Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

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You have been a busy boy haven't you!  lol  Now weren't you also the one saying that you were (and had been) trying to slow things down re buying?   

I know, there are always new things to tempt each of us (for me, it's some live Ivan Moravec).

Enjoy the music! 

PD

I have actually amassed this Martinů collection over a series of years: from 2009 until last year (which, I believe, was the last time I bought a recording of any of his music). This didn't just happen overnight of course. I think from 2009 until 2014 or so is when I pretty much had the bulk of my Martinů collection and from there, I was filling in gaps and I'm still doing this, but not really right now as I'm trying to decrease my spending.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Squardt/Neumann is worthwhile in particular (I also have Holliger/Marriner, Krejci/Neumann and Harth/Gibson).

Yes, I do have the Holliger/Marriner recording (last work in a 10-CD Brilliant box of Holliger).   

You're welcome! Trust me, Hogwood knows his way around Martinů's music. So many gems await your discovery. Looking forward to hearing how you get on with the music. I'm not sure if my recommendations were very good ones, but I know that each of them have meant a great deal to me and I think of them as vital to my understanding of this phenomenal composer.

I'll do some youtubing or Qobuz, etc. to sample...thanks again.

Will have to take a quick lookie-loo in a folder to see when I started buying Martinu...I want to say around 2005??  At the time, I remember I was falling in love with Czech music and having fun exploring various composers and their recordings.   

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I'll do some youtubing or Qobuz, etc. to sample...thanks again.

Will have to take a quick lookie-loo in a folder to see when I started buying Martinu...I want to say around 2005??  At the time, I remember I was falling in love with Czech music and having fun exploring various composers and their recordings.   

Very nice. So who is your favorite Czech composer right now?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Very nice. So who is your favorite Czech composer right now?

I'd still say Dvorak...though I also love Janacek and how could we live without Smetana's "Ma Vlast"? 

And you?  Hmmm....let me guess..... 

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I'd still say Dvorak...though I also love Janacek and how could we live without Smetana's "Ma Vlast"? 

And you?  Hmmm....let me guess..... 

Martinů of course. But I also adore Dvořák and Janáček. These three composers would be my Czech triumvirate.

[Maestro267]

Martinů of course. But I also adore Dvořák and Janáček. These three composers would be my Czech triumvirate.

Dvorak, Martinu and Suk would be mine.

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Dvorak, Martinu and Suk would be mine.

Very nice. I wish I could get into Suk, but, I don't know, I've tried. Maybe one day...

[vers la flamme]

Very nice. I wish I could get into Suk, but, I don't know, I've tried. Maybe one day...

His E-flat major string serenade is killer, are you familiar with it?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Dvorak, Martinu and Suk would be mine.

Oh, how could I have forgotten about Suk!  I do love his music too!   

Do you enjoy Janacek?

Best,

PD

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His E-flat major string serenade is killer, are you familiar with it?

I am --- I've heard a lot of Suk's music from solo piano to chamber to orchestral works. I used to like his music pretty well, but something happened and I'm not sure what exactly what, but I revisited a few of his works a few years ago and was left cold by each of them. But that's okay, because you're not too fond of Dvořák, but I'm not going to argue his case to anyone who has at least made the effort, which I'm sure you have.

[vers la flamme]

I am --- I've heard a lot of Suk's music from solo piano to chamber to orchestral works. I used to like his music pretty well, but something happened and I'm not sure what exactly what, but I revisited a few of his works a few years ago and was left cold by each of them. But that's okay, because you're not too fond of Dvořák, but I'm not going to argue his case to anyone who has at least made the effort, which I'm sure you have.

It's the only Suk I know but I think it's a great piece. One can hear how he was clearly very influenced by his teacher Dvořák at that time. No argument necessary, I'm fairly certain I will come around on Dvořák eventually, just a matter of spending more time with the music.

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It's the only Suk I know but I think it's a great piece. One can hear how he was clearly very influenced by his teacher Dvořák at that time. No argument necessary, I'm fairly certain I will come around on Dvořák eventually, just a matter of spending more time with the music.

So how are you getting on with Martinů?

[vers la flamme]

So how are you getting on with Martinů?

I've not been listening lately, but I do enjoy his music. I like his string quartets, the Madrigals for Violin & Viola. I just put on the latter just now and I'm enjoying it. Great interplay between the two instruments. The texture somehow sounds incredibly full for a work with only two string soloists. This may be a short piece but it's one of the most impressive things of his I've heard.

I need to hear more. I'm not all that familiar with his music beyond the symphonies and quartets. I got this Chandos CD with the two Cello Concertos & Concertino over the fall, but I think I still have yet to listen to it in full and have not formed much opinion on it.

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I've not been listening lately, but I do enjoy his music. I like his string quartets, the Madrigals for Violin & Viola. I just put on the latter just now and I'm enjoying it. Great interplay between the two instruments. The texture somehow sounds incredibly full for a work with only two string soloists. This may be a short piece but it's one of the most impressive things of his I've heard.

I need to hear more. I'm not all that familiar with his music beyond the symphonies and quartets. I got this Chandos CD with the two Cello Concertos & Concertino over the fall, but I think I still have yet to listen to it in full and have not formed much opinion on it.

Ah yes, the Madrigals and SQs --- those are some very nice works, indeed. Since it seems you're attracted to the shorter works, give the Sonatina for Two Violins and Piano a listen whenever you get the chance. This is one of those infectious pieces that I can't get out of my head after I play it. It's catchy, fun and high-spirited. The problem with recommending Martinů is once I list one work, another one pops into my head. Not only do I love his music and have a general affection for it, but he's what I refer to as a 'potato chip composer' in that you simply can't just listen to one work as more and more works follow and before you know it, you just listened to about 20 works. Do give those cello concerti a listen as these are fine works (I have a feeling I've said this a million times already on this thread ).

[Maestro267]

Oh, how could I have forgotten about Suk!  I do love his music too!   

Do you enjoy Janacek?

Best,

PD

To a point, yes. As I tend to favour works for full-scale symphony orchestra, there's not a lot in Janacek's oeuvre for me. Like, he never wrote full symphonies or concerti. But what I have heard I do like.

Back on topic, this thread becoming active again has kindled a desire to dive back into the Martinu symphonies again, which I may do later.

[MusicTurner]

To a point, yes. As I tend to favour works for full-scale symphony orchestra, there's not a lot in Janacek's oeuvre for me. Like, he never wrote full symphonies or concerti. But what I have heard I do like.

Back on topic, this thread becoming active again has kindled a desire to dive back into the Martinu symphonies again, which I may do later.

Janacek's Violin Concerto is indeed rather short, and the Capriccio and especially the Concertino require small forces, but they do have a concertante element.
The Danube Symphony probably feels more like a suite ...

Choosing only 3, more recent Czechoslovak composers (and excluding Mahler), Martinu, Janacek and Dvorak would be my first choices too.

Maybe there'd be 6 composers in the second layer then, including Smetana, probably Suk and Novak and Schulhoff.

The last  2 would have to be considered carefully ... Fiser, Jezek, Moyzes, Klusak, Kalabis would be among the candidates. Ostrcil was under-recorded, last time I checked. I wouldn't include Foerster in the top, in spite of some attractive works, neither a large bunch of late 20th-century composers, like Valek, Sommer, Krejci, Flosman, etc. etc. .
And Haba is sonically too eccentric, in spite of the earlier, more conventional works.

[Biffo]

Thanks for the suggestions; I'll copy them down.

I have heard good things about the Nipponari CD and think that I might have some excerpts from The Spectre's Bride (could be wrong about that though)...

Having a hard time visualizing Hogwood and Czech music...will have to see if I can find some samples to listen to.  The Piano Quintets and the bottom one of the concertos look particularly tempting. 

Best,

PD

I second the recommendation of Spalicek. If you buy that album you also get the complete Spectre's Bride; Martinu originally intended it to be part of Spalicek but spun it off as a separate work.

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I second the recommendation of Spalicek. If you buy that album you also get the complete Spectre's Bride; Martinu originally intended it to be part of Spalicek but spun it off as a separate work.

Don't forget about Romance of the Dandelions and The Primrose as well. Both are incredibly beautiful pieces.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Don't forget about Romance of the Dandelions and The Primrose as well. Both are incredibly beautiful pieces.

For some reason or another, I was thinking that The Spectre's Bride was an opera rather than a piece from another.  By the way (and don't tell me the opera plot please!), what does Špalìček mean?  I tried using google translate and it said "Block".  Or is it a name?

PD

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For some reason or another, I was thinking that The Spectre's Bride was an opera rather than a piece from another.  By the way (and don't tell me the opera plot please!), what does Špalìček mean?  I tried using google translate and it said "Block".  Or is it a name?

PD

It means 'The Chap-Book'. It's a folk-inspired ballet.