Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

[Kuhlau]

Martinu is a composer I know only by name, so I have this coming from Amazon:



I'm also getting this for comparison:



FK

[karlhenning]

Although most of it is "light," and therefore not in contention for Greatest Piano Music of the Century, FK, I find his piano solo music unfailingly engaging.

[SonicMan46]

Martinu is a composer I know only by name, so I have this coming from Amazon:

 

Well, glad that this thread has been reactivated - have little Martinu myself - just the 2 discs below of 'chamber works' (and one w/ just a sextet) - 

But would really like to obtain one of those Symphony sets shown above - both have been discussed previously in this thread w/ some leaning of opinions towards the Neumann, I believe. 

Will give my 2 Martinu discs a spin shortly - 

 

[Kuhlau]

I'm particularly interested to discover how Thomson will fare beside Neumann. Both are great conductors, but the former seems often to be unjustly overshadowed by bigger names. To stray OT for a moment, take his Bax symphonies cycle versus that of Handley. I've heard both and have no hesitation in saying that I feel Thomson's is the stronger of the two.

FK

[Guido]

Lebrecht on Martinu - http://www.scena.org/columns/lebrecht/090318-NL-Martinu.html

One of the few articles where he is not being negative - in fact he writes glowingly about the great man.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

One of the few articles where he is not being negative - in fact he writes glowingly about the great man.

Yes, a surprisingly warm contribution from the great cynic.

It's funny, but another critic a lot of people can't stand (David Hurwitz) was one of the people who turned me on to Martinu in the first place. For that reason, I retain a soft spot for the cranky SOB 

[nut-job]

I'm particularly interested to discover how Thomson will fare beside Neumann. Both are great conductors, but the former seems often to be unjustly overshadowed by bigger names. To stray OT for a moment, take his Bax symphonies cycle versus that of Handley. I've heard both and have no hesitation in saying that I feel Thomson's is the stronger of the two.

FK

I think Thomson overdoes them in places, drives them too hard with too exaggerated sense of dynamics, when more of a rhapsodic approach would work better.  Some parts have a neo-baroque flavour that gets lost in Thomson's versions.  I have the Valek set on Supraphon which I think I got on a pricing error (new release, 3 disc set for $12).  Doesn't blow me away, but lets the music breath.

[Kuhlau]

Thanks for the replies, chaps. I'm still weighing up Thomson against Neumann. I'd say the latter has the edge so far.

FK

[snyprrr]

Confessions of a "gave Martinu every chance in the book" addict:

I find him pretty equal with pieces I really don't like, and pieces I love. First, the love:

Syms. 6-9: yea, I know, but Syms. Fantastiques, Estampes, and Parables DO have all in common, ushering in M.'s "late style."  I'm not a fan of syms.1-5, generally, but everyone knows how his style really congealed in sym.6. Especially, the Parables are very rare and exquisite. Also in this category are the Fresques. I think this is truly mid-20th cent. impressionism at its finest. Basically, every work of the 50s exhibits the Martinu that speaks to me.

Piano Ctos 4-5: same style, same applies. I have the RCA, and I do find all the ctos. "fun."

Nonet (1959)/ Chamber Music No.1: no one has mentioned M.'s greatest??? chamber work.  Once again, late Martinu, same applies.

SQ No.7 "Cto. de Camera": M.'s last, and only SQ that "sounds" like late M. Not a big fan of SQs 1-6.  Is this the perfect neo-classical SQ?

String Sextet (1930?): I think this is a minor masterpiece in the rep. To me, it doesn't sound so much like other M. from the period.  It has a darkness and seriousness I like (as opposed to the tough vnc. sonatas, which I'm not fond of).

Piano Qnt No.2: on ASV w/Dvorak. Another "glorious" work.

Lidice: nuff said. Great piece.

Inventions for piano and orch: one of my favs from the 20s-30s. Very "gothic" sounding. The Piano Trio Ctos 1-2, SQ Cto, Double Cto, and others from the period I have varying degrees of "eh". Depends on mood.

Flute Sonata: out of all those flute trios, and mixed ensembles, this one is just, well, nice. Find a cd with Martinu/Hindemith/Prokofiev/Poulenc for the perfect sonata recital.

Tre Ricercar and "the other piece I can't remember": both are on the Hogwood/Decca disc. More "gothic" fun.

Sinf. La Jolla and Sinf. Giocosa: once again, "fun", the Giocosa being very substantial. Generally, I seem to like the piano ctos. Both, also on the Hogwood disc.



ok...I'm getting tired...point being that it seems you have to listen to a lot of Martinu to get the picture. The person who rejected M. from the cello sonatas points up the problem. I, too, really don't like his tough, dark sonatas, but thankfully I came to Martinu first through Symphonies Fantastiques. Why didn't anyone just recommend this perfect piece?  Technically, it is his best calling card piece, no? Mysterious and life affirming.
Now, in all this confusion I have forgotten all the Martinu I don't like (I can do without the "jazz", the violin sonatas, many ctos), and there is even more that I do like (once again, anything from the 50s).

For anyone coming to Martinu cold, please read all the good advice. Remember, wisdom is learning from other people's mistakes!

[nut-job]

Syms. 6-9: yea, I know, but Syms. Fantastiques, Estampes, and Parables DO have all in common, ushering in M.'s "late style."  I'm not a fan of syms.1-5, generally, but everyone knows how his style really congealed in sym.6. Especially, the Parables are very rare and exquisite. Also in this category are the Fresques. I think this is truly mid-20th cent. impressionism at its finest. Basically, every work of the 50s exhibits the Martinu that speaks to me.

Ok, you've lost me, there are only 6 Symphonies.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

...point being that it seems you have to listen to a lot of Martinu to get the picture.

That's good advice but you don't have a single Martinu opera on your list! This was no side diversion for Martinu - it was his main event. He wrote prolifically for the stage.

Don't let another moment pass before you hear Julietta and then move on to whatever else you can find (opera-wise) on Supraphon.

[vandermolen]

I like much of Martinu's music and think highly of Bryden Thomson's set of the symphonies. Like Mark (I think I've got that right!), I think that his Bax cycle is very good and his performance of Nympholept much better than the hyped up Vernon Handley recording (or the Naxos version). As for Martinu - nothing for me is as good as Martin Turnovsky's version of Symphony No 4 (my intro to Martinu on LP). Other favourites are The Parables (after St Exupery), Frescoes of Piero della Francesca and the Field Mass. He is generally well served on record and I enjoyed Walter Weller's new recording of Symphony No 4. I wished I'd seen Julietta on stage when I had the chance.

[sul G]

As for Martinu - nothing for me is as good as Martin Turnovsky's version of Symphony No 4 (my intro to Martinu on LP).

Absolutely. The same goes for me too, and in fact for all sorts of people I have met - that Turnovsky disc seems to have played a large role in successfully introducing Martinu to hundreds of listeners. It is by far the most persuasive Martinu symphony recording I know of, and it seems that I say it every time a Martinu thread comes up (or someone else does, as here)!

[vandermolen]

Absolutely. The same goes for me too, and in fact for all sorts of people I have met - that Turnovsky disc seems to have played a large role in successfully introducing Martinu to hundreds of listeners. It is by far the most persuasive Martinu symphony recording I know of, and it seems that I say it every time a Martinu thread comes up (or someone else does, as here)!

Thanks, some people tend to argue that because of its nostalgic associations for many - its musical merits have been exaggerated - this is not my view. It remains my favourite Martinu recording - in a class of its own.

[nut-job]

Thanks, some people tend to argue that because of its nostalgic associations for many - its musical merits have been exaggerated - this is not my view. It remains my favourite Martinu recording - in a class of its own.

Well, this recording is not distributed in the US, not clear if it is currently distributed anywhere else.  Is this it?  http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//0927498222.htm

[vandermolen]

Well, this recording is not distributed in the US, not clear if it is currently distributed anywhere else.  Is this it?  http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//0927498222.htm

Yes, that's the one. The Piano Concerto No 4 is also a very good work. A great bargain CD.

[snyprrr]

Martinu Syms. 6-9:

Symphonies Fantastiques (Sym No.6)
Parables
Estampes

It was noted somewhere how the latter two exhibit many of the Martinu's symphonic practices (along with being 3 mvmts each). Listen to them all in a row. If you think about the last two as unnumbered symphonies, I think you get a great sense of Martinu's final development, a kind of hyper impressionism fusing Debussy and Janacek. The Estampes especially have a slight rarified air to them.

There are not that many more late orchestral works (The Rock, Thunderbolt, Overture- not unless you want to count them all as "Sym.10"!). And of course, Piano Cto No.5.

Operas?....a list?

[nut-job]

Martinu Syms. 6-9:

Symphonies Fantastiques (Sym No.6)
Parables
Estampes

It was noted somewhere how the latter two exhibit many of the Martinu's symphonic practices (along with being 3 mvmts each). Listen to them all in a row. If you think about the last two as unnumbered symphonies, I think you get a great sense of Martinu's final development, a kind of hyper impressionism fusing Debussy and Janacek. The Estampes especially have a slight rarified air to them.

There are not that many more late orchestral works (The Rock, Thunderbolt, Overture- not unless you want to count them all as "Sym.10"!). And of course, Piano Cto No.5.

Operas?....a list?

If someone other than Martinu is to fix the numbering of his symphonies, I think it should be someone who has demonstrated the ability to count.  Even if we include the two pieces that you have decided are symphonies, that would make 8, not 9.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Operas?....a list?

It's really very simple:

Don't let another moment pass before you hear Julietta and then move on to whatever else you can find (opera-wise) on Supraphon.

Leave off all the orchestral talk for a while and explore some of Martinu's other greatest contributions to music. If you think his symphonies are great, try Julietta. A masterpiece like no other.

Coming on so strong like I am really isn't my style but it gets my goat that all this wonderful Martinu talk seems to totally ignore his operas. To me Martinu should really be honored for his complete contribution to music, not just those symphonic works. It's almost like paying tribute to Schubert without mention of his songs.

So, in answer to your query: Operas?....a list?

Your list:

• Comedy On The Bridge
• The Knife's Tears
• The Greek Passion
• The Voice Of The Forest
• Three Wishes
• The Epic Of Gilgamesh (oratorio)

• This passionate disc of choral works (if you enjoy Lidice you'll like this disc):





And, of course:




0:)

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Even if we include the two pieces that you have decided are symphonies, that would make 8, not 9.

We can get to 9 if we include Frescoes of Piero della Francesca. I'm surprised he didn't mention that one, since it may be Martinu's most frequently performed orchestral work (and certainly one of his best).

• This passionate disc of choral works (if you enjoy Lidice you'll like this disc):

Heartily seconded. I love that disc. The wonderful naive hymn that concludes Mount of Three Lights ought to be detached and sung in church.