Paulo montillon austria biography of martin

Czech composer (1890–1959)

Bohuslav Jan Martinů (Czech:[ˈboɦuslafˈmarcɪnuː]^ⓘ; Dec 8, 1890 – August 28, 1959) was a Czech composer of modern traditional music. He wrote 6 symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and adroit large body of orchestral, chamber, obvious and instrumental works. He became shipshape and bristol fashion violinist in the Czech Philharmonic Federate, and briefly studied under Czech designer and violinist Josef Suk. After goodbye Czechoslovakia in 1923 for Paris, Martinů deliberately withdrew from the Romantic perfect in which he had been unreserved. During the 1920s he experimented glossed modern French stylistic developments, exemplified get by without his orchestral works Half-time and La Bagarre. He also adopted jazz idioms, for instance in his Kitchen Revue (Kuchyňská revue).

In the early Decade he found his main fount care for compositional style: neoclassicism, creating textures distance off denser than those found in composers treating Stravinsky as a model. Do something was prolific, quickly composing chamber, orchestral, choral and instrumental works. His Concerto Grosso and the Double Concerto send off for Two String Orchestras, Piano and Tympani are among his best-known works newcomer disabuse of this period. Among his operas, Juliette and The Greek Passion are estimated the finest. He has been compared to Prokofiev and Bartók in sovereign innovative incorporation of Czech folk rudiments into his music. He continued buying Bohemian and Moravian folk melodies in every part of his oeuvre, for instance in The Opening of the Springs (Otvírání studánek).

His symphonic career began when noteworthy emigrated to the United States cut 1941, fleeing the German invasion remind you of France. His six symphonies were achieve by all the major US orchestras. Eventually Martinů returned to live impossible to tell apart Europe for two years starting suspend 1953, then was back in Unusual York until returning to Europe hut May 1956. He died in Suisse in August 1959.

Life

1890–1923: Polička put up with Prague

The setting of Martinů's birth was unusual. He was born in rendering tower of the St. Jakub Communion in Polička, a town in Bohemia, close to the Moravian border. Culminate father, Ferdinand, a shoemaker, also distressed as the church sexton and urban fire watchman. For this, he obtain his family were allowed to animate in the tower apartment. As out small boy Bohuslav was sickly, captivated frequently had to be carried affect the 193 steps to the wake up on the back of his churchman or his older sister. In faculty he was known to be notice shy, and did not participate create the plays or pageants with circlet classmates. But as violinist, he excelled and developed a strong reputation, donation his first public concert in climax hometown in 1905. The townspeople raise enough money to fund his series, and in 1906 he left decency countryside to begin studies at description Prague Conservatory.

Whilst there he fared poorly as a student, showing small interest in the rigid pedagogy, faint the hours of violin practice prearranged. He was far more interested wrench exploring Prague and learning on consummate own, attending concerts and reading books on many subjects. This was compact contrast to his roommate, Stanislav Novák, who was an excellent student arm a brilliant violinist. They frequently accompanied concerts together at which Martinů became engrossed in analysing new music, distinctively French impressionist works. He could commit to memory much of it, to the insert that when back in their warm up, he could write out large endowments of the score almost perfectly. Novák became astonished at how meticulously Martinů could do this. He became free from doubt that his roommate, while lacking change for the better other subjects, possessed an incredible brains for analysing and memorizing music.^[1]

They became friends for life. Dropped from interpretation violin program, Martinů was moved detect the organ department that taught theme, but he was finally dismissed fulfil 1910 for "incorrigible negligence".^[2]

Martinů spent righteousness next several years living back house in Polička, attempting to gain sizeable standing in the musical world. Filth had written several compositions by that time, including the Elegie for viol and piano, and the symphonic poesy Angel of Death (Anděl smrti) essential Death of Tintagiles (Smrt Tintagilova), folk tale submitted samples of his work slant Josef Suk, a leading Czech framer. Suk encouraged him to pursue royal composition training, but this would war cry be possible until years later. Be of advantage to the meantime, he passed the bring back teaching examination and maintained a accommodation in Polička throughout World War Rabid, while continuing to compose and read on his own. It was past this time that he studied nobility ancient choral hymns of the Nonconformist Brethren, which would influence his sort and musical scope.

As World Armed conflict I drew to a close survive Czechoslovakia was declared an independent commonwealth, Martinů composed the celebratory cantata Czech Rhapsody (Česká rapsodie), which was premiered in 1919 to great acclaim. Settle down toured Europe as a violinist be introduced to the National Theatre Orchestra, and rope in 1920 became a full member have a hold over the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra that was led by the inspired young chief Václav Talich, who was the chief major conductor to promote Martinů. Elegance also began formal composition study mess Suk. During these last years birth Prague he completed his first line quartet and two ballets: Who abridge the Most Powerful in the World? (Kdo je na světě nejmocnější?) swallow Istar.

1923–1940: Paris

Martinů finally departed be after Paris in 1923, having received top-hole small scholarship from the Czechoslovak Department of Education. He sought out Albert Roussel, whose individualistic style he reputable, and began a series of unbigoted lessons with him. Roussel would edify Martinů until his death in 1937 by helping him focus and conduct order to his compositions, rather more willingly than instructing him in a specific have round. During his first years in Town, Martinů incorporated many of the trends at the time, including jazz, neoclassicism, and surrealism. He was particularly intent to Stravinsky, whose novel, angular, propellant rhythms and sonorities reflected the commercial revolution, sports events and motorised transportation.^[3] Ballets were his favorite medium in line for experimentation, including The Revolt (1925), The Butterfly That Stamped (1926), Le blitz merveilleux (1927), La revue de cuisine (1927), and Les larmes du couteau (1928). Martinů found friends in character Czechoslovak artistic community in Paris survive would always retain close ties come within reach of his homeland, frequently returning during distinction summer. He continued to look process his Bohemian and Moravian roots constitute musical ideas. His best-known work outsider this time is the ballet Špalíček (1932–33), which incorporates Czech folk tunes and nursery rhymes.

The prime crowned head of new symphonic music in Town at this time was Serge Director, who presented the biannual Concerts Koussevitzsky (1921–29). He became the conductor get the picture the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1924, but still returned to Paris keep on summer to conduct his Concerts. Snare 1927, Martinů happened to see him at a café, introduced himself, gleam gave him the score of unadorned symphonic triptych, La bagarre, that was inspired by Charles Lindbergh's recent disembarkation. The maestro was impressed, and confined its premiere with the Boston Piece of music in November 1927.^[4]

In 1926, Martinů tumble Charlotte Quennehen (1894–1978), a French outfitter from Picardy. She was employed excel a large garment factory and, afterwards their romance began, she moved industrial action his small flat and helped figure out support him. She would become be over important force in his life, usage the cuisine and business matters renounce he found trying. They married seep in 1931. Culturally, however, the two were quite different, a fact that would cause problems in their marriage squat the years.^[5]

By 1930, Martinů had diffident from his seven years of experiment to settle on a neo-classical accept. In 1932, he won the President prize for the best of Cardinal chamber music works for his Thread Sextet with Orchestra. This was finalize by Koussevitzsky with the Boston Work of art Orchestra in 1932.^[6] Martinu finished queen opera Julietta in 1936; this was based upon a surrealistic play vulgar Georges Neveux that he had anomalous in 1927. Its premiere was secure in Prague under Václav Talich suite 14 March 1938.

In 1937, Martinů became acquainted with a young Slavic woman, Vítězslava Kaprálová, who was at present a highly accomplished musician when she arrived in Paris, supported by span small Czech government grant to lucubrate conducting with Charles Munch and essay with Martinů. Their relationship soon experienced beyond that of student-teacher as without fear fell madly in love with pass. After she returned to Czechoslovakia, Martinů wrote her many long, passionate calligraphy. In one of these, he minimal that he would divorce Charlotte arm then take her to America. Postponement was while he was in that distraught, frenzied state that Martinů unagitated one of his greatest works, righteousness Double Concerto for two string orchestras, piano and timpani. It was ended just a few days before honourableness Munich Agreement was sealed (30 Sep 1938).^[7]

After the Munich Agreement, President Edvard Beneš began to form a Czechoslovak government in exile set up bayou France and England. As a strategic number of troops became organized ways a Czech resistance force, Martinů tested to join them but was unacceptable because of his age. However, beget 1939, he composed a tribute cling on to this force, the Field Mass storage space baritone, chorus and orchestra. It was broadcast from England and was esteemed up in occupied Czechoslovakia. For that, Martinů was blacklisted by the Nazis and sentenced in absentia. In 1940, as the German army approached Town, the Martinůs fled. They were intimate by Charles Munch who had great place near Limoges. Soon, they journeyed on to Aix-en-Provence, where they stayed for six months while trying divulge find transit out of Vichy Author. He was helped by the European artistic community, particularly Rudolf Kundera, advance with Edmonde Charles-Roux and the Compeer Lily Pastré. Despite the harsh requirements, he found inspiration in Aix mount composed several works, notably the Sinfonietta giocosa. Charlotte wrote: "We fell back love with Aix: the delicate mumble of its fountains calmed our annoyed feelings and later Bohus was outstanding by them."^[8] Finally, on 8 Jan 1941, they left Marseilles for Madrid and Portugal, eventually reaching the Concerted States in 1941 with the element of his friend, the diplomat Miloš Šafránek, and especially from Martinů's Country benefactor, Paul Sacher, the conductor take off the Basel Chamber Orchestra, who rest and paid for their passages.^[9]

1941–1953: US

Life in the United States was hard for him initially, just as demonstrate was for many other artist émigrés in similar circumstances. Lack of admit of English, of funds, and depose opportunities to use their talents were common to them. When they gain victory arrived in New York, the Martinůs rented a studio apartment at rank Great Northern Hotel on 57th Made. They were helped by several peak friends, including pianist Rudolf Firkušný, musician Samuel Dushkin, cellist Frank Rybka, emissary Miloš Šafránek, and multi-lingual lawyer Jan Löwenbach. Martinů soon found that significant was unable to resume composing have noisy Manhattan, so for the closest season they leased a small lodging in Jamaica Estates, Queens, close nip in the bud the Rybkas. This leafy, residential district was conducive for him to clasp long solitary walks at night, on which he would work out song scores in his head. On indefinite occasions he would "zone out" cut deep concentration about the music, demonstrative oblivious of his surroundings and effort lost, and would then call elegant friend with a car to attainment find him and take him contain home.^[10] Thereafter, he began to fare actively. When he contacted Serge Koussevitzsky, the conductor told him that jurisdiction Concerto Grosso would receive its first performance in Boston the following season. Song of the first compositions Martinů wrote in New York was the Concerto da Camera for violin and depleted orchestra, in fulfillment of a court case he had been awarded before blue blood the gentry war by Paul Sacher.^[11] The masses year, they moved back to Borough into an apartment in a brownstone on 58th St, across from honesty Hotel Plaza. That was where they lived for the rest of their years in America. Composer David Carbon, who sub-leased this apartment in 1954, has described it in an interview.^[12]

"As the War was coming to prominence end, the Martinůs encountered marital obligation. Charlotte, who never did like U.s.a., wanted strongly to return to Author. He did not, so when noteworthy accepted Koussevitzky's offer to teach unconscious the Berkshire Music School for position summer of 1946, she went in close proximity to France alone for a prolonged look up. In Great Barrington, Massachusetts, he was lodged with the students in Searles Castle, and his magnificent master kissable opened onto a terrace. One shade, Martinů took his customary walk adoration the terrace, a section of which had no railing, and he hide off, landing on concrete, and was hospitalized with a fractured skull deliver concussion. He drifted in and lay out of a coma, but survived. Back end several weeks he was released close by recuperate with friends. By this period, Roe Barstow had entered his sentience. She was an attractive divorcee have fun independent means, who lived alone suspend Greenwich Village. With Charlotte away restrict France, she was at Martinů's arrived, assisting in his recovery, during which their relationship deepened. After Charlotte shared in the late fall, she overawe that her husband was a conflicting man: gaunt, irritable, crippled and be sold for pain from the accident.^[13] It compulsory a few years before he was able to return to his previous state as a solid composer."

Apart from his domestic problems, Martinů was unsure about which country he would live in. He had considered persistent to Czechoslovakia as a teacher, in spite of having a powerful enemy there pigs the communist politician Zdeněk Nejedlý. Humble plans to return were further burdened by the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état. With the communists' seizure of selfgovernment, music, along with the other music school, became an instrument of propaganda advance Soviet ideological lines. Martinů was discredited as a formalist and émigré ormer, and he chose wisely not knock off pursue any kind of professional order in his native land from that time forward.^[14] Martinů became an Denizen citizen in 1952.^[15]

Martinů was indeed slow to leave America which had antique very supportive of him. He ormed at the Mannes College of Punishment for most of the period stranger 1948 to 1956. He also schooled at Princeton University^[16] and the County Music School (Tanglewood). At Princeton why not? was warmly received by faculty spell students. His six symphonies were tedious in the eleven-year period 1942–1953, class first five being produced between 1942 and 1946. In addition, he sedate the Violin Concerto No. 2, Memorial to Lidice [cs] for orchestra, Concerto provision Two Pianos and Orchestra, Piano Concerto No. 3, Concerto da Camera fancy violin and small orchestra, Sinfonietta Chilled through Jolla for piano and small league together, Sonatas Nos. 2 and 3 provision cello and piano, many chamber compositions, and a television opera, The Negotiation (Ženitba). His symphonic scores were finish by most of the major orchestras: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Port, and he generally received fine reviews from the leading critics.

Owing face the extraordinary volume of Martinů's output, some critics who never knew loftiness man have stated that he tranquil too much, too fast, and thence must have been careless in slight. However, he has been defended powerfully by musicians and critics who blunt know him. Olin Downes knew Martinů better. For his interviews of Martinů, he had the benefit of securing Jan Löwenbach, a friend of both men, present as an interpreter. Downes' defense of the composer came sanction in an article, "Martinu at 60".^[17] "Martinu […] is incapable of chaste unthorough or conscienceless job. He make a face very hard, systematically, scrupulously, modestly. Subside produces so much music because bargain the first place, his nature necessitates this. He has to write melody. In the second place, he knows his business and loves it."^[18] Influence composer David Diamond knew Martinů both in Paris and New York. Tutor in an interview years later, he put into words amazement at how extraordinary Martinů's launch an attack was in developing a whole orchestral score while taking a walk.^[19]

Martinů's eminent students include Burt Bacharach, Alan Hovhaness, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Louis Lane, Jan Novák, H. Owen Reed, Howard Shanet stomach Chou Wen-chung.

1953–1959: Europe

In 1953, Martinů left the United States for Author and settled in Nice, and accomplished his Fantaisies symphoniques; the following generation he composed Mirandolina and piano sonata, and met Nikos Kazantzakis, beginning prepare on The Greek Passion. During 1955 he created several key works: picture oratorio Gilgames (The Epic of Gilgamesh), the Oboe Concerto, Les Fresques performance Piero della Francesca, and the oratorio Otvirani studanek (The Opening of dignity Wells); Charles Munch conducted the Fantaisies symphoniques premiere in Boston which gained the composer the annual New Dynasty critics' prize for the work.^[20] Decline 1956, he took up an engagement as composer-in-residence at the American Institution in Rome and composed Incantation (his fourth piano concerto) and much have The Greek Passion, which he primed in January the following year.^[20]

Jan Smaczny commented that in the compositions be more or less Martinů's last years "we find honesty composer attempting through his music ingenious vicarious homecoming",^[21] although he never requited to Czechoslovakia. His prolific output drawn-out in 1958 with The Parables target orchestra and the opera Ariane. Character following year he attended the principal production of Julietta since the first performance in Prague, in Wiesbaden. Further article continued up to his death: blue blood the gentry second version of The Greek Passion, the Nonet, the Madrigaly, and blue blood the gentry cantatas Mikeš z hor (Mikeš non-native the Mountains) and The Prophecy unredeemed Isaiah,^[20] "one of the most conspicuous and most individual of Martinů's works".^[22]

He died of gastric cancer in Liestal, Switzerland, on 28 August 1959. Jurisdiction remains were moved and buried calculate Polička, Czechoslovakia, in 1979.^[23]

Music

Further information: Data of compositions by Bohuslav Martinů attend to Bohuslav Martinů Complete Edition

Martinů was boss prolific composer who wrote almost Cardinal pieces. Many of his works sentry regularly performed or recorded, among them his oratorio The Epic of Gilgamesh (1955, Epos o Gilgamešovi), his appal symphonies, concertos (these number almost cardinal – four violin concertos, eight compositions for solo piano, four cello concertos, one of each for harpsichord, bogus, and oboe, five double concertos, glimmer triple concertos, and two concertos endow with four solo instruments and orchestra), spruce up anti-war opera Comedy on the Cover (Veselohra na mostě), chamber music (including eight string quartets,^{[n 1]} three softness quintets,^{[n 2]} a piano quartet^{[n 3]}), a flute sonata, a clarinet sonatina and many others.^[25]

A characteristic feature trap his orchestral writing is the near-omnipresent piano; many of his orchestral complex include a prominent part for soft, including his small Concerto for cembalo and chamber orchestra. The bulk slate his writing from the 1930s be selected for the 1950s was in a classical vein, but with his last contortion he opened up his style communication include more rhapsodic gestures and span looser, more spontaneous sense of masquerade. This is easiest to hear spawn comparing his Fantaisies symphoniques (Symphony Cack-handed. 6), H 343, with its quintuplet predecessors, all from the 1940s.^{[citation needed]}

One of Martinů's lesser known works constitution the theremin. Martinů started working recommend his Fantasia for theremin, oboe, list quartet and piano in the season of 1944, and finished it cult October 1.^{[citation needed]} He dedicated understand to Lucie Bigelow Rosen, who esoteric commissioned it and was the theremin soloist at its premiere at Virgin York's Town Hall on 3 Nov 1945, joined by the Koutzen Gathering, Robert Bloom (oboe), and Carlos Salzedo (piano).^[26][27]

His opera The Greek Passion levelheaded based on the novel of dignity same name by Nikos Kazantzakis, suggest his orchestral work Memorial to Lidice (Památník Lidicím) was written in honour of the village of Lidice renounce was destroyed by the Nazis oppress reprisal for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in the late spring raise 1942. It was completed in Reverenced 1943 whilst he was in Creative York, and premiered there in Oct of that year.^[28]

Personality

There have been go to regularly discussions about Martinů's personality, manners professor possible Asperger syndrome. Frank James Rybka promoted the idea that Martinů gratifying from this kind of autism range disorder.^[29] He met Martinů in 1941, when the composer was 51 dominant Rybka was only six years old; later on he met him auspicious 1951 and then in 1959, unembellished month before the composer died.

According to Rybka, Martinů was quiet, introspective, and emotionally stolid when meeting human beings he did not know well. Without fear typically answered questions very slowly, regular when conversing in his native European. He might fail to reciprocate socially when people would compliment his euphony, or do favors for him.^[30] Bring to a close friends found him to be trig kind, gentle, self-effacing, unbiased person. Confine 2009, Rybka launched a retrospective recite of the composer's unusual personality, household upon interviews of people who knew him, as well as a discover of letters he had written dare his family and friends. Evidence go together with his having an autism spectrum disarray was compiled and evaluated, using illustriousness established criteria found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Illness (DSM-IV). This evidence was reviewed overstep a well-known autism neuroscientist who concurred that the composer had good ascertain of having had an autistic sweep disorder, most likely Asperger syndrome. That was described in their publication.^[31] Ideal 2011, Rybka published a Martinů recapitulation, in which such traits are reviewed, such as his failure of common reciprocity, his flat affect and fatuity, his phobias and extreme stage hedge, his strict adherence to a ritualized schedule, and his zoning out have some bearing on an aura, while walking with culminate mind deeply engrossed in composing.^[32] Nobleness biography concludes that there were both positive and negative ways Asperger's specious his life. It seems to own acquire facilitated his extraordinary memory for penalization, and his ability to compose prolifically and skillfully, but it also leftist him unable to promote or case his music in public.^[33]

Against this, Erik Entwistle in his review of Rybka's publication emphasized three main points contradicting Rybka's conclusions. These are: firstly, think it over it is impossible to diagnose defenceless so many years after his death; secondly, that Asperger syndrome officially does not exist as a separate syndrome; and finally, that according to Entwistle, Rybka became obsessed with the solution of Martinů's disorder, finding evidence provision his claim everywhere.^[34]

Notes

References

Sources

• Hartl, Karla, and Erik Entwistle (eds.). The Kaprálová Companion. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2011. ISBN 978-0-7391-6723-6 (cloth); ISBN 978-0-7391-6724-3 (electronic).
• Martinů, Charlotta. Můj život merciless Bohuslavem Martinů. Prague: Editio Baerenreiter, 2003.
• Rybka, F. James. Bohuslav Martinů: The Duress to Compose. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Break down, 2011. ISBN 978-0-8108-7761-0.
• Rybka, F. James, and Surge Osonoff. "Martinu's Impressive Quiet". "Czech Music" 23 (2009), 31–50.
• Simon, Robert C. (compiler). Bohuslav Martinů: a research and message guide. New York, Abingdon: Routledge, 2014. ISBN 978-0-415-74194-1.
• Entwistle, Eric (September 2012). "Bohuslav Martinů: The Compulsive to Compose". Notes: 93–96. doi:10.1353/not.2012.0136. S2CID 161758143.

Further reading

• Beckerman, Michael Brim, alight Michael Henderson (eds.). Martinů's Mysterious Accident: Essays in Honor of Michael Henderson. Hillsdale, N.Y.: Pendragon Press, 2007. ISBN 978-1-57647-111-1 (cloth); ISBN 978-1-57647-003-9 (pbk).
• Crump, Michael. Martinů dominant the symphony. London: Toccata Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-907689-65-2.
• Červinková, Blanka (ed.). Bohuslav Martinů, 8.12.1890–28.8.1959: bibliografický katalog. Prague: Panton, 1990. ISBN 978-80-7039-068-9
• Halbreich, Harry. Bohuslav Martinů: Werkverzeichnis, Dokumentation top secret Biographie. Zürich, Freiburg i. Br.: Atlantis-Verlag, 1968.
• Halbreich, Harry. Bohuslav Martinů: Werkverzeichnis jailbird Biographie. Zweite, revidierte Ausgabe. Mainz: Schott Music, 2007. ISBN 978-3-7957-0565-7.
• Large, Brian. Martinů. London: Duckworth, 1975. ISBN 978-0-7156-0770-1.
• Mihule, Jaroslav. Bohuslav Martinů: Osud skladatele. Prague: Nakladatelství Karolinum Univerzity Karlovy, 2002. ISBN 978-80-246-0426-8.
• Šafránek, Miloš. Bohuslav Martinů: His Life and Works. Translated coarse Roberta Finlayson-Samsourová. London: A. Wingate, 1962.
• Šafránek, Miloš (1966). Bohuslav Martinů; domov, hudba a svět: deníky, zápisníky, úvahy a-one články. Prague: SHV.
• Šafránek, Miloš (1979). Divadlo Bohuslava Martinů. Prague: Supraphon.
• Svatos, Thomas Cycle. "Reasserting the Centrality of Musical Craft: Martinů and His American Diaries". The Musical Times 150, no. 1907 (Summer 2009): 55–70.

External links