THE BOHUSLAVMARTINŮ FOUNDATION THE BOHUSLAVMARTINŮ INSTITUTE THE INTERNATIONALMARTINŮCIRCLE MR juliette at carnegie hall may—august 2019 / vol.XIX / no.2 juliette in ostrava juliette in göteborg notes on juliette graham melville-mason emil leichner revue highlights contents

2 highlights bohuslav martinů days 3 imc news 4 reviews juliette at carnegie hall 24 November — 17 December 2019 RENÁTA SPISAROVÁ Prague 6 obituary graham melville-mason Half-time. Rondo for Large Orchestra, H 142 ALEŠ BŘEZINA Partita (Suite No. 1) for String Orchestra, H 212 Serenade No. 2 for Two Violins and Viola, H 216 9 news Sonata for Piano, H 350 bohuslav matoušek Nonet No. 2, H 374 10 texts Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Violoncello and Piano, H 315 notes on juliette Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra, H 353 BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ Piano Trio No. 3, H 332 Czech Rhapsody for Violin and Piano, H 307 11 texts Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano, H 182 our juliette GEORGES NEVEUX Quartet for Clarinet, French Horn, Violoncello and Snare Drum, H 139 The Kitchen Revue, H 161 12 obituary Three Songs after Poems by Guillaume Apollinaire, H 197 (premiere) emil leichner Sonata No. 2 for Violoncello and Piano, H 340 VĚROSLAV NĚMEC New Chap-Book (Song Cycle), H 288 holidays The New Slovak Songs (selection), H 126 14 bohuslav martinů’s summer months Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano and Timpani, H 271 in america in the years 1941–5 Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra No. 2, H 304 MONIKA HOLÁ

Václav Blahunek, Jan Mach, Zsolt Hamar, Václav Petr, 16 reviews Leoš Svárovský, Vladislav Borovka, Josef Špaček, Pallavi Mahid Hara, three fragments from Jana Černohouzová, Daniel Wiesner, Marie Fajtová, Alžběta Vlčková, the opera juliette Jana Holmanová, Alexander Liebreich, Martin Kasík, Tibor Adamský EVA AHLÉN, ALEŠ BŘEZINA

Trio Bergerettes, Prague Castle Guard and Police Band, 18 reviews Chamber Orchestra, Czech Nonet, first performance of juliette Trio Incendio, Akademic Chamber Soloists, BMF Wind Quintet, in ostrava Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra

www.martinu.cz/festival

2 | martinůrevue22019 

Martinů revue (formerly Bohuslav Martinů Newsletter) is published by the b ]d International Martinů Circle in collabo ra - tion with the Bohuslav Martinů Institute in Prague with the financial support of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation. Published with the financial support of the State Fund of Culture of the Czech incircle news Jakub Hrůša, Magdalena Kožená, Republic, No. 372, 2019. President of IMC IMC Patron imc board meeting The IMC Board held a full meeting at the Martinů Institute in Prague International Martinů Circle editors on Sunday 28 April. The soci ety’s accounts for the year were Zoja Seyčková, Tereza Žůrková, General infOrMatiOn reviewed and the financial report accepted. Although the current Bohuslav Martinů Institute, Members receive the illustrated Justin Krawitz (English language editor) situation is healthy, a drop in grant money is antici pated next year. Martinů Revue published three times Publisher’s Office The board is reluctant to solve this problem by simply increasing a year plus a special limited edition CD International Martinů Circle, z. s. containing world premieres, historic IČ: 22688846 membership fees and must be prepared to examine all alternative performances and archival recordings Bořanovická 14, 182 00 Praha 8-Kobylisy, ways of generating revenue. from the annual Martinů Festival not e-mail: [email protected] The recently launched Facebook Group “Bohuslav Martinů obtainable commercially. www.martinu.cz Enthusiasts” was reviewed. At the time of the meeting 119 people The IMC is supported by the Bohu- translation Adam Prentis had joined. It is hoped that this Group will prove to be an effective slav Martinů Foundation and Bohuslav Martinů Institute in Prague. Photographs tool for recruiting new members, especially younger ones. The Bohuslav Martinů Foundation’s The Board also appreciated the sterling efforts of the and Institute’s archive, collections of MeMbershiP & subsCriPtiOn the Bohuslav Martinů Center in Polička Branch in recruiting several new members to the IMC. infOrMatiOn in 2019 Graphic Design David Cígler We discussed the content of the Revue in the light of some com - Printing Naproma Production, s.r. o. e-MaIl MeMBeRShIP ments from members. It is generally felt to be an excellent publica- ï 450 CZK / 25 EUR / 30 USD / 18 GBP The Martinů Revue is published (14 GBP if paying for dual member- three times a year in Prague . tion, but can tend to be too academic sometimes. We examined ways of broadening its appeal and making it a more effective adver tise - ship with Dvořák Society of Great Cover Britain) Kateřina Kněžíková (Juliette) and Luciano ment for Martinů and the IMC. Mastro (Michel), Ostrava, 11 April 2019. PoSTal MeMBeRShIP Photo Martin Popelář The Board noted, with regret, that Robert Simon has decided not ï 570 CZK for members in the to continue as the IMC representative for the USA and Canada. Czech Republic ISSN 1803-8514 Delegates were entertained afterwards by pianist Barbora Sejá - 33 EUR / 25 GBP for members in the MK ČR E 18911 rest of europe ková, who gave sparkling performances of music by Martinů and ww w.martinu.cz (21 GBP if paying for dual member- Slavický. ship with Dvořák Society of Great The next meeting was scheduled for March 2020. Britain) / Mike Crump 42 USD (35 EUR) for members outside europe SuBSCRIPTIoN FoR CoRPoRaTe E

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E Michael Crump ▸ [email protected] ▸ +01495 370010, SINGle CoPIeS oF The Revue: H ï T 26 Hillside Terrace, Waunlwyd, Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, ï 80 CZK / 3 EUR / 4 USD + postage NP23 6TY United Kingdom For further details and for single copies FOR NETHERLANDS & LUXEMBOURG : of the Martinů Revue contact: The Bohuslav MarTinů CenTer Lucie Jirglová Gert Floor (Netherlands) ▸ [email protected] ▸ +31725095262, in Polička offers an interesting, inter - ï phone: +420 773 656 586 actively conceived exhibition on the com - Gortersweg 6, 1871 CC Schoorl, Netherlands e-mail: [email protected] poser’s life and work. The modern display of FOR FRANCE & BELGIUM : Bohuslav Martinů’s life and work is located The International Martinů Circle, z. s. in the historical building of the former ï Nicolas Derny ▸ [email protected] ▸ +32 472360869, Bořanovická 1779/14 council school, which Martinů attended 55 Chemin de Mons, 6220 Fleurus, Belgium 182 00 Praha 8-Kobylisy, CZ as a child. Consequently, the project also FOR GERMANY : comprises a reproduction of Martinů’s Lucie Harasim Berná ▸ [email protected] ▸ +49 152 581 668 32 WelCOMe neW MeMbers: classroom, complete with period painting ï FOR JAPAN: > Yuko Wakita, Japan and furniture. The centre also contains > Wakako otsubo, Japan an audio-visual hall and study room. ï Yukiko Sawa , President of International Martinů Circle in Japan. Bohuslav Martinů Center Office: Yasuko Tanaka ▸ [email protected] Tylova 114, 572 01 Polička ▸ +81 80 3202 3006 tel.: +420 461 723 857 www.cbmpolicka.cz

martInůrevue2019 | 3 bohuslav martinů’s juliette at carnegie hall reviews reviewed

To defy the erosion of memory, in the Polish army and was in the honour guard Leon Botstein or, Martinů’s Juliette premiered at Masaryk’s funeral. […] in America You often take risks in the American music / RENÁTA SPISAROVÁ scene. Like just now: you rent Carnegie Hall French music, that French play English music, and and rehearse the completely unknown Juliette that we do not market ourselves by the reductive […] When Dvořák’s Dimitrij was performed in Czech by Martinů for a single performance. Why do notion that the only person that can do Dvořák is at the Bard Music Festival in 2017, the American you do it? Czech, the only person that can do Sibelius is Finnish, music community took note. Another daring That’s true of all music history: we’re killing music the only per son that can do Elgar is Eng lish… This is venture by the conductor Botstein, who just keeps by shrinking the concert repertoire. So every new a com plete violation of what music enables us to do bringing unknown works to America. […] The pianist doesn’t want to play a Martinů piano con - which is to reimagine ourselves. seventy-two-year-old conductor has an incredible certo, they’re going to play Tchaikovsky One, Grieg… amount of energy within him: after a day-long Back to Carnegie Hall Well, our art form is going to die if we misrepresent marathon of rehearsals and an hours-long […] Although it was a concert staging, […] the per - the past. So I’m fighting the erosion of memory and colloquium, he submitted to an interview for the formance of Juliette in Carnegie Hall was a great there’s such richness in the Czech tradition that it’s Czech media. triumph for its interpreters and for Czech music – just a wonderful experience to be able to show on an exquisite evening in terms of both programme Why did you choose Martinů, and why the operatic stage. I mean, I hope to be able to do and performance. Maestro Botstein understands Juliette? Smetana’s Dalibor, which hasn’t been done in a long Martinů (he also performed the latter’s Fantaisies Martinů’s music is unique in its fluidity and variety; time, Libussa, we did Dimitrij by Dvořák and, of Sym phoniques, H 343, in Manhattan’s Alice Tully its humor, its consistency, its technical consis tency, course, the Martinů operas. So this is, I’m fighting, Hall in 2017), and he left nothing to chance, unde - its originality of sound, its ability to move in varying maybe a little like Don Quixote, but I’m trying to fight terred by the fact that this was merely a one-off languages if you will. His constant reference to past the tyranny of forgetfulness by the uniformity of per forma nce. Everything was one hundred per - clichés, romantic, baroque, and the tremendous the repertoire. […] cent. An excellent cast, unmistakable voices, the elegance and transparent beauty of the writing. Maestro Botstein, in connection with Martinů’s singers’ Czech was admirable, as was their acting He has a tremendous ear for the instruments he Juliette, but also Dvořák’s Dimitrij before, I was talent. In fact, the famed New York opera critic uses, and he handles music lightly; we think of the wondering why you don’t invite Czech singers Anthony Tommasini devoted a detailed article Wagnerian as very heavy, but there he sort of, like to collaborate? to the event in the New York Times, and he Janáček and like Dvořák, has a lightness and it is very The same reason why Czechs don’t want Ameri can expressed the hope that the singers would get charming and then there are glimpses of tremendous singers to sing Bernstein or Gershwin. My point is another opportunity to perform the opera in the intimacy and inten sity. This is an opera about people that music is local: it comes out of a local experi ence, US. […] Thus the Ameri can metropolis feels the who have no memory. It’s a town where nobody has but once it comes out of that local experience it is ever-growing sting of the absence of the New a memory any longer… That’s where we live today. something that people from all over the world can York City Opera, which had the courage to take Maestro, you are known for your profound make their own. So, I want our provincial Ameri cans risks and bring fresh air into the city’s operatic understanding of Czech music. What is your to hear what it sounds like to express, to enunciate scene. But it is true that Mar tinů’s Juliette in connection with the Czech Republic? the Czech language, which is a language that seems Carnegie Hall has allowed us to take a deep breath I come from a survivor family. My father spent to have no values, but it is a fantastic language for once. one year at Charles University in Prague, and he and Janáček, for example, understood it, and so did Reprinted from Czech Musical Magazine always admired the Czechs. He was a lieutenant Martinů. So it’s very important that Russians play Harmonie, No.5 (2019), pp. 3–5. Abridged.

4 | martinůrevue22019 Leon Botstein Dusts Off Michel, sung with youthful fervor and stamina — American Symphony Orchestra a Surreal 1930s Opera led an excellent cast. Ms. Jakubiak brought a rich, & Martinů’s “Juliette” earthy, expressive voice and disarming vulnera - A Powerful U.S. Premiere of a Rare / ANTHONY TOMMASINI bility to Juliette. The robust tenor David Cangelosi Czech Opera […] Leon Botstein, the conductor and tireless doubled as the police chief and the clerk. Other champion of overlooked works, considers “Juliette” versatile cast members also sang multiple smaller / JENNIFER PYRON an operatic masterpiece that at least deserves roles, including Alfred Walker as the memory ven - […] This was a one night only U.S. premiere and it is important to note that the cast for this opera spent more time learning and rehearsing, then they did performing it for a live audience. Knowing this beforehand made the performance even more special and unique because it further enhanced the audience’s insight of the singers’ artistic versatility and commitment. […] However unpre - dictable Martinů’s “Juliette” seemed, the singers expressed a unified fearlessness and enthusiasm. One might assume this shared bond was based on each singer’s journey while in the learning process, because not one of the singers came from a Czech background. […] Tenor Aaron Blake, who sang Michel, was a powerhouse that supplied a spark of energy into every note he sang as he led the audience into the darkest corners of his mind while Michel is in a mad search for Juliette. Blake radiated profound sensitivity, and was consis - tently expressive in all the right moments. […] Sara Jakubiak, as Juliette, was flawless. Jakubiak mystified the audience with her singing and her Sara Jakubiak, Aaron Blake and American Symphony Orchestra gift of creating a desire in everyone’s mind to see her as the answer to Martinů’s puzzling opera. a place in the repertory. On Friday at Carnegie Hall, dor and a mysterious man in a helmet; Rebecca She was a rare combination of grace, fortitude, he made his case by leading a winning cast and Jo Loeb as the young boy and a bellhop; and vulnerability, power, sensuality and at times, the American Symphony Orchestra in a vibrant Tichina Vaughn as an ominous palm reader who powerlessness – molding into whatever image concert performance. […] The orchestra does the tells of the past rather than predicting the future. Michel held of her. Jakubiak proved to be a high heavy lifting in advancing the drama, including I hope these dedicated singers get a chance to level, multi-faceted performer. during many stretches of spoken dialogue, accom - perform their roles again. Mr. Botstein has done panied by a few solo instruments or a florid piano, his part by bringing a worthy and original opera www.operawire.com, 3 April 2019 or, at times, skittish symphonic bursts. […] to attention. Mr. Blake — an endearing and sweet-sounding www.nytimes.com, 24 March 2019

a member of orchestras such as the Iceland Sym phony Orchestra, the Bergen Philharmonic, prague spring competition with martinů the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, the Sinfonie - / VOJTĚCH JOUZA orchester Basel, or, more recently, the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra. Czech oboist Martin Daněk takes first prize at The Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra this year's Prague Spring International Music was composed by Martinů in April and May 1955 Competition. The jury selected him as the in Nice in the south of France. It was com mis - winner after the final day, during which on sioned by the young Czech-Australian oboist May 13 the last four contestants performed Jiří Tancibudek, who at the time was beginning the Concerto for Oboe and String Orchestra by his international career. Jiří Tancibudek premiered Ralph Vaughan Williams and Concerto for Oboe the piece in 1956 with the Sydney Symphony and Small Orchestra, H 353, by Bohuslav Martinů Orchestra. in the Dvořák Hall. Finalists were accompanied by the Chamber orchestra of the Prague Sym - RESULTS: phony Orchestra under the baton of Ondřej 1st Prize – Martin Daněk, Czech Republic Vrabec. In addition to the first prize, Martin Martin Daněk studied oboe at the Jan Neruda 2nd Prize ex aequo – Gabriel Pidoux, France Daněk won the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation Gymnasium in Prague and then at the Hochschule & Seongyung Yun, Republic of Korea Prize for the best performance of a piece by für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin. He completed his Honorable Mention – Shota Takahashi, Japan Martinů. studies with a number of master courses. He was

martinůrevue22019 | 5 aye, graham obituary

For more than 40 years, Graham Melville-Mason (1933–2019) was one of the most popular and most industrious foreign experts on Czech and Slovak music. In him, we have lost another of our greatest promoters in English-speaking countries. Alongside the conductors (1925–2010) and Christopher Hogwood (1941–2014), we must certainly count the musicologists John Tyrrel (1942–2018) and Graham Melville-Mason, who departed this world on 2 February 2019. One thing they all had in common was that they were first introduced to Czech music at a time when their personal and professional focus was still maturing, often with the help of a British Council scholarship.

/ ALEŠ BŘEZINA the music of Antonín Dvořák. From the 1970s he worked as a music contracts manager at the The Australian Mackerras was permanently BBC, for which he prepared a number of music influenced by his studies under Václav Talich in pro grammes with mainly Czech topics. There is y GMM, Honorary Concerts Manager at the Edinburgh 1947–8, the Englishman Hogwood encountered an oft-told story of how he learnt Czech thanks Festival 1975 the harpsichordist Zuzana Růžičková via a scholar - to dog-walking “lessons” with his neighbour, the ship in 1964, the Zimbabwe-born Tyrrel first dis - composer and journalist of the Czech branch of covered the music of Leoš Janáček and then as the BBC World Service Karel Janovický.5 The narra - to both translate6 and speak fluently at confer ences a student of musicology at Oxford in 1967 the tive no doubt holds much truth in it, but the thor - and important meetings (including those of the British Council enabled him to study sources for ough understanding of Czech that allowed Graham Editorial Board of the B. Martinů Com plete Edition) his dissertation in erstwhile Czechoslovakia. The cannot be so easily explained away – it must have Scottish patriot Graham Melville-Mason made his been the result of hours of sweat and toil. acquaintance with Czech music in the 1960s at It’s practically impossible to write something the Edinburgh International Festival, and he deep - new about Graham’s multi-layered connections to ened that relationship with the help of a fellow - Czech music and musicians because literally every ship from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, single Czech musician and musicologist interested which allowed him to spend the year of 1976 in in the works of the past two centuries was per son - Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. ally acquainted with him, so everyone has many of The subject of Graham’s study trip – music for their own memories of the man. Their one common the basset horn – was linked with his lifelong love denominator is the activities of the initially British of wind instruments. He learnt the bassoon before but gradually increasingly inter national Dvořák studying musicology in Edinburgh, and he liked to Society, established in 1974. Graham was elected its revisit the instrument as a theoretician as well. chairman in 1987, and over the next two decades he In the late 1960s he compiled a catalogue of the used his organisational competence and affability Galpin Society Permanent Collection at the Univer - to transform it into a smooth-running tool for the sity of Edinburgh,1 to which he was appointed promotion of Czech and Slovak music both in the honorary curator in 1969.2 The library of the Royal United Kingdom and beyond.7 It is no over state - College of Music in London also lists a “Graham ment to claim that he was the driving force behind Melville-Mason Collection” in its catalogue, in all of its major events at the time. He supported his relation to clarinet research. He published his activities with a weave of three strands that were musicological findings in journals such as The well com plemented by one another. Clarinet or Galpin Society Journal, and he concluded The first was the BBC, for which he prepared his university education in 1984 with a treatise on numerous programmes about Czech and Slovak the basset horn.3 He even applied his knowledge music and musicians in the three decades of his of the instrument in his research on Antonín presence there. In his 1986 analysis of BBC radio Dvořák, who used it in the Czech Suite.4 broadcasts, he identified a total of 643 per form - In the 1960s Graham lectured at the Univer- ances of compositions by 64 different Czech and sity of Edinburgh, where he met John Clapham, Slovak composers, including 12 contemporary GMM as sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve a prominent British musicologist specialising in authors.8 He retired in 1989, but even in 1998

6 | martinůrevue22019 he still had a prominent role in the BBC’s Martinů Weekend, which was followed by concerts at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to constitute a week-long presentation of the works of Bohu - slav Martinů in London. After leaving the BBC he was free to dedicate himself with even greater intensity to the Edin - burgh International Festival, which devoted its first two post-1989 editions to the 100th anniver - sary of Bohuslav Martinů and the 150th anniver - sary of the birth of Antonín Dvořák, primarily thanks to Graham’s efforts. He was also active in the Prague Spring International Music Festival, where he served as chairman of the Advisory Group of the Prague Spring Foundation and a member of the Artistic Board from 1990 (though two years earlier he had already arranged for the

y School Prefects 1951, Newport High School for Boys, Newport, Monmouthshire, GMM 4th from the left in the first row

if it did not contain at least a brief mention of his organi sational and publishing efforts aimed at promoting the music of British composers, primarily Edward Elgar and , with whom he had a long-lasting friendship. His tireless labour in the service of Czech culture earned Graham the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation Medal (1998), the Gratias agit Award of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1999), the Czech Music Council Award (2007), and the Artis Bohemiae Amicis from the Czech Ministry of Culture (2010). He may have been even more appreciative of the recognition awarded to him by a number of Czech composers, who dedicated works to him – for example, Viktor Kalabis’ Enigma y GMM Meeting His Majesty the Queen Mother: This was probably taken in relation to the Churchill Travelling Fellowship that Graham received in 1976 which enabled him to spend some months researching music for the basset horn.

Royal Liverpool Philhar monic to be invited to the festival together with its erstwhile chief con - ductor Libor Pešek). That same year he helped establish the British Czech and Slovak Association, whose aim is to raise awareness about Czech and Slovak history, arts, literature, politics, economies, and science. Having retired from the BBC, Graham also upped his publishing activities. He participated in the publication of collective monographs on eminent figures of the music community,9 he documented the history of Czech-British musical ties,10 he informed of notable foreign perform ances of the works of Czech composers in various Czech and English music journals,11 and last but not least, he wrote obituaries for his Czech friends.12 How- GMM with his collection of musical instruments ever, no portrait of Graham’s would be complete

martinůrevue22019 | 7 y GMM and his wife Alex celebrate the 40th years y GMM, Viktor Kalabis, Harry Halbreich, of the with members of the Oldřich F. Korte and Aleš Březina in 1995 quartet and friends a regular member and, from 2013, a lifelong for Graham, Karel Janovický’s Piano Variations on honorary member of the Board of Delegates. the Theme of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”, or Anto - Our frequent meetings and long-standing corre - nín Tučapský’s Sixty Bars for Graham for Piano. spon dence sadly also allowed me to observe the I myself met Graham in 1995 when – as a great gradual deterioration of his health, which made his friend of Viktor Kalabis, the chairman of the Board trips to the Czech Republic ever more difficult and of Directors of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation – dependent on the availability of his caring wife he was present for the founding of the Bohuslav Alex. All his Czech friends will miss his warm- Martinů Institute. We built closer ties while heartedness, his willingness to help and provide preparing the BBC Martinů Weekend in 1998 and contacts, and, to no lesser extent, his typical during our joint visit to see the production of salutation at the end of each letter and email: Mirandolina in Wexford, to which we travelled by “With all good wishes to you, Aye, Graham.” car from Dublin in October 2002. In the early In his aforementioned article on Czech music phase of preparations for the Bohuslav Martinů in Britain of the nineteenth and early twentieth Complete Edition (from 2001 as a member of the centuries, Graham mentioned the role of promi - Editorial Board), he helped us greatly both with nent figures who promoted Czech music in his organisational issues and by researching primary country, and he listed Rosa Newmarch, Henry sources in British archives and establishing Wood, Thomas Beecham, and the opera impresario personal contacts with representatives from Norman Tucker. It is beyond dispute that the Boosey & Hawkes. He supported us all brilliantly Czech music community will add to them the when we founded the International Bohuslav name of Graham Melville-Mason. ❚ Martinů Society and its successor, the Inter - GMM’s last visit in Prague in 2014 photos: private archive of alex melville-mason, national Martinů Circle, of which he was initially with many thanks

1 G. Melville-Mason, ed.: The Galpin Society: An Exhibition of European 7 For example, cf. Mark Todd, “The Dvořák Society: The Early Years”, Half of the 20th Century – A Preliminary Survey”, in Březina, Aleš Musical Instruments, 1968. Czech Music: Journal of the Dvořák Society, 21 (1999–2000), (publ.): Aspects of music, arts and religion during the period of 2 Cf. Arnold Myers: “The Edinburgh University Collection of Historic pp. 37–78, or “Graham Melville-Mason is eighty”, Martinů Revue, Czech modernism, Martinů-Studien Band 2, Praha 2000, etc. Musical Instruments”, The Galpin Society Journal, Vol. 35 (1982), 1 (2013), p. 4. 11 For example, “A triumphant evening with death and life. Another pp. 151–4. 8 These were Josef Ceremuga, Petr Eben, Jindřich Feld, Ilja Hurník, new production of Janáček’s From the house of the dead”, Czech 3 G. Melville-Mason: The Role of the Basset Horn in Middle Europe Jan Klusák, Marek Kopelent, Iša Krejčí, Miroslav Krejčí, Jaroslav Music, 2 (1998), p. 5; “Mirandolina ve Wexfordu”, Hudební rozhledy, 1770–1830. Maštalíř, Jiří Pauer, Štěpán Rak, and Václav Trojan. More were 1 (2003), p. 33; “Dreaming towers. A new production of Martinů’s 4 Graham Melville-Mason: “Dvořák and the Basset Horn”, added in later years, such as Luboš Fišer, Jan Hanuš, Ilja Hurník, Julietta”, Czech Music 6 (1997), p. 5; “Julietta v Leedsu”, Hudební Czech Music: Journal of the Dvořák Society, 1 (1987), pp. 5–8. Viktor Kalabis, Lukáš Matou šek, Klement and Milan Slavický, rozhledy, 12 (1997), pp. 27–8; etc. 5 In an English broadcast of Czech Radio, Graham men tioned that Vilém Tauský, Antonín Tučapský, etc. Cf. Graham Melville-Mason, 12 For example, “Viktor Kalabis (1923–2006)”, The Dvořák Society for Karel Janovický would always call him and say: “Graham, do you Music News from Prague, 5–6, 1987, p. 3. Major contributions Czech and Slovak Music Newsletter, 24 (2005/2006), pp. 18–22; have time for a walk with the dog?” and while walking their four- to this high incidence of programmes devoted to Czech and “Jiří Tancibudek (1921–2004)”, The Dvořák Society for Czech and legged friends together, they spoke solely in Czech. See Rob Slovak music were of course made by other people as well, Slovak Music Newsletter, 24 (2005/2006), pp. 30–2; “Otakar Trhlík Cameron: “Professor Graham Melville-Mason – A Passion for especially Patrick Lambert, a senior producer at the BBC 3 Music (1922–2005)”, The Dvořák Society for Czech and Slovak Music Czech Music”, Český rozhlas, 22 June 2004. Department. Newsletter, 24 (2005/2006), pp. 32–3; “Oldřich F. Korte 6 The author of this reminiscence is indebted to him for his brilliant 9 For example, see (1912–1994), Burnham-on-Crouch, (1926–2014)”, The Dvořák Society for Czech and Slovak Music translation and publication of the study “A ‘Fantastic Learning 1999; A Tribute to Petr Eben, Burnham-on-Crouch, 2000. Newsletter, 110 (1/2015), pp. 5–6; “Ivan Moravec (1930–2015)”, Experience’ in Composing for String Orchestra: Martinů’s Inter - 10 For example, see “The Music and Musicians of Bohemia in Great The Dvořák Society for Czech and Slovak Music Newsletter, 113 ventions in Vítězslava Kaprálová’s Partita”, Czech Music: Journal Britain in the Second Half of the Eighteenth and the Early (10/2015), p. 5; “Harry Halbreich (1931–2016)”, The Dvořák of the Dvořák Society, 21 (1999–2000), pp. 155–74. The most Nineteenth Centuries”, Czech Music, 1 (1990), pp. 16–22; “Martinů Society for Czech and Slovak Music Newsletter, 117 (10/2016), momen tous of Graham’s as-yet unpublished translations nodoubt and London: New Light on the Sonata for Two Violins and Piano”, pp. 5–6; “Karel Husa (1921–2017)”, The Dvořák Society for Czech include the extensive monographs on Bohuslav Martinů by Jaro - Czech Music: Journal of the Dvořák Society, 2 (1990), pp. 18–29; and Slovak Music Newsletter, 119 (04/2017), p. 8; etc. slav Mihule and on Viktor Kalabis by Jaroslav Šeda. “The British View of Czech Contemporary Composers in the First

8 | martinůrevue22019 bohuslav matoušek celebrates 70th birthday with complete concertant works of bohuslav martinů news for violin and orchestra

world and garnered numerous major international honours (Gramophone Choice…). The recordings were made in collaboration with the famous con - ductor and musicologist Christo pher Hogwood, who consistently pro moted the music of Martinů, was a member of the editorial board of the Bohu - slav Martinů Complete Edition, and spent the last years of his life preparing its seventh volume (con taining Martinů’s Quadruple Concertos). The volume was published in 2018 with help of Pavel Žůrek and Marek Pechač from the Bohuslav Martinů Institute. The roots of this extraordinary project, which The releases have sold more than 19,000 CDs stars the Czech violinist Bohuslav Matoušek as worldwide, which is a rare feat for albums with protagonist, soloist, and producer, go back to classical music. Hyperion is commemorating the 2002–5. The first CD of the series was released 60th anniversary of the death of Bohuslav Mar - by in 2002 and was deemed the best tinů and Bohuslav Matoušek’s 70th birthday by Czech recording of the year by the Czech maga - releasing the whole series again on 1 Febru ary zine Harmonie. The series was later taken up by 2019 as a single set of four CDs, which is a con - one of the leading global labels, Hyperion Records siderable boost to the recordings and their inter - in London, which released the four albums indi - national impact. The Bohuslav Martinů Foundation vidually in the course of 2007–8. All four CDs cooperated extensively on both the initial releases ❚ received lavish praise from critics around the and the present re-issue. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Christopher Hogwood finally the complete & Bohuslav Matoušek martinů for violin and orchestra

Bohuslav Matoušek – violin, viola, Janne

Thomsen – flute, Jennifer Koh, Régis Pasquier – khalil baalbaki photo violin, Karel Košárek – piano, Czech Philhar - monic, Christopher Hogwood – conductor. Recorded: Rudolfinum, Prague, 2007–8. Released: re-release, 2019. TT: 240:03. DDD. 4 CD Hyperion CD S44611/4. Finally, albeit after significant delay, and after the somewhat disjointed release of each of the did an excellent job, although I cannot but think records individually, the complete set has now that if it had been playing in its present configu - been issued! I will […] focus on […] the musical ration, the sound could have been even more stuff itself. This is, without a doubt, a major pronounced, engaged, rich, and precise in a num - release. It is performance project that promotes ber of places. Excellent work was done by the the works of Martinů while also serving as labour – musical, organisational, and financial – technical team – the director Zdeněk Zahradník a reference work and starting point for the to prepare the project. He sacrificed part of his and the sound engineer Tomáš Zikmund. To - endeavours of future generations. (The project private life and health to complete it. And it is the gether, they have created an essential celebration was preceded by a recording of the complete crowning achievement among his complete sets. of the genius and creative power of Bohuslav Mar - works of Martinů for violin and piano that was An indisputably unique recording. tinů. I think that we will not see its like for a long released by Supraphon and won the main Cannes Every composition is permeated by the warm, time, considering the present stagnation of the Classical Award at MIDEM in 2001.) The first magnificent tone created by by his right-hand recording industry. decade of the twenty-first century saw Bohuslav technique, his distinctive vibrato, and his heart. Luboš Stehlík Matoušek at the apex of violinistic erudition and He was fortunate in his choice of collaborating www.casopisharmonie.cz, full of enthusiasm. He devoted many years of hard soloists and conductor. The Czech Philharmonic 7 March 2019

martinůrevue22019 | 9 notes on juliette texts

notes on juliette bohuslav martinů

To give a “brief” synopsis of the plot of Juliette is tantamount to impossible. The play does not actu - ally have a “plot”. The whole narrative plays out neither in reality, nor in illusion, but on the very narrow border between the two, so that everything real seems like fiction and everything fictional has the appearance of reality. This whole tangle of unpre dictable situations and illogical conclusions is traversed by one cohesive thread, that is, the human mind, thought, memory, upon which leans the history of our actions and our lives. But here we are presented with a world in which memory is abolished, displaced; here every one longs to recapture it, renew it, to regain the memories of bygone time and usurp the memories of others, to take them for their own, just to be able to touch From the premiere at the National Theatre in Prague, 1938 the past, to delay the irretrievable moment in time. But the situations become absurd, it is a kind of continuum of time and space from which time — real knowl edge and fictional knowledge, without the situations repeat, and so, gradually, under the that is, the past — has vanished; the world here is any clearly defined border — a tangled complex of influence of these inexplicable events the whole only perceived in a given moment and replaced by human desire, wishes, will, and actions, as in each play shifts into an illusion of such strength that his the following one, thus everything is hurtling into of us. own normal and experienced “reality” seems blank, the void. It is essentially a psychological issue and, It is thus hard to present in brief the whole sub - bleak, and, in fact, illusionary, whereas all these truth be told, an ancient human issue: “What is ject of this play, where all details have their weight fictions, fantasies gain a veneer of reality, in a com - man, who am I, who are you? What is truth?” and importance, which we come to understand in plete reverse of circumstances. Michel, who was The libretto and play by G. Neveux are not the course of the drama. Here there is only one the only one who knew what he wanted and why he a philo sophical dissertation, however, but an “real” reality, which constitutes a kind of prologue. had come to the little town, suddenly loses himself extraordinarily beautiful and poetic fantasy in the But this specific event does not appear in the opera, in this world where every thing exists only for the form of a dream, that is, the only way in which to it is only spoken of and is explained several times given moment, where there is neither past nor describe these states of the mind. during the play. The event is this: Michel, a Parisian future, where no one knows what will happen next Here only one person, Michel, has retained his bookseller, a colporteur, finds one day that his nor what happened previously. Situations follow in memory and his recollection of past events. Yet business has taken him to a small port town. That a sequence with out cause or effect. Michel wants to here, in this peculiar world beyond time, his ability evening, before returning to , he is walking return to Paris and discovers that there is no train. is more of a disadvantage — his normal and logical through a small square when he hears through the “But I arrived by one.” “No, we have no train here.” thought process clashes at every moment with open window of one house a girl’s voice sing of love. The fortune teller predicts the past, not the future. unpredictable, weird, and absurd events and their When back in Paris, this memory constantly returns The wine merchant, in the middle of the forest, solutions. He is veritably bombarded with unex- to him in a dream, and he keeps searching for the talks total nonsense and tall tales, yet everyone pected conclusions that he cannot comprehend and town, the girl, and the song. This desire and search believes him as it reminds them of something from cannot reconcile with his normal condition and that form the contents of the opera itself, which begins far away, their own forgotten memories. They clutch create situations in the course of the play in which at the moment when Michel “returns” to the town. at even the smallest memory and are grate ful for it. they themselves lose meaning and become absurd. The town appears to be the same as before, but There is a celebration in the forest at night, but The whole play is a desperate struggle to find something has changed, its inhabitants behave no one knows when or where. Michel is of course support in something stable, con crete, in memory, strangely, mysteriously, they have lost their memory able to remember that as a child he had a little toy, in consciousness, which is at every turn thwarted, and are only able to realise the very present mo - a duck that ran round and round in circles. Such an turned into tragic situations in which Michel fights ment of their time. ancient memory causes him to be appointed mayor to maintain his own stability, to maintain his com - But Michel knows nothing of this and is thus — a fact that is instantly forgot ten by all of the mon sense. If he succumbs, he will be stuck in this thrust into situations that are ludicrous, enig matic, inhabitants. Juliette welcomes him as if she had world without memory, without time, forever. And and tragic, for which he sees no cause or expla na - always known him. The whole love scene thus yet even the “normal” memory of Michel is full of tion. Michel finally finds his Juliette, but here again acquires pointed strokes of the concreteness of

10 | martinůrevue22019 photos: archive of the national theatre in prague theatre archive of the national photos:

Title page of the score with a dedication to Václav Talich Ivo Žídek and Maria Tauberová, Juliette at the National Theatre in Prague, 1963

Michel and the fantasy of Juliette, which culminate his light into the empty void beyond, but Michel still semblance of actual intent. But Miloš inces santly in a revolver shot. Michel shoots at the departing hears the voice that calls him back, and suddenly wove a bond between Martinů and myself, a bond Juliette, he hears a scream that is echoed through- all his memories, experienced in this dream, return that was to have a rather surprising outlet some out the forest, but he now knows not himself if it to him again. The play could start from the begin - years later.1 was he who fired. Did he kill her? He heard a shot ning. The plot is not closed, it goes on, it is only One day, in June 1936, I received a letter from and a scream. “Did you hear any thing? A shot?” he a dream. New York April 1947 Martinů, whom I had not seen for a while. He wrote asks the forest warden, who responds: “Of course me something like this: “You will no doubt be very I did. It was I who fired, at a duck, and I missed it.” our juliette angry with me. I recently reread your play Juliette The desperate Michel returns to the square and georges neveux or The Key to Dreams, and without knowing how it Juliette’s house — perhaps she is back home. The old hap pened, I see that I have already set the first act lady who opens the door to him in the middle of the It was in Paris more than thirty years ago at our to music. If you would visit this evening, I will play night does not remember anyone apart from herself mutual friend Miloš Šafránek’s that I first met Bohu - it to you on the piano. I hope you will not hold it ever living in the house. The sailors who set out to slav Martinů. I will never forget that first meeting. against me.” I had never visited him before. He lived find Juliette’s body only bring back a veil. “Why did Martinů was already famous. Just a few days before, in a quiet neighbourhood over looking the lake in I actually come,” asks Michel, now completely lost Darius Milhaud had described him to me as one of Montsouris Park. He was expecting me. in the flood of events. “Why did I actually come the greatest musicians of our time. I was expecting I was both happy and annoyed. Happy, of course, here?” Is it all the truth, or just a dream? Or is it all a figure of grandeur. I was com pletely taken aback that Martinů liked my play. Annoyed because I had like those postcards from Toledo and Seville, which to find myself faced with the most sincerely humble received a letter a few days before from the agent of he had perused in the forest with Juliette and which man I had ever met. Tall, thin, discreet, and what — the composer of The Threepenny Opera had given them memories of cities that they had immediately surprised one was his gaze and his — in which he mediated Weill’s request to adapt never visited. “What are you doing here so late at voice. A rather slow, some what lyrical voice that Juliette into a musical comedy. I had already given night?” one man asks him. “Aren’t you that passen - had retained in French its Czech accent, which has my word of approval and intended to tell Martinů ger on my boat?” “Yes, I’m that pas senger,” Michel such charm. A gaze half dreamy, half roguish, which that my play was not free for the taking. But I did replies. But the boat transforms into some sort of had the magical ability to make you disappear or not have the courage to speak of it immediately. office of Dreams, where everyone can choose their bring you closer. To make you disappear if you were Martinů sat down to the piano and asked me to sit dream for a fee. A boy comes here to dream of not to his liking or bring you closer if you were. next to him, while Charlotte, his wife, opened a bot - Buffalo Bill, a crimi nal about freedom, a beggar I think that Bohuslav and I found a liking for tle of white wine. “Because white wine is drunk in about a seaside holiday, a train driver to look at each other immediately. After all, there was a cer - your play,” she said, “we will also drink it tonight.” photographs of his dead daughter in an album in tain kinship between us because of our origin. I am At midnight I found myself descending the steps which Michel finds only blank pages. Michel is part Russian from my mother’s side, and thus sen - of the house in great agitation. For the first time repeatedly warned that his dream is over and that sitive to that mix of contradictory elements that in my life I had truly entered the world of Juliette, he must leave. But when he decides to depart, he forms the base of the Slavic character and which which I had only given a glimpse of in my play. suddenly hears Juliette’s voice again, calling him Martinů had — and expressed — in abun dance: joy Martinů clearly liked Juliette, but he aug mented and back. Michel returns, he wants to find Juliette and sorrow — noble-mindedness towards others exceeded the play in grace and depth and turned again, but his dream is over. He meets the multitude and irony towards oneself. it into such a masterpiece that it had completely of those who preferred to live in dreams forever. This man, who had long been living in Paris, astounded me. Michel is alarmed, undecided; he still hears the which he liked, where he married a French woman, I wrote to the American agent the next day to say voice of Juliette calling him back, and he is still remained profoundly Slavic, profoundly Czech. that there had been a misunderstanding, that my warned by the office clerk that he should leave. The sensitivity that we felt beneath his tranquil play was not available. ❚ “We are closing,” the guard informs. “Let me pass appearance, his rare grace and simplicity — that all (Translated via Miloš Šafránek’s Czech translation) through that door one last time, I searched long for came from his homeland. I remember that Miloš someone until today I finally found her. She is a girl Šafránek had a puppet theatre at home, and he and she is right behind this door,” Michel begs. proposed to Martinů and me that we should com- 1 MŠ — Divadlo, p. 251: Neveux wrote to me in a letter of 23 Sept. “No one is behind this door,” the guard replies, pose a play for this theatre. We spoke about it that 1939: “I met Martinů the first time at your house. You directed “you have to leave.” He opens the door and shines very evening, without imbuing the plan with any him towards Juliette and are thus responsible for this opera.”

martinůrevue22019 | 11 emil leichner died. he had a love for martinů and obituary had deeply human relationships

At the age of 80, the eminent piano teacher and great proponent of the music of Bohuslav Martinů Emil Leichner passed away. To commemorate his artistic legacy, we are publishing an interview that we recorded with Mr Leichner three years ago, when he was awarded the Medal of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation. It was the last substantial interview given by the respected pianist and teacher. He grew to fame both as an excellent soloist and sought-after chamber musician and as a superb piano teacher — he taught at the Prague Conservatoire for over fifty years and at the Academy of Performing Arts for more than twenty-five — and through the course of his long artistic and pedagogical career, he became a true legend in the Czech piano community. He also made an extraordinary contribution to the history of Czech music as an inter - preter and promoter of the compositional œuvre of Bohuslav Martinů. He recorded almost all of the composer’s works for solo piano, all five of his piano concertos, including the Concertino, H 269, he initiated the Bohu slav Martinů Festival and its accompanying music competition, established the B. Martinů Piano Quartet, and held a position on the Board Emil Leichner of Directors of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation for a number of years.

/ VĚROSLAV NĚMEC salutation he appended to it is a precious keep - than in these five piano concertos. The first four sake of mine. I included the composition in the came about gradually in almost regular ten-year You have devoted yourself to Bohuslav Martinů programme of my graduation concert when I con - intervals between 1926 and 1956. Each of them since your days as a student at the conser va - cluded my stud ies at the Prague Conserva toire; represents both the various periods of their com - toire and remained true to him your whole life. in fact, I even played it at the Casella Competition position and the different stages of the com poser’s What brought you to this composer? in Naples, with Rudolf Firkušný – who initiated life. I think that it will not be making too far-fetched I come from a musical family – my father was the work – sitting in the jury. Personally, I con - a claim if I call the first piano concerto “Czech”, the the founder and violinist of the Czech Nonet. sider Fantasy and Toccata to be one of the most second “French” (with the charming Concertino in The ensemble’s repertoire was dominated by mo men tous of Martinů’s piano works ever, and it close vicinity), the third “American”, and the fourth twen tieth-century music. And because their is no exaggera tion to say that it has been with – Incantation – “otherworldly”. Martinů could not rehearsals usually took place at our home, I heard me my whole life. wait another ten years to write the fifth piano con - a number of works by prominent contemporary certo, titled Fantasia concer tante, H 366, so he composers practically at the moment of their Your most important recording projects include com posed ita mere two years after Incantation, conception. Thence comes my interest in modern a representative three-disc set of Martinů’s H 358. Its poignant second movement is streaked music. And so it was no wonder that I had been works for solo piano. Did you manage to record with the presen ti ment of imminent death. aware of the name of Martinů from a very young every single composition of his for piano? I recorded the concertos with the Czech Philhar - age. […] But his music was hardly played at all That was not really possible. For one, Martinů was monic and Jiří Bělohlávek. It was a magnificent at the time because he lived abroad, and print a prolific writer who wrote a vast amount of piano collaboration, and I remember it fondly to this day. editions of his compositions were practically works, and then, not all of his compositions really unavailable here. My affinity for the composer deserve to be revisited. […] But I did not make Martinů’s name also appears in the piano quar - thus came mainly from following his turbulent life, the selection for the recording on my own, I was tet that you founded together with your father. which appealed to me. And at quite an early age helped by my dear friend, Dr Jaroslav Mihule, one That is quite an interesting story. In 1964, when I secretly promised myself that I would help him of the greatest experts on Martinů. He advised me I was studying at the Academy, my classmates and come home at least by playing his works. on what to record and what we could do without. I – the violist Josef Čurda and the cellist Antonín Nonetheless, Martinů’s major piano works are Which of his works did you start with? Duda – decided that we would like to do some certainly all present on those discs. With none other than Fantasy and Toccata, H 281. chamber music. And we invited along my father, And even now I am proud that the composer en - Besides solo compositions, you also recorded who had just concluded his participation in the trusted me with the Czechoslovak premiere of this all five of Martinů’s piano concertos and his Czech Nonet. And so the original Bohuslav Martinů work. Mr Šebánek brought me the music from him. Concertino. Piano Quartet was made. We received permission The performance earned me a personal note of In no other field of the composer’s œuvre, in my to bear the composer’s name from Mrs Charlotte recog nition from the author, and the musical opinion, is his artistic evolution so vividly evident Martinů herself, and of course I carefully preserved

12 | martinůrevue22019 her letter, in which she gave us her approval. It we have played lots of works by contemporary world – and our classes were constantly getting was an enormous win for us that Dad accepted composers: Zdeněk Lukáš, Karel Reiner, Jan Kapr, cancelled. So I naively hoped that if there would our invi tation and joined us. Hehad enormous per - Jan Hanuš, Václav Kučera… We even initiated be two of them, I would have twice as many for mative experience from the Czech Nonet, which a number of compositions – it would be an under - lessons. Wrong! Both of them just kept touring all he had led the whole time, and lots of personal statement to say that we have presented new over the world, and neither of them came to the connections all over the world. We played together works of thirty composers. Those were not just lessons. So that’s how it was in the end. But for about ten years and toured the whole of Eu - Czechs, we also approached composers from otherwise they were amazing professionals and rope. Then Dad died and the ensemble disbanded. Japan, Germany, Poland, Austria… And speaking great people. I cannot forget them – how they of composers who wrote works for us, I must not were able to pass on their art. I am deeply hon - But the B.Martinů Piano Quartet still exists today. forget to mention one extraordinary case: Karel oured to have studied under them. A peculiar coincidence occurred. We were record - Husa. It is about six, seven years back that we Who did you start learning the piano from? ing the complete Beethoven piano quartets for played his piano quartet at the Prague Spring. I don’t think you will believe me. As a boy, I was Supra phon with members of the – A work in a very modern style, yet excellent music taught by none other than Jan Panenka! That’s the violinist Josef Vlach, the violist Josef Koďou - – like everything that Husa ever wrote, in fact. But how famous a teacher I had! […] sek, and the cellist Viktor Moučka – and my I have one lovely memory specifically regarding colleagues enjoyed the cooperation so much that this composer. His parents had a shoe shop in You yourself taught many young pianists in we contin ued the collaboration with the same Vodičkova Street. And when I was a year old, your decades of tenure at the Prague Con - line-up as the B. Martinů Piano Quartet. Those Mr Husa presented me with shoes from their shop servatoire and the Academy of Performing were wonderful times. The members of the Vlach as a gift. And when I met with Karel Husa many Arts. Do you know roughly how many?

Note with Martinů’s dedication to Emil Leichner Bohuslav Martinů Piano Quartet (Emil Leichner sr., Antonín Duda, Emil Leichner jr. and Josef Čurda)

Quartet were so perfectly coordinated that it was years later, when he came for his first post-revo lu - No. I never counted them. But when you consider enough to meet up and play through what was tionary visit to Czechoslovakia from America, he that just at the Prague Conservatoire, I taught for needed – without too much rehearsing. This said: “Oh. So that’s you. You’ve grown a fair bit. fifty years, then even if it was only two students second phase of the Martinů Quartet was short I wonder if you know that I sent you shoes years a year, that would be a hundred. But if I was to lived, unfortunately – Koďousek left, Vlach died, ago? I wonder if they gave them to you?” He start talking about my students, it would make for and it was just Moučka and me. But in the end hadn’t forgotten! He had kept this tiny incident a chapter of its own. So I will name at least a few, we were lucky enough to find new colleagues: in his memory for all those years. because I am sure to omit many of them: Barbora the violinist Antonín Novák and the violist Karel Sejáková, Petr Jiříkovský, Jiří Kollert, Michal Mašek, Your biographies state you studied at the Špelina. But that is also history. In the current Hanuš Bartoň, Lenka Dombaiová, Roman Timoš - Academy under two of our legendary pianists – iteration of the Martinů Quartet, I play with the čuk, Robert Kapr… You know, it is a wonderful František Rauch and Josef Páleníček. violinist Bohuslav Matou šek, the violist Pavel thing to work with young people. Because those That was an excellent period of my life. We had Peřina, and the cellist Miroslav Petráš. were never standard teacher-pupil relationships. more of a family relationship between us. Those were deeply human relationships – because I guess there is no point in asking if your How long did you stay under the one and you see those students twice, three times a week reper toire includes Martinů’s Piano Quartet. the other? for a number of years, you empathise with their That is of course part of our core repertoire. All They had a joint class, so I studied under both woes and joys. In short – it is nice to be with in all, we mainly wanted to promote Czech music of them at once. them… with our ensemble. Dvořák has two piano quar - www.casopisharmonie.cz, tets, we even recorded those; composed That is very unusual. 18 March 2019 a beautiful piano quartet, and an amazing quartet I know. But that is what they had agreed on. was written by Jan Ladislav Dusík. And of course Because they were always gallivanting around the

martinůrevue22019 | 13 bohuslav martinů’s summer months in america holidays in the years 1941–5 / MONIKA HOLÁ

The Martinůs arrived in the US in April 1941. They spent most of the year in a rented apart ment in New York quite close to Central Park, where the composer would go for walks. But it was no sub - stitute for the countryside. “Believe me, those endless avenues and streets of New York are not the best source of inspiration… They fall down on you, constrict you, so you feel you cannot escape. You cannot rest, sit outside in the patio of some tiny café like in Paris […].”1 The composer never felt truly free in New York, and especially the summer months were insufferable for him there. So each year he fled his New York flat and escaped to the country - side with his wife, to avoid having to endure the stifling heat of the city. Bohuslav and Charlotte Martinů. Darien, Connecticut, 1943

In last year’s summer issue of the Martinů Revue, we looked back at how Charlotte Martinů accepted the invitation of the Bohuslav Martinů spent his summers and holidays. Almost every year Ondříčeks to stay in Manomet by the Atlantic Ocean. until 1938, he would find a few days or weeks to visit his native Polička “[…] I am in Manomet now, we have a camp ing and his family there. But this custom was dramatically uprooted in 1939. cottage here, and I am hurrying with the sym phony When erstwhile Czechoslovakia was occupied by the Germans, Martinů to have everything finished. We had some trouble here, they thought we were Nazis, they did not want to refused to return to the country – he was declared a traitor and was believe Ondříček either […]. It is splendid here, but the wanted by the Gestapo. He lived in France until 1940, but with the nights are freezing.”2 encroaching invasion of German forces, he came under threat again. In the following year, 1943, their destination And so he and his wife decided to emigrate to the US. was Darien, a little town about 60 km north-east of New York. The Martinůs rented a small house Their first summer in America (1941), the Mar - with a garden near the sea. The pleasant stay was tinůs were only just adapting to life in the US. made all the better by the presence of compa tri ots Still struggling with language barriers – they were nearby: Miloš Šafránek, or Mario Korbel, who created both learning English – they welcomed their one of the most intriguing busts of the composer. friends’ invitations to spend the summer months Visitors from New York included the photographer together. First they were hosted by Miloš Šafránek Josef Macháček, the painter Alén Diviš, the pianist in his house in Pleasantville, some 80 km from Rudolf Firkušný, and others. New York. Then they joined other friends to visit The composer did not rest for days on end, of the island of Martha’s Vineyard, where a larger course – he never did. Even when trying to enjoy number of artists gathered and various musical the natural beauty of the countryside, he continued productions were staged. In his free time, Martinů to compose. Darien saw the genesis of one of his learned English by reading books in the cottage most powerful works: a year after the tragedy itself, they had rented (though he discovered a more when the pain of the shock had dulled, Martinů pleasant form of tuition in New York when he and wrote Memorial to Lidice, H 296. But he did not Charlotte went to the cinema to watch real Ameri - busy himself just with composing. Bohuslav Martinů can westerns). also kept record of the ideas that came to him in At the start of summer 1942, Bohuslav Martinů Darien, which were later compiled in book form received an unexpected offer to teach at the sum - [Šafránek, M. (ed.): Bohuslav Martinů: Domov, hudba mer school of the Berkshire Music Centre. It was a svět, Prague 1966]. These were various essays a wonderful opportunity, one that the composer on the composer’s creative process. To give one did not refuse. Other teachers at the centre Emanuel Ondříček and Bohuslav Martinů, example: “I compose equally with my body as with my included the likes of Paul Hindemith and Igor Manomet, Massachusetts, 1942 mind. I see music, feel it, touch it. I ‘hear’ it almost the Stravinsky. When the course ended, Bohuslav and least – that is just the mecha nism, the craft. Music

14 | martinůrevue22019 is for me the image of light, shadows form naturally art – in this case, by com posing Symphony No.3, considered the option – he wrote about it in according to the angle of the light; but I do not make H 299, and especially its third movement, which almost every letter to his family, and in his mem - darkness to bring about light. Light = joy and life.” astounds with its raw, almost crude sound. oirs: “For my fifth, and I hope last, holiday in the Martinů spent the next summer away from Still intoxicated with the realisation that Euro - summer of 1945, I was in South Orleans at Cape Cod New York as well. He and his wife dwelt in Ridge - pean battlefields would see no more war, the Mar - by the sea, where I completed my Fourth Symphony field, Connecticut, in 1944. Like Darien, it was not tinůs departed from New York again for the summer for the Philadelphia orchestra […]. I am also writing too far from New York (less than 90 km to the of 1945. On the recommendation of their friends, this article in South Orleans. But I will soon return north-east). They took up lodgings at the Four they travelled to Cape Cod, the eastern most point to New York and soon after to Europe.”3

Tomáš Svoboda, Milada Svobodová, Bohuslav Martinů, Charlotte Martinů, and Rudolf Firkušný. Cape Cod, South Orleans, Massachusetts, 1945 photos © bohuslav martinů centre in polička © bohuslav photos

Bohuslav Martinů at the train station Darien, Connecticut, 1943

Chimneys Estate, which was purported to have of Massachusetts in the north-eastern United Unfortunately, this wish remained unfulfilled. been built in 1785 – though of course by the time States. They rented a cottage near South Orleans. He continued to spend his summer months in of the Martinůs’ stay, it had been fully renovated Lodged close by were the family of Antonín Svobo - America in the years to come; he did not move and comfortably furnished. It was surrounded by da, a Czech inventor who developed anti-aircraft back to Europe until the early 1950s, and to a large garden, in which blooming bushes simply targeting systems. His wife Milada Svobodová had his homeland – never. ❚ asked to be photographed. The beautiful summer first met the Martinůs on the Exeter, the ship on atmosphere gives no hint of the composer’s which they had all escaped Europe (the Svobodas 1 Šafránek, M. (ed.): Bohuslav Martinů: Domov, hudba a svět, Prague brooding thoughts of war-torn Europe, which had had travelled separately at the time). The two fami - 1966, p. 340. been in the forefront of his mind since the D-Day lies visited each other and spent time together. 2 Letter from Bohuslav Martinů to Miloš Šafránek, 25 August 1942, The Bohuslav Martinů Center in Polička, shelf mark PBM KMŠ 770. landings of Allied forces in Normandy earlier that The end of the war brought new hope of re turn - 3 Šafránek, M. (ed.): Bohuslav Martinů: Domov, hudba a svět, Prague June. As was his custom, he responded through ing to Europe, returning home. Martinů seriously 1966, p. 343. reviews awards for

Recently, Supraphon’s recordings of music than ever, Tomáš Král negotiates the musical syn co - by Bohuslav Martinů have been praised both pations and the stress patterns of the language with home and abroad. This March saw another equal skill, and pianist Ivo Kahánek, the catalyst for coup: Bohuslav Martinů: Songs, recorded by the whole enterprise, is ceaselessly inventive in sup - soprano Martina Janková, baritone Tomáš port. […] It was a good idea to frame the recital with Král and pianist Ivo Kahánek, received some of the composer’s war-time songs, among the a positive review in the April edition of last he ever wrote. In these songs, he recalls his native Diapason together with its highest award, country and his home town of Polička with an intense the Diapason d’Or. nostalgia, tenderly conveyed by the soprano. It was an Folk songs were always one of the main even better idea to allow the two singers to ‘converse’ and in Gramophone (www.gramo phone.co.uk, Tim sources of Martinů’s inspiration. The album within those songs which allow the possibility. […] Ashley): “[…] Janková’s clear, silvery soprano offsets con tains Mar tinů’s songs with folk texts from To make us totally happy, the artists had to give equal Král’s light, warm baritone throughout. Nothing is his very own collection and also from the importance to texts and notes – sometimes even more over-dramatised or tipped towards sentimentality collection of Moravian folk songs created by to words. They do it with constant sensitivity and […] Pianist Ivo Kahánek, meanwhile, binds the songs František Sušil: Songs on One Page, H 294, great insight […].” together with playing of understated dexterity Songs on Two Pages, H 302, New Slovak Songs, and emotional restraint. It’s a lovely disc, most H 126, and The New Chapbook, H 288. The recording was also lauded in Das Opernglas beautifully done.” (4, 2019, CD News, pp. 96–7): “Martina Janková sings The magazine Opernwelt also designated this In the Diapason review, Nicolas Derny writes: “[…] with a deep understanding of everything that is recording as "CD of the month" (Gerhard Persché: These three artists achieve miracles in every one of related to the joys and sorrows of love. The well- CD des Monats: Der andere Martinů, Opernwelt, the songs making up this fragrant collection: Martina controlled, enchanting, velvet timbre of her voice July 2019, p. 25). ❚ Janková’s luscious voice seems to be more radiant imbues the songs with intimacy and honesty. […]”

martinůrevue22019 | 15 three fragments from the opera juliette — reviews excerpts from reviews

With the creation of his Three fragments from the opera Juliette, H 253A, a mere year after the and periods (Martinů before and Poulenc after opera was premiered, the composer presumably hoped to secure greater publicity for his work the war). and get it into opera houses. For that reason he wanted to get excerpts from the key scenes in In the intersection of the two, one can hear the French version on French radio, though this plan failed to materialise. World War II broke out the roots of Debussy and Ravel’s musical style and the Fragments gradually fell into oblivion, perhaps even forgotten by the composer himself. and see how they are transformed into sharp After his death, the autograph piano reduction was long kept by his wife Charlotte Martinů. functionalist contours. But to discern how the However, her estate, which is housed in the Bohuslav Martinů Memorial in Polička, did not include details of Bohu slav Martinů’s composition connect, the work anymore, and it was not known to whom she gifted it. The Bohuslav Martinů Foundation that is a harder task. The theatrical staging suc ceeded in finding the new owner in the 1990s and buying the piano reduction from aprivate appears to have attempted to solve this with collector in Germany, an old friend of Mrs Martinů. While preparing the first edition in 2007, an exaggerated effort at explanation, also with the auto graph score of the Three fragments was unexpect edly discovered in the archives of the help of video sequences. Yet this endeavour the agency DILIA and could thus serve as a basis for the printed edition alongside the piano only really made me want to close my eyes reduction. and immerse myself in the wondrous world of Martinů’s tones, in that strange music that we so rarely hear in our part of the world. Joachim Bäckström In a way, Martinů’s work acts as an overture and Kerstin Avemo to the condensed drama of Poulenc. Radok’s strength and directorial success lie mainly in his focus on the music and on what is actually going on in the score, thus breathing life into it. This time he was aided by the excellent orchestra conducted by the French Claire Levacher.

Lars Sjöberg: A surrealist success Expressen, 14 April 2019, www.expressen.se/kultur/scen/suveran- scennarvaro-och-publiken-i-trance/ I do not regard Bohuslav Martinů’s opera Juliette as a surrealist work just because it employs the logic of dreams. Surrealism, the way I see it, is applied by David Radok by connecting in one per - formance a 45-minute distillation of the opera Juliette under the title of The Key to Dreams photos: lennart sjöberg photos: together with Poulenc’s La voix humaine. Radok has already undertaken such two-work perform - On 11 December 2008, at the Bohuslav Martinů Days, the composition was given its world ances before; his best one being the joining of pre miere in aconcert staging to launch the celebra tions of Martinů Revisited with the legendary Bartók’s Bluebeard with Schoenberg’s Erwartung Charles Mackerras, the Czech Philharmonic, and the soloists Magdalena Kožená (Juliette) and four years ago. How ever, this time I fail to see Steve Davislim (Michel). any strong logical cohe sion in the link. But what On 13 April 2019, ’s Göteborg saw the theatrical premiere of Three fragments from moved me deeply and unexpectedly was Martinů’s Juliette. The eminent Czech director David Radok rehearsed it together with Poulenc’s one-act music itself, and I must admit that I was not La voix humaine (The Human Voice). Both halves of the evening were splendidly rendered by quite up to follow ing the twists of the dreamy the Swedish soprano Kerstin Avemo; Michel was played by Joachim Bäckström. The production plot in the course of space and time. Whether was relocated to Brno on 14 June, giving Czech audi ences the chance to see the performance the love of Juliette (Kerstin Avemo) and Michel in several repeats at Janáček Theatre with Jana Šrejma Kačírková as Juliette. (Joachim Bäckström) is true, imagined, or dreamed, We bring you excerpts from several reviews of the performance in Göteborg. the result is both convincing and surreal.

Magnus Haglund: Impressive juxtaposition This dual perspective enables an altered percep - Helen Flensburg: A veritable marathon of two short operas tion of two diverse works, shifting the routine Borås Tidning, 16 April 2019, Kultur & Nöje Göteborgsposten, 15 April 2019, p. 33 experience in a slightly different direction. Poulenc section, p. 3 It is not the first time that David Radok has done and Martinů wrote the staged works [La voix Juliette and Michel live in a deformed world this. Joining two different short operas in a single humaine and Three fragments from the opera where there are no memories, only the present; evening so they form one joint narrative, that is. Juliette] in completely different circumstances an excellent place for a peddler of memories

16 | martinůrevue22019 whose goods – yellowed photographs, a strand more confronted with fake news and are forced able to formulate every nuance of pain, she has an of hair, or a medal – bring joy to Juliette. In this to search for real facts, can closely relate to this impressive technique, which she uses not to show absurd situation the girl is struggling to not forget meeting between a man and a woman who strug - off but to augment the effect of the composition. a story of love that had never happened, thus gles with her memory, with feelings of illusions crowning the complete confusion. To a certain and dreams. The Key to Dreams is a form based on Per Feltzin extent, I see in it a similar despair to that in the feature-length opera Juliette, and the reasons Swedish Radio, culture news, 13 April 2019, 22:30 Korngold’s The Dead City. But thanks to the clever why Radok chose to juxtapose it with Poulenc’s www.sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid stage design with projections of mystical paint - La voix humaine is the language they have in =478&artikel=7186125 ings by Vilhelm Hammershöis and video produc - common – French – and their shared musical The opera in Göteborg offered an immersion in tions depicting imaginary memories, this roots with the influence of Debussy. Because the memory, remembrance, love, and questions about illusionary reality is so surreal that one fails to set remains unchanged throughout the entire what actually happened or did not happen at all. find a key to the dreams. But the music, with its peculiar mix of piano and accordion, draws the listener into its structure, which also highlights the melodic nature of the French language and equally of the music itself, which bears traces of Post-Impressionism and Neo-Classicism.

Lennart Brommander: Dysfunctional fragment Aftonbladet, 16 April 2019, 16:30 www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/a/6j4qJQ/ fragment-som-inte-fungerar Martinů’s operas have been enjoying success in Sweden recently. Except Radok and the Göteborg Opera were content to stage just Three fragments from the opera Juliette, under the title of The Key to Dreams. The composer himself assembled parts of the feature-length work as a kind of calling card for the Paris radio. I had seen the complete opera before abroad, Joachim Bäckström and Kerstin Avemo it is an evocative and at the same time con- fusing work that is excellent in its entirety. evening, after the intermission, Kerstin Avemo can We build our lives on memories, and when we lose Britt Nordberg: re-enter the same room and clasp the same tele - them, we begin to dream and weave new ones. Excellent portrait of a woman phone. Radok’s genius thus enabled us to feel that The Key to Dreams by Bohuslav Martinů has no ALBA.nu (an independent internet magazine it might be the very same woman. keys. It is a dreamy narrative devoid of logic. The for culture, science and society), 16 April 2019, whole production provides the pleasure of hearing www.alba.nu/sidor/34567 Bo Borg brilliant performances from the stage with the In an utterly unique union of two short operas, blog of an art and theatre reviewer, 26 April 2019 excellent orchestra and conductor Claire Levacher. Kerstin Avemo brings two female characters www.boborg.se/2019/04/26/nyckeln-till- This is complemented by Radok’s direction and to life. The works chosen for this coexistence drommarna-vox-humana/ his interpretation of the set, which depicts the on the stage present two female portraits that Where does reality actually end and where does motionless atmosphere of a room in which doors balance on the border between dream and illusion begin? A meeting of those who are trying and windows open, close, and lonely people reality. With his direction and stage design, to remember something but are unsure whether contemplate. David Radok has created two veritable operatic it really happened. The loving Juliette (Kerstin treasures. Avemo) does not know whether the beloved Martin Nyström: A wonderful choice I was no doubt not the only person in the Michel (Joachim Bäckström) exists. Song, coordi na - Dagens Nyheter, 15 April 2019, Kultur section, p. 8 crowded opera house who was receiving their tion, all of the highest quality, and add to that an Both of the female roles are sung by Kerstin Avemo, first ever introduction to Bohuslav Martinů. orchestra full of colours and dynamics, conducted who is a superb choice both as singer and actor None of his fourteen operas had been played by Claire Levacher. and for that illusory connection of two different in Göteborg since 1954. Stockholm has never According to the programme text, the original characters by two composers. Both the compo - performed any, the “Workshop” (Verkstan) in language of French was chosen because music is sitions are sung in French, which offers a rich Malmö staged Comedy on the Bridge, and just firmly linked with speech. Despite this argument, palette of sounds. The Key to Dreams is a duet’s recently (2017) The Greek Passion was produced I would have welcomed if it had been sung in dance of dreams and oblivion, memory and reality, in Karlstad. Swedish. Operatic art is founded on the viewer’s embrace and icy separation. Avemo convincingly The short compact opera The Key to Dreams full perception of all its components. To sit and depicts a woman’s floundering between despair, (the correct name is Three fragments from Juliette repeatedly look up at a captioning device with happiness, sorrow, and vulnerability. – ed.), which retrospectively elicits a certain self- condensed texts is certainly more disruptive than Prepared by Eva Ahlén reflection in the viewer, discusses if and how we hearing the music with Swedish vocals that were Introduction by Aleš Březina remember things. Our time, in which we are ever not part of the original version. Kerstin Avemo is

martinůrevue22019 | 17 first performance of juliette in ostrava reviews

In 11 April 2019, the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre staged the Ostrava premiere of Bohuslav Martinů’s Juliette, or, The Key to Dreams, H 253. The production was directed by SKUTR — the duo of Martin Kukučka and Lukáš Trpišovský, with music direction by Jakub Klecker, stage design by Martin Chocholoušek, costumes by Simona Rybáková, and choir direction by Jurij Galatenko. We offer a reflection of the Ostrava performance through the prism of several reviews.

Martinů’s Juliette enchanted Ostrava

/ MARTIN JEMELKA […] As a premiere, it was more than just a well- executed success – I would even dare to say it was a breakthrough, mainly thanks to its theatri - cal portrayal by the quartet of SKUTR (Martin Kukučka and Lukáš Trpišovský, direction), Martin Chocholoušek (stage), and Simona Rybáková (costumes). […] What a pity that the spectacle lasted only three hours. […] The first performance was reliably supported, in the best sense of the word, by the musical interpretation of Jakub Klecker and the first-rate line-up of the singers drawn from the top artists on the contemporary Czech scene. The titular duo of Kateřina Kněžíková (Juliette) and Luciano Mastro (Michel) – who gave the premiere performance ahead of the alternate, Jorge Garza – was perfectly matched. Following her roles in operas by Smetana and Dvořák, Mrs Kněžíková has grown and matured into a beautiful, strong woman who is hardly some impressionis ti cally ethereal fairy. Her Juliette is more like Salome than Mélisande; Juliette’s scorn - The role of Juliette is performed on an alternating schedule by Kateřina Kněžíková and Doubravka Součková (in the photo) ful rejection of Michel as a stuffed crocodile will hurt every man in the audience and cannot end otherwise than with gunfire… Luciano Mastro nation. They strove to narrate the opera as brought out all of the music’s substance in con - surprised me both with his Czech declamation a poetic painting whose semantic field is con - centrated form. www.ostravan.cz, 12 April 2019 and with his radiant timbre and dramatic acting, stantly disrupted by ever newer symbols and which was a far cry from the rigidity of some of metaphors. It is not their intention to come to Ostrava’s Juliette – surrealism his older roles. The duo of Kněžíková-Mastro was any conclusion, but to point to the complexity, with a human face and a smile a joy to hear, a joy to watch. […] The new Ostrava multi-layered nature and, in a way, incomprehen - / PETR VEBER production of Bohu slav Martinů’s three-act opera sibility of the world in which we live. […] The Juliette certainly deserves to be seen and heard. visual strengths of the Ostrava production are […] The directors chose an untrodden path to www.casopisharmonie.cz, 12 April 2019 in the excellent stage design of Martin Chocho - depict a situation without meaning, to lighten the loušek. […] The sets are aptly supported by the fruitless search for the ideal of woman – a fateful Ostrava’s Juliette aptly balances magnificent costumes of Simona Rybáková – vision, to suppress a dark and ethereal void of on the border between dream their hues and functionality are an ideal expres - options. Although some of the characters seemed and reality sion of the pecu liar atmosphere of the opera. […] to be without faces, the directors’ take on surreal - It is Martinů’s music that distils an incredible ism was unambiguously humanised, empathic, and / MILAN BÁTOR range of colours and symbols and diligently – importantly – with a pleasant and not insignifi - […] The director duo of SKUTR, Martin Kukučka completes the princi ples that the composer cant pinch of humour. Their pro duction of Juliette and Lukáš Trpišovský, based its premise for developed in his preceding operas. The precise, by Bohuslav Martinů was, in two words, unobtru - Juliette on the clash between reality and imagi - attentive direction and interpretation of Klecker sively perfect. Jakub Klecker supported them fully

18 | martinůrevue22019 y Alžběta Vomáčková (Fortune teller) and Luciano Mastro (Michel) > Anna Nitrová, Ivana Ambrúsová and Denisa Bílá (Three gentlemen) and Luciano Mastro (Michel)

with baton in hand. And the participating singers stage and the text of the libretto. Although the to the audience, and the relaxed acting also stimu - evidently implemented their ideas with zest. visual solutions of the direction can be surprising lates expressive vocal communication. The con - Kateřina Kněžíková (Juliette) gives the character at times, they do not contradict the words. What ductor Jakub Klecker has experience with Juliette all her temperament and charm, which covers a pleasure! www.klasikaplus.cz, 12 April 2019 from the Brno production, which was in unabbre - photos martin popelář photos a wonderfully broad spectrum from coquetry to viated form. His interpre tation here is filled with kindness to fury. She also gives Juliette a crystal- An essay and perhaps retrospect contrast, with an almost elemental force, yet clear voice, a beautifully warm lower register, on the dream-like Juliette, or, appropriately hushed in the lyrical passages. a sincere and enigmatic expression, and lucid Why it pays to visit Ostrava He is well matched with the poetics of the SKUTR diction. She is no ethereal spectre, but a young duo. […] If you are even just a little perceptive, / OLGA JANÁČKOVÁ woman, at times close, at times fleeting, behaving the staging will guide you along. It is visibly and just as unpredictably as the other inhabitants of […] The visual aspect of the production is uncom - audibly convincing in both ideas and emotions. […] the peculiar city without memory. […] The tenor monly powerful. […] And all of the performers make www.casopisharmonie.cz, 15 April 2019 Luciano Mastro as Michel shone with his resound - themselves excellently understood – a great rarity! ing voice, credible acting, and excellent Czech. […] […] The production captivates from the very first Next performances in Ostrava: 21 September 2019, The Ostrava production is a rare example of the note with its focus and the extraordinary zest of 4 October 2019, 7 November 2019, 20 December beautiful harmony between the happenings on all the participants. The positive energy spreads 2019 and 19 January 2020

news field mass and the spectre’s bride Bohuslav Martinů: FIELD MASS, H 279 THE SPECTRE’S BRIDE, H 214 I A The Bohuslav Martinů Complete Edition VI/2, vol. 2 Editor Paul Wingfield Lyrics in Czech BA 10573-01, cloth bond score (25,5 x 32,5 cm) • first ever scholarly-critical edition • detailed preface and critical commentary by the editor (Eng/Cz) • facsimiles section presenting important sources • appendix with the original version of the ending of the Field Mass and period translations of lyrics of the Field Mass in the section Librettos of Karel Jaromír Erben. It was initially conceived as part of the ballet The Chap-Book in 1932, but the composer later made it into a separate concert The latest volume of the Bohuslav Martinů Complete Edition comprises piece. two vocal-instrumental works. The Field Mass (1939), Cantata for Baritone, The main sources for both works were their autograph scores. The edition Male Chorus and Orchestra, was composed to the words of Jiří Mucha of the Field Mass also contains the original version of the composition’s (combined with biblical and liturgical excerpts) in response to the outbreak ending with a quote from the medieval Czech hymn Jezu Kriste, ščedrý kněže of World War II, and it was intended for outdoor perform ances. The Spectre’s and is supplemented with a number of period translations of the vocal text, Bride for soloists, female chorus and large orchestra is a setting of words includ ing four different translations into English. ❚

martinůrevue22019 | 19 5th Benefit Concert of the Bohuslav Martinů Institute marco borggreve photo 8 November 2019 / 7.30 pm The Kaiserstein Palace, Prague, CZ

Pavel Haas Quartet One of the “Top 10 String Quartets” (The Gramophone 2/2019)

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