JanàCek's London Visit

ZDENKA E. FISCHMANN

Janacek and his music are not very well-known in the Anglo-Saxon countries, and have only begun to penetrate there since the end of World War II. Some reasons for this lack of popularity are common to all Czech music, not Janacek alone. To mention the most obvious reasons: there are unequal opportunities for performances in different musical media. Symphonic, instrumental, and chamber music have a readier audience than vocal music in as unfamiliar a language as Czech. Therefore, Dvorak is better known and better represented in the American repertoire than Smetana. The lack of numerous opera houses on the North American continent, as compared with Europe, is another reason why essentially operatic composers like Smetana and Janacek are less often heard. But these are well-known facts. The question of style is subtler and, perhaps, open to discussion, but one might say simply, that Dvorak is more generally Slavic, Smetana most purely Czech, and Janacek much more personal and original; and this has set the order of preference to date, although these composers are now being reevaluated. Lack of in- formation and difficulty to access to Czech-language sources are also serious obstacles to the popularization of Czech music, especially that of Janacek. Nevertheless, Janacek is at last becoming known; his music is played more frequently than before, and the chronological sequence of "Smetana - Dvorak - Janacek" as "The Big Three of Czech music" is beginning to be firmly established. In Janacek's case, achievement of international recognition during his lifetime followed a certain pattern. He became very well known, even popular, in Germany and the continental Europe during the twenties. Selected dates demonstrate this: Jenufa was first performed in Vienna in 1918, and in Berlin in 1924. In 1928, Janacek could write proudly that this opera had been presented on about seventy stages in Germany and some other European countries.1 This German popularity was due 1 J-XIX, from January 12, 1928. Janâcek's London Visit 1337 primarily to the work of Max Brod, but there were other agents, also. One result was the New York premiere (in German) of Jenufa in 1924, after which there was a hiatus of 35 years until the 1959 Chicago presentation in English. In a way, too, the Latin American Jenufa in Buenos Aires derived from its German popularity, because it was per- formed there in 1950 and again in 1951 under Karl Böhm, and in 1963, under Ferdinand Leitner, with German singers. The only Czech per- former was the mezzo, Rûzena Hofâkovâ. Jenufa is the example chosen, because Janâcek always wished to be recognized first as an operatic composer. His chamber works and some of his symphonic works were played with more regularity and without major problems. In France, Janâcek found champions in men like Lionel de la Lau- rencie, president of the Société française de musicologie; Romain Rol- land; Henry Prunières of La revue musicale; François Marie William Ritter, who wrote for the Encyclopédie de la musique, and Daniel Muller, author of a biography of Janâcek, published in 1930, But Jenufa was not produced in France until in 1962, in Strassbourg. In the United States, it was the New York Times critic, Olin Downes, who made a special trip to Czechoslovakia in 1924, wrote a good review of the New York production of Jenufa, and devoted several articles to Janâcek. However, it was Mrs. Rosa Newmarch who did the most on his behalf in the English-speaking countries, during the twenties. Her first full-length article about Janâcek's Jenufa was called "A Slovak Music- Drama" 2 and appeared in 1919. It was followed by one in the Slavonic Revue 3 in 1922, and many others during the following years. She arranged to have Janâcek's music performed in London as early as 1922, and planned his official invitation and the London concert in 1926. She is the author of the Janâcek articles in Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, editions of 1927, 1932, and 1941, which for a long time remained almost the only major source on him in English. The Janâcek-Newmarch correspondence 4 reveals much about the way

2 In The Musical Times, Dec. 1, 1919. 3 Leos Jaruicek and Moravian Music Drama. 4 This article is based on the unpublished correspondence between Leos JanâCek (1854-1928) and Mrs. Rosa Newmarch (1857-1940). The letters, written from 1922 through 1928, were given in 1949 to Dr. Leos Firkusny, Czcch musicologist and expert on Janâcek, by Miss Elsie Newmarch, daughter of the late Rosa New- march. Dr. Firkusny died (1950) in Argentina, before he could do any work on this correspondence. His widow, the singer Rûzena Horâkovâ-Firkusny asked me in 1964 to take charge of the editing and publishing of these letters. At the mo- ment, the Janâcek-Newmarch Correspondence is ready for print. Janâcek's Lon- 1338 Zdenka E. Fischmann in which Mrs. Newmarch went about popularizing Janacek's work in England. Moreover, it is quite interesting from the human point of view, as the personalities of both writers come forward very clearly. And both were decidedly "characters". On one hand, we have Mrs. Newmarch, associated with the Queen's Hall concerts, intelligent, practical, tactful, and kind, highly educated, well-informed, understanding of how to treat artists, and very energetic in her effort to achieve the recognition of the then-modern music, un- known in Great Britain. On the other hand, there is Leos Janacek, three years her senior, a little provincial, a stubborn creative artist intent on his work, an un- inhibited writer of letters throughout his lifetime, a man of strong opin- ions expressed concisely, recognized internationally only in his old age, enjoying deeply and a little shyly his long-delayed but well-deserved fame. Mrs. Newmarch, of course, was the champion of Russian music in England until her last trip to Russia in 1915. Then she became inter- ested in the music of other Slavic nations. From 1918, when Czecho- slovakia became a free state, she dedicated herself to the music of that country. She went to Prague in 1919, by invitation of the composer and director of the National Theatre, Karel Kovafovic, and heard Jenufa, among other Czech operas. On that occasion, she travelled through parts of the country, but did not meet Janacek in Brno. In April 1922, she was again in Prague. Janacek, following the sug- gestion of a mutual acquaintance,5 invited her to Brno for a perform- ance of his Kat'a Kabanova. In her reply, Mrs. Newmarch wrote to Janacek of her wish to hear more of the modern Moravian music, and her desire to make his personal acquaintance, because, as she said:6 "I am already a great admirer of your works and consider Jeji pastor- kyna [Jenufa] one of the most remarkable of all modern music dramas." The meeting took place and Mrs. Newmarch returned to England, an ardent Janacek enthusiast. Later in July of the same year,7 she wrote again to tell Janacek about her plans for the London fall season: two conferences on Czechoslovak don Visit is one of the themes discussed thoroughly in a group of letters from 1926. The symbols used in the footnotes refer to the numbering of the letters in the Janacek (J) - Newmarch (N) correspondence. 5 Prof. F. Chudoba, then living in England. « N-l, April 13, 1922. 7 N-2, July 25, 1922. Janâcek's London Visit 1339 music, with examples of Kovarovic' and Foerster's works, and the English premiere of Janâcek's Diary of One Who Vanished. The tenor part of this work was to be sung by the Danish singer, Mischa Léon, who went to Czechoslovakia, not only to study the text in the original language, but also to seek some direct musical guidance from Janâcek - all this at Mrs. Newmarch's suggestion. The Diary was performed on October 21, 1922, and the next day, Mrs. Newmarch wrote her report to Janâcek:8 "I am not sure whether I can quite truthfully say that Zapisnik was a success in the common sense of the word. That is to say the Press. The public were very deeply impressed. I saw many people moved to tears by M. Mischa Léon's beautiful interpretation. He felt the songs so intensely that when he sang, he seemed transfigured into a young Slovak peasant. He looked 19, and torn by the crisp pangs of remorse. Wonderful! etc." The next important exchange of letters took place in August and October 1923. Janâcek happily and proudly wrote 9 about the Salzburg Festival of Contemporary Chamber Music where his Sonata for Violin and Piano was played; he complained of the lack of understanding in his own country, the sad state of the balance of his accounts with the Universal Edition, and difficulties getting permission from the dramatist Capek to compose a new opera based on Capek's The Makropulos Case. Mrs. Newmarch, very busy with the Queen's Hall concert series, had some good news:10 Janâcek's first symphonic poem, The Fiddler's Child, composed in 1912 and first presented in Prague in 1917, was included in a London symphonic program for May 1924. She suggested also "some Shakespearean comedy libretto" or "something quite modern? Nobody has ever yet thought of making a libretto from H. G. Wells!" This was a very interesting idea, but Janâcek's reaction is unknown, since he had made his arrangements for The Makropulos Case after all. For the year 1924, there is only one letter 11 in which Janâcek invites Mrs. Newmarch to attend the Berlin premiere of Jenufa and mentions another possible meeting in Brno. A short note from Mrs. Newmarch in 1925 12 reveals that she had closely studied Janâcek's The Cunning Little Vixen and felt that it was difficult to "make up my mind about it yet; it is so unlike any other opera in the world". 8 N-3, Oct.28, 1922. » J-IV, August 13, 1923. >» N-5, October 4, 1923. 11 J-V, March 5, 1924. 12 N-6, April 26, 1925. 1340 Zdenka E. Fischmann

It is a pity that the correspondence for 1924 and 1925 is virtually non-existent, because this was the time of Janâcek's major success in Berlin and Venice, the New York premiere of Jenufa, etc. Another event that made Janâcek very happy was receiving an honorary doctorate from Masaryk University in Brno. From then on, all his letters are proudly signed: Drph. Leos Janâcek. Next, we come to an important letter 13 dated January 29, 1926, which reads as follows:

Dear Mistr 14 [Maestro], You must ask one of our English friends (Valerie Joklovâ, if you can get her) to translate this letter. I have suggested to the Legation here that you should pay us a visit to London. I should like to have you and dear Mme. Janâckovâ as my guests, and while you are here we will organise a concert of your works. An operatic performance is impossible I fear. But we could play: the Kvarteto (Z podnëtu Tolstého Kreutzerovy Sonaty) [1st. Quartet], The Suita pro dechové nâstroje [Suite for Wind Instruments]. The Sonata for Violin - and some songs. Unfortunately Mischa Léon is somewhere in America. He and his wife separated, and I am afraid he has gone off on account of debts - etc. etc. So we cannot do Zâpisnik zmizelého [Diary of One Who Vanished], I hear that my suggestion is now under consideration in Prague. I hope you have heard - or will hear something about it by now. If you come, your Minister, Dr. Masaryk,15 will, I am sure, take a personal interest in it all. Elsie and I will take great care of you both. I will arrange a party in your honour and see that you visit our Royal Academy and Royal College of Music. You shall see London comfortably and something of our country. We might visit Oxford and Shakespeare's Stratford-on-Avon. My house is so small, only a "domik" [sic!, little house], so that I could not make you comfortable here, but I will take rooms for you in a nice quiet hotel, and come every day to take you out. In April and early May the climate is often quite beautiful here. My son is a very good doctor and would help Elsie and myself to keep you well and happy. I hope this visit will take place; we have it very much to heart. With affectionate greetings to you both, your friend Rosa Newmarch. P.S. I have written a long article upon you and your Music for Grove's Dictionary of Music. 13 N-7. 14 Mrs. Newmarch knew Czech well enough to read and understand it. She often used single expressions and cited the titles of Janâcek's works in Czech. Her letters were written in English, of course, and JanâSek wrote in Czech. There- fore, his letters have had to be translated into English. 15 Dr. Jan Masaryk (1886-1948) was Czechoslovak Minister in London from 1925 to 1938. Janàcek's London Visit 1341

Janacek replied on February 2, 1926: 16

Dear Madame: Certainly you, too, will find somebody who can translate my letter for you. Your invitation made me very happy, and Zdenka 17 no less. I would like to see your country, because of your concern for me and my work. If they were presenting any of my dramatic works there, then I wouldn't hesitate for long. In a dramatic work, a man and a nation show up more clearly, and in that case it would be important that the staging and the performance be good. Those "trifles", even if they include a quartet, etc., you will manage well. Why even our Embassy will see to it. I am not refusing - I shall wait. Until April-May there is a lot of time yet. In Prague, they are to perform my Concertino for piano and Dances for orchestra In Brno, they gave my first opera, Sârka; the piano score will appear in the Universal Edition. I am expecting Concertino in print soon; will send it to you promptly. The Makropulos Case is finished. I hope you are healthy and busy. I am not complaining. I thank you once more for the kind invitation and am, for you and all yours, Yours very truly Drph. Leos Janacek I send greetings from my wife.

With these first letters about the London trip, several points became immediately clear, primarily, Mrs. Newmarch's wonderful willingness to arrange every detail of the whole visit to make it musically profitable and personally agreeable for Janacek, who seemed hesitant to undertake the trip. In the next letters, all important arrangements were discussed. The invitation was extended to both Janacek and his wife, but the composer had other ideas, because, as he wrote,18 "it wouldn't be a journey for fun. I wish to have my eyes and my ears open for everything. There- fore, I will not take my wife with me, but a young musician 19 who has mastered English perfectly. I wish to make good use of my time be- " J-VI. 17 Zdenka Janâckovâ, née Schulz (1865-1938), the composer's wife. « J-VIII, February 24, 1926. " This young musician was going to be Karel Boleslav Jirâk (b. 1891), professor of composition at the Prague Conservatory, now living in the U.S. He refused, mainly because he considered his English was not "perfect" enough at that time. 1342 Zdenka E. Fischmann cause I would like to be back in a week." This travelling companion turned out to be Jan Mikota,20 a representative of Hudebni Matice, who knew some English and later wrote several articles21 about one trip. Mrs. Newmarch would have preferred Mrs. Janacek 22 for the social as- pects of the visit, since interpreters could be easily found at the Lega- tion, but Janacek was adamant on this point. The date for the concert23 was set for May 6, or about ten days before the London opera season started, when the best wind players were still available. The concert was to take place at Wigmore Hall, a rather small hall for about 600, very suitable for chamber music. Janacek was to live not far away, at the Langham Hotel, opposite the Queen's Hall. And Mrs. Newmarch even thought about its convenience as a meeting place for many artists, and moreover there were some Czech waiters employed there. The final content of the program 24 was decided:

1st Quartet, to be played by the Woodhouse String Quartet; Sonata for Violin and Piano, performed by Adila Fachiri and Fanny Davies; Wind Sextet "Youth" (Mladi), performed by the Queen's Hall Wind Sextet; Fairy Tale (Pohadka) for cello and piano, played by Ivor James and Fanny Davies; and Concertino, by Fanny Davies and the chamber group. Janacek liked it that way because "the beginning and the end should be good". He agreed that English artists should be the performers, with one exception. His Concertino had just been premiered in Brno and Prague by Ilona Stepanova-Kurzova, and he longed to have her play in Lon- don too. In several letters,25 he mentioned hopefully that she played it extremely well from memory, and with much spirit. Even when Mrs. Newmarch explained to him that it was impossible to invite any artists other than himself, and that Miss Davies was a very intelligent and experienced pianist willing to follow his criticisms and suggestions, he

20 Jan Mikota (b. 1903), secretary of the Czechoslovak Section of the ISCM, associated with Hudebni Matice in Prague. 21 "Leos Janacek in England", in Listy Hudebni matice, V (1926-27), and in Musikbldtter des Anbruch, VIIJ, 7 (1926). 22 N-10, March 4, 1926. 23 N-9, February 19, 1926. 24 J-IX, March 20, 1926. 25 J-VII (Feb. 15), J-VIII (Feb. 24). Janàcek's London Visit 1343 returned to the subject, writing that he simply thought it would mean a saving of rehearsal time, since Mrs. Stépànovà already knew the work. Here the matter seemed to rest. Another theme which recurred throughout Janàcek's letters was his ardent wish and hope to have some of his operas performed in England. Mrs. Newmarch explained to him that the best way was to get to be known by his other works. There might then be some chance later, as had happened in London with composers such as Debussy, Strauss, Mussorgsky, and others whose operas were performed after they had achieved fame through minor works. She said: "We have not yet any national or state opera-house in which repertory operas are given, and I do not think anything will be sufficiently established to venture on novelties for several years to come. We have a short series of operas at Covent Garden . . . but the repertoire is always much the same: 4-5 weeks of Wagner followed by Italian opera. Much influence, favouri- tism, and money would be needed to get a new work performed." 26 Nevertheless, Janàcek wrote again about the trifling program, which, in his own words, reminded him of a "mountain arising threateningly to give birth to a little mouse". But Mrs. Newmarch had the chamber music players at her disposition, and felt rightly that an all-Janàcek program, with the composer present, would call enough attention to him to smooth the way for bigger orchestral works. An opera might then eventually follow. She concluded a long article announcing Janàcek's visit in the Times by mentioning the operas anyway: "It would be interesting to hear one of Janàcek's operas in this country. But for this we may have to wait as long as we waited for the production of Mous- sorgsky's Boris Godunov. These who are curious as to his style and methods must in the meanwhile content themselves with the concert of his chamber music to be given at Wigmore Hall next week. All his works are highly characteristic, and we may learn something about him through the small end of the telescope. . . ."27 Her intention was excellent, even if special circumstances marred this occasion and all expectations were not fulfilled, as we still see. Another important part of the preparations was the organizing of an official reception committee. Its members were really representative of the London musical life, all prominent musicians and music teachers. The committee 28 consisted of:

2» N-8, February 11, 1926. 27 "A Czechoslovak Composer. Janàcek in England", The Times, May (1926). 28 N-12, April 15, 1926. 1344 Zdenka E. Fischmann

Dr. John McEwen, Director of the Royal Academy of Music; Sir Hugh Allen, Director of the Royal College of Music; Sir Henry Wood, con- ductor; Dr. Vaughan Williams; Dr. Adrian Boult; Miss Fanny Davies; and Mrs. Rosa Newmarch.

Receptions were planned by the Czechoslovak Legation, which was very helpful during Janacek's visit; by the Czech colony in London, and by the School of Slavonic Studies at London University. Also, of course, a schedule was arranged for rehearsals and some sight-seeing. Janacek expressed a special wish to hear some modern English music, to see the Thames, and not to have to pay too many visits. In the midst of all this preparation, and while Mrs. Newmarch was giving him final instructions about keeping warm during the crossing,29 and while more than twelve hundred announcements of the concert were printed,30 Janacek sent the following letter, dated April 10.31

Dear Madame: I am glad you have the program for the concert already prepared. I have learnt only now you are doing it all at your risk. I really do not know how I merit this from you. But of one thing I am sure: that I should go to London with one major work and not with these blossoms [i.e., minor compositions], plucked here and there from the meadow of my mind. But other clouds are gathering and it is hard to ward them off. Tilt this moment, even though I cabled yesterday for the decision, I have not come to an understanding with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. First, they offered me 150 £, then haggled down to 14,000 of our crowns, [stating] "that it is necessary to consider the possibility of an eventual deficit for the concert, which might have to be made up". This cut me to the quick, naturally - and I gave back those 14,000 crowns. And the second cloud. Have you received my card from Tatry? I was seeking relief in the hot mountain sun after an attack of influenza. I got better, except that I can't hear with my left ear! Thus, it seems, you will be giving the concert without me. And another note about how they regard me in my country. An informative article about me was sent from Prague to the Chester House, London. By chance, it fell into my hands. My biggest enemy couldn't write worse [things]. I won't even mention the nonsense and falsehoods. They say that my principle of the so-called speech-melodies [napevky] is detrimental to what I write for orchestra. That means that everything in the London

» N-ll, March 28, 1926. 80 N-14, April 18, 1926. « J-X. Janàcek's London Visit 1345 concert [program] is worthless! Against stupidity, it is hardest to fight - and all my life, I have found that it is a useless fight. If the clouds disappear, I will send a cable two days before my departure to show it. Keep in good health. Yours very truly, Drph. Leos Janacek

It looked as if, after all, Mrs. Newmarch would have "to play Hamlet with the role of Hamlet left out", to use her expression. Only a week before the intended departure, Janacek could write:32

Dear Madame:

So, the clouds disappeared. I am going for sure. I leave from Prague 28/IV on Wednesday at noon. We are to be in London 29/IV on Thursday evening. I shall look for Miss Elsie. With me will go Mr. Mikota, representa- tive of Hudebni Matice. He knows a little English. I am also writing to our Embassy. But the expenses for me and Mr. Mikota - that is my worry! You really have enough on your shoulders already! That was what discussed here; I had to carry it out, and it was done. Therefore, no worries about me and Mr. Mikota! I look forward to the rehearsals. To the happy meeting. Yours very truly, Drph. Leos Janacek

The trip and the first days in London went according to schedule and Janacek was very happy. He met and heard all the performers, who were waiting for his last instructions before the concert, and found the works quite well prepared. But the Concertino was cancelled because Janacek felt it was insufficiently rehearsed. An attempt was made, at the last moment, to call Ilona Stepanova from Prague to London, but the cable didn't reach her. Therefore, the Concertino was not performed at the London concert. The correspondence does mention this incident in- directly. Almost a year later, one of Mrs. Newmarch's letters has a post- script which says, very tactfully: "The word Concertino still makes my heart [tremble]." 33 Later, in his feuilleton Sea, Land,3* Janacek expressed his impressions of both the English performances and the reaction of the public. He

32 J-XI, April 21, 1926. One can feel how excited JanaCek was. His sentences are even shorter and more emphatic, and his handwriting is about 2/3 bigger than in calmer moments. 33 N-19, February 28, 1927. 34 Leos Janacek: Feuilletons (Brno, 1958), p. 172, sq. 1346 Zdenka E. Fischmann related the sea, which "gives limit to everything", and the English climate with British musical conservatism and the rather cool manner of the performers. He said, among other things, that only Adila Fachiri had a musical temperament to his taste. "In my Youth and the Quartet on Tolstoy's Kreutzer Sonata, the smile languished, the joke turned serious, the horror didn't frighten, the passion didn't burst forth. "But he recognized readily the clean-cut correctness of the performance. On the other hand, we may surmise that his stress on passionate and emotional playing must have seemed exaggerated to the English. The social part of the visit was a big success. Janacek made two im- promptu speeches, at the Czechoslovak Club and at the School for Slavonic studies; he met many important musicians, heard a concert of old English songs by a boys' choir, saw something of London and a little of the countryside, and even spent some time at the London Zoo transcribing speech-motives at Monkey Hill. In general, he took to everything with his usual enthusiasm and astonished everybody with his marvelous vitality - that of a 72-year-old "youngster". Then, on May 4, serious problems arose as the famous Big Coal Strike started. The concert took place on the 6th of May, but with many difficulties. There were no printed programs, and the composi- tions had to be announced from the stage. Some of the musicians and the majority of the public arrived on foot. The oboist, Leon Goosens, for example, had a three hour walk. But the concert went well and im- pressed the audience very favourably. The works were accepted with much enthusiastic applause, and the reception of the performance was very cordial. Because of the strike, no criticism could be published for some days, since no newspapers appeared. Furthermore, the rest of the visit was spoilt for Janacek by his worry about how and when he could leave. He had to wait until May 10, and became quite restless because he had much work waiting for him. On his way home, he spent two days in Holland for a little rest and stopped in Prague before returning to Brno. On May 14, he wrote to Mrs. Newmarch: 35

Dear Madame:

At home and happily at home! The last moments in London were so tense because of that uncertainty of how I would get home that all the other interests became secondary. My

35 J-XII. Janacek's London Visit 1347 first letter since arrival belongs to you. You planned everything with an able hand, and your energy brought [the occasion] to a point indicating victory. But we shall exclaim hurrah, when Jenufa begins to sing that she knows the love that pleases God! Some more water will flow [under the bridge] - and I won't be inactive. Tomorrow there is the dress rehearsal for Mr. Broucek's Excursions. It is said they made it "a la bobbed hair", i.e., they made many cuts! 1 probably shall not go to Berlin and as to the Sinfonietta, there isn't even time to copy the parts and study it. Therefore, I'll vanish into the woods. I thank you cordially for your devoted help: how many worries you had with it. And here in Prague, they organized some sort of a party and danced the shimmy and other - dances! With those, they obviously wish to conquer the world. I disappeared from that lively company and I'm happy here in Brno on the lee. Grant yourself some rest, too! I will let you know when there is news. Yours very truly, Drph. Leos Janacek. Greetings to your daughter.

Mrs. Newmarch answered with some personal news and then evaluated the visit in this way: "It was a great pleasure to have you in London. I am sorry that the strike did, to some extent, spoil the concert, but it has been very much talked of in musical circles. We must see what can be done in the autumn to repeat the works." 36 On the other hand, H. C. Colles, the music critic for the Times and editor of Grove's, resumed the result of the concert in the following manner: 37 "Unfortunately his visit coincided with the general strike, and though several of his chamber works were performed in London, his presence hardly attracted the attention it deserved." We can only imagine what disappointment this bad luck must have caused, because Janacek's visit was meant to be a very special occa- sion. He was the first Czechoslovak musician to have been honored by a special official English invitation since Dvorak in 1884. This was achieved by the great effort of Mrs. Newmarch, with her sincere interest in Janacek's work, and she didn't cease from her "battle for Janacek", in spite of some personal family losses which she suffered shortly after the concert. As a direct aftermath of the concert, there are several things to con- sider. First, in the fall of 1926 there were some talk and press notices about the possibility of presenting Jenufa.™ This came to nothing, since

36 N-16, May 23, 1926. 37 Grove's Dictionary, Supplementary Volume, N.Y., 1940). 38 N-18, September 4, 1926. 1348 Zdenka E. Fischmann Turandot was chosen as the only novelty for the next opera season. Second, in October of the same year, Taras Bulba was presented by Sir Henry Wood, the Quartet was repeated, and Marycka Magdonova and The Seventy Thousand were heard. Third, Janacek dedicated his newest work, Sinfonietta, to Mrs. Newmarch and the London com- mittee.39 For this, she expressed her thanks in a special way: "Now how can I thank you enough for the dedication of the Sinfonietta? I am too proud of this honour, because you know, dear Mistr [Maestro], that I have the conviction of your great and unique power. It is not a ques- tion of opinion. I feel in my bones that your music is great music. Therefore, to be associated with it is a joy." The Sinfonietta was pre- miered in London at the beginning of the year 1928,40 and, as far as I have been able to determine, was the last of Janacek's new works per- formed in England during his lifetime. After Janacek died (August 12, 1928), Mrs. Newmarch wrote his obituary and organised a commemorative evening of his songs. She continued writing about him on every occasion when any of his works were performed. Thus, she and other English musicians, like Sir Henry Wood, who had met him during the London visit, remained faithful to his music and introduced his other works, one by one. For example, the Lachian Dances were first performed in London in 1930, and the Glagolitic Mass in Norwich the same year. When Janacek's last opera, From the House of the Dead, was presented posthumously in Czecho- slovakia and other European countries, Mrs. Newmarch wrote a report on it for the Chesterian (July, 1931), and so on. But with the depression and then the war, even though she survived Janacek by many years, she didn't live to hear one of his operas in England. She died in 1940, and the first English performance of Katia Kabanova took place in 1951; Jenufa had to wait until 1956. For her unselfish efforts, Janacek's words to the Czech residents in London are still as valid as they were in 1926. Janacek said: "She has something in common with our country. She likes it, she likes its music. I am surprised how much good one person is able to do. . . . Believe me, sometimes entire organizations don't manage [to achieve] what she does . . .."

59 J-XV, September 8, 1926. 40 J-XX, February 18, 1928. Janàcek's London Visit 1349

WORKS BY JANÂCEK MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE

Title Date(s) of Date and Place Composition of World Premiere Concertino 1925 Feb. 16, 1926; Brno Cunning Little Vixen, The 1921-1923 Nov. 6, 1924; Brno Diary of One Who Vanished 1917-1919 Apr. 18, 1921; Brno Excursions of Mr. Broucek, The 1908-1917 Apr. 23, 1920; Prague Fairy Tale 1910 Feb. 21, 1923; Prague Fiddler's Child 1912 Nov. 14, 1917; Prague From the House of the Dead 1927-1928 Apr. 12, 1930; Brno Glagolitic Mass 1926 Dec. 5, 1927; Brno Jenufa 1894-1903 Jan. 21, 1904; Brno Katia Kabanova 1919-1921 Nov. 23, 1921; Brno Lachian Dances 1889-1890 Feb. 21, 1926; Prague (concert form) Makropulos Case, The 1923-1925 Dec. 18, 1926; Brno Marycka Magdonova 1908 (Different versions) 1st Quartet (On Tolstoy's Kreutzer Sonata) 1923 Oct. 17, 1924; Prague Sdrka (Different versions) 1887, 1888, 1918, 1924 Nov. 11, 1925; Brno Seventy Thousand, The 1909 (Different versions) Sinfonietta 1926 June 26, 1926; Prague Sonata for Violin and Piano 1913-1921 (Different versions) Taras Bulba 1915-1918 Oct. 9, 1921; Brno "Youth" (Wind Sextet, or Suite for Wind Instruments) 1924 Oct. 21, 1924; Brno