Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

[jidlomonster]

For those who don't already know, Toccata Classics has recently released an extreme Martinů rarity.  Volume 2 of the Early Orchestral Works series includes the ballet The Shadow.   Martinů wrote the ballet almost 100 years ago.  It has never been performed live and this is its first commercial recording.   You can read details and hear some of the music here:

https://toccataclassics.com/product/martinu-early-orchestral-v2/

I was heavily involved in the preparation of this disc and its predecessor.  If you are interested in more information, you might find my three-part blog for Toccata Classics worth a read.  The first part tells how I came to write a book on Martinů, the second describes the first Early Orchestral works CD (with the wonderful Little Dance Suite) and the last one (slightly technical) describes the work needed to prepare The Shadow for recording.  I've included some musical illustrations of what cacophony results if you don't edit the composer's original manuscript!  Here is the first part of the blog:

https://toccataclassics.com/rediscovering-early-martinu-1/

I hope you enjoy this new recording!

[SurprisedByBeauty]

I'm making this a Martinu day, listening-wise. Started with Neumann 5 & 6


#morninglistening to #Martinů w/@CzechPhil:http://ift.tt/2mzNX0A
A @surprisedbeauty compos... http://ift.tt/2nwvBgc

then moved on to the Third with Ancerl, Valek, Fagan, Belohlavek CzPO/Supraphon and Fourth with Valek, Fagan, Belohlavek CzPO/Supraphon and Belohlavek BBCSO.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I'm making this a Martinu day, listening-wise. Started with Neumann 5 & 6

then moved on to the Third with Ancerl, Valek, Fagan, Belohlavek CzPO/Supraphon and Fourth with Valek, Fagan, Belohlavek CzPO/Supraphon and Belohlavek BBCSO.

That's a lot of symphony listening. I think my avatar may just crack a grin. I have 3/4ths of Neumann's cycle and I've always enjoyed it. If you're continuing on with your Martinu marathon may I suggest his string quartets? They just might be my favorite Martinu, with the Panocha's leading the pack.



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[Mirror Image]

That's a lot of symphony listening. I think my avatar may just crack a grin. I have 3/4ths of Neumann's cycle and I've always enjoyed it. If you're continuing on with your Martinu marathon may I suggest his string quartets? They just might be my favorite Martinu, with the Panocha's leading the pack.



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I really ought to get my Martinu SQ set out now that you mention it, DD. I seem to recall enjoying these SQs a lot and the Panocha's is the set I own.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I really ought to get my Martinu SQ set out now that you mention it, DD. I seem to recall enjoying these SQs a lot and the Panocha's is the set I own.

Yeah, I went through a Martinu string quartet phase a year or so ago. It might be happening again.

Other quartet recordings I enjoy are from the Martinu Quartet (Naxos), Emperor Quartet (BIS), and Kocian Quartet (Praga).

[SurprisedByBeauty]

That's a lot of symphony listening. I think my avatar may just crack a grin. I have 3/4ths of Neumann's cycle and I've always enjoyed it. If you're continuing on with your Martinu marathon may I suggest his string quartets? They just might be my favorite Martinu, with the Panocha's leading the pack.

Love the Panocha set, which I have alongside my (currently inaccessible) Stamitz set which I hold in equal esteem. Alas, I won't continue with chamber music today; today will comprise symphonies 5 & 6. It's basically an extensive refresher course for a bit I'm writing about the complete symphony sets. Which, incidentally, I should ask you: Neumann, Jaervi, Thomson, Fagen, Valek, Belo-BBC are the only complete ones, correct? Plus three that never got beyond four symphonies (Belo-Cz-Supra, Flor, Rozh). I know why Belo's earlier sets were aborted, but not why Flor and Rozh didn't pull through; if there was a reason beyond horrid sales/money. Do you, by chance?

[vandermolen]

I just purchased this having enjoyed Janacek's suites from his operas so much (thanks to a kind and generous fellow member  ) I missed the opportunity to see Juliette staged in London decades ago and have always rather regretted it so I'm hoping that I will enjoy this CD:
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[Spineur]

I just purchased this having enjoyed Janacek's suites from his operas so much (thanks to a kind and generous fellow member  ) I missed the opportunity to see Juliette staged in London decades ago and have always rather regretted it so I'm hoping that I will enjoy this CD:
[asin]B0023T9XRM[/asin]

Although it is only excerpts, it is very good.  Much better than Ariane, which was composed roughly at the same time.

[Mirror Image]

Yeah, I went through a Martinu string quartet phase a year or so ago. It might be happening again.

Other quartet recordings I enjoy are from the Martinu Quartet (Naxos), Emperor Quartet (BIS), and Kocian Quartet (Praga).

I haven't heard any of the other SQ recordings, but now you're tempting me, DD!

[Mirror Image]

I just purchased this having enjoyed Janacek's suites from his operas so much (thanks to a kind and generous fellow member  ) I missed the opportunity to see Juliette staged in London decades ago and have always rather regretted it so I'm hoping that I will enjoy this CD:
[asin]B0023T9XRM[/asin]

That is a great disc, Jeffrey. I hope you enjoy it. It's an interesting disc, too, since it contains the orchestral suite of Julietta along with Three Fragments from the opera. I wish Mackerras had conducted more Martinu and recorded this opera in it's complete form.

[vandermolen]

Thanks John and Spineur - the CD has arrived now so I shall really look forward to hearing it following your recommendation.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks John and Spineur - the CD has arrived now so I shall really look forward to hearing it following your recommendation.

IIRC, that particular recording has a nice presentation, too (nice slipcover, booklet).

[Drasko]

It's basically an extensive refresher course for a bit I'm writing about the complete symphony sets. Which, incidentally, I should ask you: Neumann, Jaervi, Thomson, Fagen, Valek, Belo-BBC are the only complete ones, correct? Plus three that never got beyond four symphonies (Belo-Cz-Supra, Flor, Rozh). I know why Belo's earlier sets were aborted, but not why Flor and Rozh didn't pull through; if there was a reason beyond horrid sales/money. Do you, by chance?

The Flor cycle was late 80s East German production, maybe orchestra defected before they could finish.

If you have time maybe you could write a bit about all Martinu symphony recordings. Once I was curious how many stand alone (non cycle/aborted cycle) recordings of various symphonies there are, and came up with not more than about twenty, of which only about dozen studio.

1 ancerl, weller
2 p.jarvi
3 neumann, ancerl, sejna
4 turnovsky, kubelik, tennstedt, weller (x2), ansermet, belohlavek
5 ancerl (x3), whitney, trhlik
6 munch (x2) ancerl, neumann, kout

[SurprisedByBeauty]

The Flor cycle was late 80s East German production, maybe orchestra defected before they could finish.

If you have time maybe you could write a bit about all Martinu symphony recordings. Once I was curious how many stand alone (non cycle/aborted cycle) recordings of various symphonies there are, and came up with not more than about twenty, of which only about dozen studio.

1 ancerl, weller
2 p.jarvi
3 neumann, ancerl, sejna
4 turnovsky, kubelik, tennstedt, weller (x2), ansermet, belohlavek
5 ancerl (x3), whitney, trhlik
6 munch (x2) ancerl, neumann, kout

That's not a lot, indeed. I think you're onto why Flor's cycle wasn't finished; not defected, obviously... but simply the upheaval and subsequent contractual confusion. The recordings had been made, after all, by VEB Schallplatten. Also Flor left in 1991.

Interesting that there really are only so few recordings of these symphonies.

I know that the "Czech cycle" pre-Neumann was Sejna, Turnovsky, Ancerl, Ancerl 3-6. Is that actually correct?) There simply were no recordings of 1 & 2 in the catalogue until Neumann recorded them? (The Ancerl is live and hadn't been issued back then, I reckon.)

[Spineur]

Since there seems to be a sudden interest in Martinu's vocal works, I would like to draw your attention to his 4 cantatas released last year by supraphon which were among my 2016 best

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They were composed in the last 5 years of his life at a time he got re-interested in his roots and Moravian musical traditions.  Although I like many Martinu's works a lot, these cantatas are among my favorites.

[North Star]

Since there seems to be a sudden interest in Martinu's vocal works, I would like to draw your attention to his 4 cantatas released last year by supraphon which were among my 2016 best

[asin]B01K68F1W2[/asin]

They were composed in the last 5 years of his life at a time he got re-interested in his roots and Moravian musical traditions.  Although I like many Martinu's works a lot, these cantatas are among my favorites.

All marvelous works - I have them in these two superb releases - which makes me wonder how that new recording compares..

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[aesthetic]

I've discovered a lot of great Martinů works recently. These include:

Violin Concerto No. 2, H. 293
Sonata for cello & piano No. 2, H. 286
Sonatina for 2 violins and piano, H. 198
Harpsichord Concerto, H. 246
Oboe Concerto, H. 353
Piano Trio No. 2, H. 327
Piano Trio No. 3, H. 332
Butterflies and Birds of Paradise, H. 127

As well as:

Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra, H. 292

Which is a truly brilliant work. I recommend this relatively recent recording (note that on Spotify, it seems that the tracks are mislabelled as the Poulenc concerto, and vice versa. So to listen to either concerto, you'd have to play the tracks relating to the other!)

[Drasko]

I know that the "Czech cycle" pre-Neumann was Sejna, Turnovsky, Ancerl, Ancerl 3-6. Is that actually correct?) There simply were no recordings of 1 & 2 in the catalogue until Neumann recorded them? (The Ancerl is live and hadn't been issued back then, I reckon.)

I believe it should be. I've definitely seen Supraphon LPs of Turnovsky 4th and Ancerl's studio 5th & 6th, and I presume Sejna's 3rd was available pre-Neumann as well though I've never seen an actual LP of it. Kubelik's 1948 recording of the 4th could have been also available unless it was politically unacceptable. I'd be very surprised if that live Ancerl 1st was available in any form before the Multisonic CD. No released 1st or 2nd before Neumann to the best of my knowledge.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

If you have time maybe you could write a bit about all Martinu symphony recordings. Once I was curious how many stand alone (non cycle/aborted cycle) recordings of various symphonies there are, and came up with not more than about twenty, of which only about dozen studio.

1 ancerl, weller
2 p.jarvi
3 neumann, ancerl, sejna
4 turnovsky, kubelik, tennstedt, weller (x2), ansermet, belohlavek
5 ancerl (x3), whitney, trhlik
6 munch (x2) ancerl, neumann, kout

That's not a lot, indeed.

Interesting that there really are only so few recordings of these symphonies.

Not a lot to choose from indeed. Here's a rundown of individual commercial releases I managed to dig up. Some appear to have never left LP land (but I could be wrong) and some seem pretty localized to Czechoslovakia, no surprise, I suppose.

And for unknown reasons all but one are of the sixth symphony!!

Sixth symphony rundown:

Nohejl, Moravian PO of Olomouc (LP), here's the link:







Bialoguski, New Philharmonic O (LP), here's the link:







Ladislav Slovak, Prague SO, here's the link:






A live Belohlavek:


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Fifth symphony, Robert Whitney, Louisville O:


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[Dancing Divertimentian]

I haven't heard any of the other SQ recordings, but now you're tempting me, DD!

I'll be looking for your purchases in the "Purchases" thread!