta Hanulíková (Piano)Theodore Kuchar (Conductor)

29 & 30 April 2011> St. Barnabas Presbyterian Church,

Richardson & SMU CaruthAuditorium, Dallas, Texas, USA

www.chambermusicinternational.orgThree Madrigals for Violin and Viola,H. 313Cho-Liang Lin (Violin)Paul Neubauer (Viola)

Symphony No 1, H. 289Detroit Symphony OrchestraArild Remmereit (Conductor)

13 & 14 February 2011> Philharmonie, Berlin,

Germany www.dso-berlin.deSymphony No. 1, H. 289Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester BerlinCornelius Meister (Conductor)

17 February 2011> The Bunyan Meeting, Bedford, UK www.concert-diary.comString Trio No. 2 for Violin, Violaand Cello, H. 238Lendvai String Trio

24 February 2011> Chapelle du Musée de l’Amérique

française, Québec, Québec, Canada www.smchq.caTrio for Flute, Cello and Piano, H. 300Claire Marchand (Flute)Marieve Bock (Cello)Martin Dubé (Piano)

28 February 2011> Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts,

Montréal, Québec, Canada www.promusica.qc.caString Quartet No. 6, H. 312Pražák Quartet

9 March 2011> BBC Hoddinott Hall,

Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, UK www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/

events/264Concertino for Piano Trio and StringOrchestra, H. 232BBC National Orchestra of WalesAtos TrioJac van Steen (Conductor)

12 & 13 March 2011> Palace Theatre, Stamford,

Connecticut, USA www.stamfordsymphony.orgDouble Concerto for Two StringOrchestras, Piano and Timpani,H. 271Stamford SymphonyEckart Preu (Conductor)

18 March 2011> Herkulessaal der Residenz,

München, Germany www.ysce.euConcerto for String Quartet withOrchestra, H. 207Young Sound Forum of Central EuropeQuatuor Ebène (String Quartet)Christoph Altstaedt (Conductor)

23 March 2011> West Road Concert Hall, University

of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK www.concert-diary.comString Quartet No. 7 (Concertoda Camera), H. 314Endellion String Quartet

(�OPERAS & BALLETS�) SEE PAGE 3

(�CONCERTS�)1 January 2011> Janáček Theatre,

Brno, CZ www.filharmonie-brno.czThe Chap-Book, H. 214 (Selection)Brno Philharmonic OrchestraJakub Hrůša (Conductor)

13 & 14 January 2011> Salle Érasme, Palais de la Musique

et des Congrès, Strasbourg, France www.philharmonique-strasbourg.comSymphony No. 1, H. 289Orchestre Philharmoniquede StrasbourgJiří Bělohlávek (Conductor)

14 January 2011> The Bridgewater Hall,

Manchester, UKwww.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/events/350Symphony No. 6, H. 343Gunther Herbig (Conductor)

16 January 2011> Auditorium, Cité de la Musique et

de la Danse, Strasbourg, France www.philharmonique-strasbourg.comThe Kitchen Revue, H. 161Olivier Roth (Cello)Jérôme Salier (Clarinet) Jean-Christophe Dassonville (Bassoon)Angela Anderlini (Trumpet)Pauline Berdat (Piano)Julien Eberhardt (Conductor)

29 January 2011> Castle Hotel, Taunton, UK www.martinrandall.com/Music-

Festivals/Music-at-the-castle.aspxPiano Quartet, H. 287The Schubert Ensemble

11 February 2011> McKenna Theatre, San Francisco,

California, USA http://creativearts.sfsu.edu/morrisonChamber Music No. 1 for Clarinet,Violin, Viola, Cello, Harp and Piano,H. 376 Israeli Chamber Project

11 & 12 February 2011> Max M. Fisher Music Center,

Detroit, Michigan, USA www.detroitsymphony.com

events

The program 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’.

NEW CDsTHE NEW PERMANENT exhibition entitled The Colourful World of Bohuslav Martinů includesseveral documents from private collections that are now being seen by the public for thevery first time. One such item is the press card of Bohuslav Martinů – Paris correspondentof the daily Lidové noviny.

Shortly after arriving in Paris, Martinů started to have his literary works published inCzech and French music magazines. In the 1920s he sent to Czechoslovakia articles aboutmusic in Paris, thereby conveying his knowledge of modern trends to Czech music circles.The magazines that published his pieces included Přítomnost, Listy Hudební matice and

Hudební rozhledy. He also wrote forthe National and Estates Theatres.As an attentive observer of musicallife in Paris, Martinů reported oncontemporary music and significantpremieres. The Prague readers whoconsidered Martinů an Impressionistcomposer would certainly have beensurprised that his No. 1 composerwas Stravinsky, not Debussy.

In the 1930s he started to writefor Lidové noviny. The daily, foundedin 1893, published numerousrenowned Czech writers, including

Karel Čapek, Eduard Bass and Karel Poláček. The interwar era was the newspaper’s golden age.Martinů co-operated with Lidové noviny for five years and besides articles he also sent theeditors three of his compositions for the music supplement. Lucie Jirglová

“KEEP THE BEAT” WONTHE DOCUMENTARY FILM on the Chap-Book, H. 214 dancing project wonthe Vize 97 PRIZE OF THE Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation at the47th INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION FESTIVAL GOLDEN PRAGUE (16–20 October 2010).

KEEP THE BEAT!produced by Czech Television,Czech Republicin co-operation with the MusicDepartment of the TheatreInstitute, PragueDirected by Olga Sommerová

The Dagmar and Václav HavelFoundation Vize 97 Prize wasawarded to the programmeKeep the Beat! which wasproduced by Czech Televisionand directed by OlgaSommerová. The Foundation Vize 97 was impressed by this documentary about the Chap-BookProject which was inspired by the Berlin Philharmonic´s successful project “Rhythm is it!”.It docu ments extraordinary performance of Martinů´s ballet Špalíček, H. 214 (Chap-Book);a playful and creative approach of the film-makers towards the collaboration betweendance profes sionals and complete beginners. The documentary shows the transformationof the originally indifferent and unqualified children, their joy at their own achievement andthe knowledge they have gained through working together on a creative artistic work. ❚

PEEPH●●LEINTO THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŲ CENTER IN POLIČKA


SIR CHARLES MACKERRAS –Life with Czech Music –Janáček, MartinůSir Charles Mackerras's complete Supraphon non --operatic recordings featuring works by Janáčekand Martinů: Janáček – The Cunning Little Vixen(suite), Jealousy, Taras Bulba, Sinfonietta, Schluckund Jau, Glagolitic Mass, Amarus, overtures to theoperas Katya Kabanova and Šárka. Martinů – FieldMass, Double Concerto, Frescoes, Juliette (suite).DVD: Janáček – Glagolitic Mass, Taras Bulba,Jealousy. Supplemented by an authentic audiorecording of an interview with Sir CharlesMackerras.Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague SymphonyOrchestra, Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra,Prague Philharmonic Choir, soloists, Sir CharlesMackerras (Conductor)4 CDs, 1 DVD / Supraphon SU 4042-2, October 2010

BARBIROLLI AT THE PROMS 1958–59Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op. 36,Promenade Concert, Royal Albert Hall, London,25 August 1958 Martinů: Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra,H. 353, Promenade Concert, Royal Albert Hall,London, 24 August 1959 Evelyn Rothwel (Oboe), Hallé Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli (Conductor) Previously unpublished recordings, Barbirolli Society SJB 10440, 2010

Concerto (1935) for harpsichord and small orchestra Concerto da camera (1941) for violin and string orchestra with piano and percussionConcerto grosso (1937) for chamber orchestra Les Fresques de Piero della Francesca (1955) for orchestra The Epic of Gilgamesh (1955) oratorio for soli, mixed choir and orchestraThe Greek Passion music drama in 4 acts 1st version (London version ) 1957 2nd version (Zurich version) 1957–1959Concerto No. 5 Bb major (1957–1958) fantasia concertante for piano and orchestra 2 Pièces (1955) for harpsichordThe Rock (1957) for orchestra String Quartet No. 2 (1925)

CH

AN 1

06

02

ALS

O A

VA

ILA

BLE

CH

AN 1

05

47

X

ALS

O A

VA

ILA

BLE

CH

AN 1

05

51

Martinů Sonatas and Variations for Cello and Piano‘A fine survey of Martinů’s works for cello and piano from the Watkins brothers… An excellent disc and the best of the commercially available sets.’

Gramophone Recommends

Chamber works‘Martinů’s approachable chamber music in splendidly prepared performances… Highly recommended.’

Gramophone

Cello Concertos Nos 1 and 2‘Whatever else may be on your “must” list of classical CDs to buy, move it all down a notch and put this one on top…

CD Review ‘Disc of the Month’

Purchase CDs from www.chandos.net – and all good record stores

High quality MP3s, lossless and studio quality downloads available from www.theclassicalshop.net

SO

VAA

ILA

BLE

VVAA

AL

Documents

THE BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ FOUNDATION THE BOHUSLAV … · THE FORGOTTEN PIANO BALLADE AN INTERVIEW WITH ... Theseus Martin Bárta, Jakub Kettner Additional performances: 16 January 2011,