Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

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So happy about all this life in the Martinů thread. Yes, Turnovsky has long been the classic Fourth -- and unlike many classic Martinů recordings, it holds up well. Other Über-Martinů accounts I have found to be at least somewhat overrated. As if only Ancerl et al. were capable of performing these works.

Indeed! I wish Turnovsky would have recorded a whole cycle of the symphonies!

[Parsifal]

Actually I forgot this one which John (MI) mentioned. Great recording and performance of Symphony 4. Probably my favourite modern recording. A fine disc in my view as I like all three works :
[asin]B000000AR5[/asin]

Yes, I find myself in possession of all three of Belohlavek's recordings of Martinu 4 (on Chandos, Supraphon and Onyx). I should listen to one of them, although I also want to revisit the Turnovsky. If only time permitted me to give all of these recordings their due (which begs the question of why I buy them all). Someday.

[Mirror Image]

So happy about all this life in the Martinů thread.

I am, too! I can't think of a composer more deserving of this kind of attention. He should be performed more often and not just in the Czech Republic.

[vandermolen]

I am, too! I can't think of a composer more deserving of this kind of attention. He should be performed more often and not just in the Czech Republic.

Yes, this is a very nice thread. I must revisit Symphony 3. There was a Martinu festival at the Barbican in London a few years ago. I went to a concert but am ashamed to say that I cant remember what I heard - which is terrible! 

Yes, would have been great if Turnovsky had recorded a Martinu cycle but I'm eternally grateful for his legendary account of Symphony 4. The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca rate very high in my estimation too.

Martinu article:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/martinu-and-me-6874857.html
Includes 'essential Martinu collection' at end.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

So happy about all this life in the Martinů thread.

I am, too! I can’t think of a composer more deserving of this kind of attention. He should be performed more often and not just in the Czech Republic.

Yes, this is a very nice thread.

Yes, good to see it alive and kicking. The new Honeck Gilgamesh is definitely on my want list now: I saw this work performed at Grant Park a couple of years ago, and they sensibly used the English text (as Honeck does).

No, Martinu doesn't get performed as often as I'd like, but the situation is definitely better than it was when I first started listening to him in the late 1990s.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, this is a very nice thread. I must revisit Symphony 3. There was a Martinu festival at the Barbican in London a few years ago. I went to a concert but am ashamed to say that I cant remember what I heard - which is terrible! 

Yes, would have been great if Turnovsky had recorded a Martinu cycle but I'm eternally grateful for his legendary account of Symphony 4. The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca rate very high in my estimation too.

Martinu article:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/martinu-and-me-6874857.html
Includes 'essential Martinu collection' at end.

Jeffrey, Symphony No. 3 is right up your alley. It's eerie and turbulent atmosphere reminds me of the moods he explored in his Double Concerto and later his Symphony No. 6, "Fantaisies symphoniques". Such a masterful work.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, good to see it alive and kicking. The new Honeck Gilgamesh is definitely on my want list now: I saw this work performed at Grant Park a couple of years ago, and they sensibly used the English text (as Honeck does).

No, Martinu doesn't get performed as often as I'd like, but the situation is definitely better than it was when I first started listening to him in the late 1990s.

Who conducted this performance of The Epic of Gilgamesh? Kalmar? I bet it was great seeing this work live.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Who conducted this performance of The Epic of Gilgamesh? Kalmar? I bet it was great seeing this work live.

Yep. Here's a review of it:

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2016/07/on-a-cool-night-grant-park-festival-serves-up-cool-czech-rarities/

There's been other Martinu in Chicago recently (Oboe Cto. with Muti/Klein/CSO, and Frescoes of Piero della Francesca with Ludovic Morlot/CSO a few years ago, to name a couple), but I didn't get to those.

[Mirror Image]

Yep. Here's a review of it:

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2016/07/on-a-cool-night-grant-park-festival-serves-up-cool-czech-rarities/

There's been other Martinu in Chicago recently (Oboe Cto. with Muti/Klein/CSO, and Frescoes of Piero della Francesca with Ludovic Morlot/CSO a few years ago, to name a couple), but I didn't get to those.

Excellent. Sounds like a great concert. Good to see the CSO performing Martinu. I hope that ever major American orchestra performs more and more of his music.

[Alek Hidell]

So, I've seen a few mentions here and there of the new Meister symphony set, but I have yet to see where anyone here has actually heard it and can give a report. Anyone?

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So, I've seen a few mentions here and there of the new Meister symphony set, but I have yet to see where anyone here has actually heard it and can give a report. Anyone?

Hopefully, when my set arrives, I can provide a symphony-to-symphony critique of the set, but judging from the estimated delivery time via Amazon UK, it won't be in my hands until next week.

[kishnevi]

So, I've seen a few mentions here and there of the new Meister symphony set, but I have yet to see where anyone here has actually heard it and can give a report. Anyone?

I have it, I like it. But my Martinu exposure is pretty limited, so I can't give an opinion on how it matches up with other cycles.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

As far as the symphonies, the Belohlavek/BBC set sits firmly in the top spot for me. Wonderful drive, plenty of color, and more three-dimensional than the others I've heard.

Next in line is probably Neumann, but that's not a knock. Neumann scores highly when it comes to poetry and introversion. And he's very colorful.

Thomson I think could benefit from taking a little from the Czech's playbook. Not enough color for me, a la Neumann, and not enough drive, a la Belohlavek (although I only have Thomson's 2 and 6).

Belohlavek's Czech PO 3 & 4 I have also rank high, but not higher than the above.

[You did it]

The Piano Trio no 2 instills a very particular feeling but I can't pin down what exactly

[Mirror Image]

As far as the symphonies, the Belohlavek/BBC set sits firmly in the top spot for me. Wonderful drive, plenty of color, and more three-dimensional than the others I've heard.

Next in line is probably Neumann, but that's not a knock. Neumann scores highly when it comes to poetry and introversion. And he's very colorful.

Thomson I think could benefit from taking a little from the Czech's playbook. Not enough color for me, a la Neumann, and not enough drive, a la Belohlavek (although I only have Thomson's 2 and 6).

Belohlavek's Czech PO 3 & 4 I have also rank high, but not higher than the above.

Amazing how we're all so different. I disagree with you in regards to Thomson. There's plenty of color and drive in his performances. He offers a different interpretation as he well should since he's not Czech.

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The Piano Trio no 2 instills a very particular feeling but I can't pin down what exactly

Would love to know what feeling it is you're thinking about?

[You did it]

Would love to know what feeling it is you're thinking about?

A kind of melancholy nostalgia that seems almost kind of bitter, sprinkled in some lovely melodies? well, that's the best way I can describe it.

The String Trio is jamming 

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A kind of melancholy nostalgia that seems almost kind of bitter, sprinkled in some lovely melodies? well, that's the best way I can describe it.

The String Trio is jamming 

That sounds lovely. I'll have to revisit this work (Piano Trio No. 2).

[You did it]

The String Trio though 

It figuratively goes between heavy-era Bartok to lyrical Brahms quite a bit, it's awesome 

[vandermolen]

A kind of melancholy nostalgia that seems almost kind of bitter, sprinkled in some lovely melodies? well, that's the best way I can describe it.

The String Trio is jamming 

Yes, melancholy nostalgia definitely appeals to me too.


I do know Symphony 3 but a while since I've heard it. That will be rectified soon.