Concerto No. 1 for and Orchestra Bohuslav Martinů

ohuslav Martinů entered the Prague Con - He reported its completion that December, Bservatory as a violinist when he was 16, but Dushkin then demanded revisions, and but his interests, which included a passion more revisions, and still more revisions. for theater and literature, proved too broad- The violinist took the music with him on an ranging to spell success at what was essen - American tour in 1933, promising to seek an tially a technical school. In June 1910 he was opportunity for its premiere. This came to expelled for “incorrigible negligence.” naught; in fact, Dushkin stipulated even more By the end of World War I, still in his 20s, changes when he returned to Paris. Discus - he had completed some 120 scores. In 1923 a sions about his unveiling the piece in Prague modest fellowship enabled him to study in led nowhere. He also gave thumbs down to Paris, where his teacher, Albert Roussel, in - letting other eager violinists introduce the stilled the sense of clarity and order so es - as he delayed: not Martinů’s friend teemed among French composers. Martinů Stanislav Novák, concertmaster of the Czech stayed for 17 years, mostly in a state of indi - Philharmonic; not Louis Krasner, who envi - gence, lapping up the influence of the pass - sioned a performance in the United States. In ing avant-garde — especially Stravinsky — the end, Dushkin never played it. and earning respect for his own composi - The manuscript went missing, assumed to tions. Friends urged him to return to Prague, have been left in Europe when the Martinůs where a position at the conservatory would fled, and probably destroyed. In fact, it sur - probably have been his for the asking. But he vived. Accounts of its rediscovery differ, but and his wife felt it wiser to continue west what is certain is that it came into the pos - rather than east, and, following the Nazi in - session of Martinů’s friend Boaz Piller, con - vasion, they left Paris in June 1940, taking trabassoonist of the Boston Symphony only what they could fit in a single suitcase. Orchestra, and from him into the renowned Eventually they made their way via Lisbon to archive of Hans Moldenhauer in Tacoma, New York, where they arrived on March 31, Washington. By the 1970s Moldenhauer had 1941. Martinů hoped to return to Prague fol - lowing World War II, but the imposition of a Communist regime made that impractical. IN SHORT Following a dozen years in the United States, Born: December 8, 1890, in Polička, Bohemia he spent his final decade moving about in (today Czech Republic) quest of a satisfying place to live, reaching Died: August 28, 1959, in Liestal, near Basel, his end near Basel, where he died of cancer. Switzerland While in Paris, his path crossed with that Work composed: June 1932 to (probably) of Samuel Dushkin, for whom Stravinsky December 1934 wrote his in 1931. That piece was to be published by the Schott music com - Work premiered: October 25, 1973, by the pany, which shortly thereafter got on board Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti, conductor, Joseph Suk, soloist with the idea of another concerto to spotlight Dushkin, this time by Martinů. Correspon - New York Philharmonic premiere: these dence between the composer and publisher performances document his concerto’s frustrating history. Estimated duration: ca. 24 minutes

NOVEMBER 2018 | 29 placed the score at Northwestern University Strangely enough, not even Martinů’s clos - in Chicago (it was later transferred to the Li - est associates ever knew of the work’s exis - brary of Congress). He recounted: tence. It is said to have originated upon the suggestion of Mr. Samuel Dushkin …. But On hearing Joseph Suk perform a Mozart when I spoke to Mr. Dushkin about the Vi - Concerto with the Chicago Symphony in olin Concerto, the artist voiced surprise January 1971, I contacted him and sug - that the work had ever been carried to com - gested an East-West cultural collaboration pletion; he had a faint recollection of hav - in which the violinist would give the pre - ing once seen the draft of one movement. mière of the Martinů Concerto on both continents, in Chicago and Prague. Martinů’s correspondence with his pub - lisher tells a different story. The truth lies … That is precisely what happened: Suk where? played the work with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in October 1973, with Georg Solti Instrumentation: two (one doubling conducting, and then performed it the fol - piccolo), two , two , two lowing September in Prague, with Zdeněk , four horns, two , three Košler conducting the Czech Philharmonic. trombones, , triangle, snare drum, The program for the World Premiere in - cym bals, military drum, , and cluded this comment from Moldenhauer: strings, in addition to the solo violin.

Collaboration Consternation

Violinist Samuel Dushkin (1891–1976), who was central to the saga of Martinů’s Violin Concerto No. 1, is widely remembered for championing Igor Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto, which he pre - miered in October 1931, and Duo concertant , which Dushkin and Stravinsky (as pianist) unveiled a year later, just as Martinů was composing his concerto. Stravinsky, who was not trained as a violinist, was persuaded to write a violin concerto only when Dushkin promised to consult on technical matters — which inevitably led to musical matters. Their interactive process proved congenial; indeed, the Duo concertant is often referred to as a collaboration between the composer and the violinist. Martinů, in contrast, was an adept violinist, and, notwith - standing his gentle and self-effacing personality, he may have been less comfortable countenancing the amount of input to which Dushkin had grown accustomed. Although the Violin Con - certo No. 1 reached a brick wall in Dushkin, the composer and the violinist remained friends both in Paris and New York. And they had a happier experience with Martinů’s Suite concertante for Violin and Orchestra (1938–39); it was dedicated to Dushkin, who played its premiere — and the piece was published with its violin part “arranged by Samuel Dushkin.”

Martinů in New York, 1945

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