Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

[not edward]

Does anybody know Martinu's cause of death? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

Cancer. Which makes the joyous nature of the Nonet, written as he was dying, all the more remarkable.

[Mirror Image]

Cancer. Which makes the joyous nature of the Nonet, written as he was dying, all the more remarkable.

Thank you, Edward.

[Mirror Image]

Bought these Martinu recordings tonight:







Dancing Divertimentian said he owned all of these except for The Opening of the Wells recording. He told me to listen to the Oboe Concerto, but Greg would probably tell me to listen to the Harpsichord Concerto first. Decisions...decisions...

[North Star]

Bought these Martinu recordings tonight:

Dancing Divertimentian said he owned all of these except for The Opening of the Wells recording. He told me to listen to the Oboe Concerto, but Greg would probably tell me to listen to the Harpsichord Concerto first. Decisions...decisions...

I'll not make it easier - listen to the Nonet!

E: And perhaps the discussion from the purchase thread should be copied here?

[snyprrr]

Bought these Martinu recordings tonight:







Dancing Divertimentian said he owned all of these except for The Opening of the Wells recording. He told me to listen to the Oboe Concerto, but Greg would probably tell me to listen to the Harpsichord Concerto first. Decisions...decisions...

And you didn't get the Supraphon with the Serenades?

The Nonet, Oboe, & Harpsichord Concertos are all of the same wonderful late vintage.


I'm curious about the Concerto da Camera (not the String Quartet) and the Piano/Violin Concerto.

[Mirror Image]

I'll not make it easier - listen to the Nonet!

E: And perhaps the discussion from the purchase thread should be copied here?

I'm actually really curious to hear that Oboe Concerto after DD was talking about it. Don't worry the Nonet will be heard.

[Mirror Image]

And you didn't get the Supraphon with the Serenades?

The Nonet, Oboe, & Harpsichord Concertos are all of the same wonderful late vintage.


I'm curious about the Concerto da Camera (not the String Quartet) and the Piano/Violin Concerto.

The Concerto da Camera is a really nice work, snyprrr. You haven't heard the piano or violin concerti yet?

[Brian]

I'm actually really curious to hear that Oboe Concerto after DD was talking about it. Don't worry the Nonet will be heard.

I'm gonna go see if the Oboe Concerto's on NML. My oboe-playing friend told me years ago that it was a great piece, and that was the first I ever heard of Martinu.

[Mirror Image]

I'm gonna go see if the Oboe Concerto's on NML. My oboe-playing friend told me years ago that it was a great piece, and that was the first I ever heard of Martinu.

I don't believe it is, Brian. I looked for it last night. NML doesn't have any of the Martinu Supraphon recordings uploaded.

[Mirror Image]

Bought two more Martinu recordings:

[Brian]

I don't believe it is, Brian. I looked for it last night. NML doesn't have any of the Martinu Supraphon recordings uploaded.

It sure is! A Simax recording with Gregor Zubicky, conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste. It's an utterly wonderful piece, similar in sound-world to the Second Symphony, perhaps. Light on its feet. Goodness, how fantastic. I think I'm going to go on a Martinu marathon too now 

[Mirror Image]

It sure is! A Simax recording with Gregor Zubicky, conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste. It's an utterly wonderful piece, similar in sound-world to the Second Symphony, perhaps. Light on its feet. Goodness, how fantastic. I think I'm going to go on a Martinu marathon too now 

Great! I can wait of course. I've got a lot of Martinu in the oven right now (I already own a pretty substantial Martinu collection).

[Mirror Image]

One of the treasures of my Martinu collection (they're all really so wonderful though):

[North Star]

One of the treasures of my Martinu collection (they're all really so wonderful though):

Hadn't heard of Le raid marveilleux or On tourne! before, this seems to be in Spotify, but won't have time to listen now. Could you tell something about them, John?

[Mirror Image]

Hadn't heard of Le raid marveilleux or On tourne! before, this seems to be in Spotify, but won't have time to listen now. Could you tell something about them, John?

They're each highly Neoclassical works with a lot of jazzy inflections made to the music throughout. Here's what somebody wrote on Amazon about them which I thought was a good description:

These three ballets very much reflect the spirit of the 20's. Neo-classicism, the influence of Diaghilev and Stravinsky, jazz and the 'mecanique'.
By far the more well-known work, 'La Revue de cuisine' (Kitchen Revue) is a ballet for kitchen utensils. The fourth movement is entitled, 'Dance of the pot and the lid'. Written for a sextet of instruments (violin, cello, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet and piano), this is lively, vibrant jazz-informed neo-Classicism.

'Le Raid merveilleux' (The Amazing Flight) and 'On tourne!' (Roll the Cameras) both interest themselves in technology and mechanism.
'Le Raid...' (for a small ensemble of instruments) was written as a response to the tragic death of two French airmen attempting to cross the Atlantic just two weeks before Lindbergh.
This mini-ballet was conceived 'sans personnages' for lighting and shadows alone. The French avant-garde was surely in Martinu's mind. In some ways it brings to mind Satie's 'Parade'.

'On tourne!', with its scenario for lobsters, fish, a dancing pearl and a diver that falls in love with it, is making more than a nod in the direction of the surreal. This is very jazz-tinged music to the point of some tunes sounding very familiar, in a generic kind of way. But that's part of the fun and charm of this music. Incidentally, the stage directions for the ballet require the bottom half of the 'tableaux' to be a projected animation of an underwater scene while the top half features a boat and a diver on the surface.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

It sure is! A Simax recording with Gregor Zubicky, conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste. It's an utterly wonderful piece, similar in sound-world to the Second Symphony, perhaps. Light on its feet. Goodness, how fantastic. I think I'm going to go on a Martinu marathon too now 

Jeez, just when I think I've got enough Martinu, I find something else I gotta get. All the more so as the CSO is playing it this season.

[North Star]

They're each highly Neoclassical works with a lot of jazzy inflections made to the music throughout. Here's what somebody wrote on Amazon about them which I thought was a good description:

These three ballets very much reflect the spirit of the 20's. Neo-classicism, the influence of Diaghilev and Stravinsky, jazz and the 'mecanique'.
By far the more well-known work, 'La Revue de cuisine' (Kitchen Revue) is a ballet for kitchen utensils. The fourth movement is entitled, 'Dance of the pot and the lid'. Written for a sextet of instruments (violin, cello, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet and piano), this is lively, vibrant jazz-informed neo-Classicism.

'Le Raid merveilleux' (The Amazing Flight) and 'On tourne!' (Roll the Cameras) both interest themselves in technology and mechanism.
'Le Raid...' (for a small ensemble of instruments) was written as a response to the tragic death of two French airmen attempting to cross the Atlantic just two weeks before Lindbergh.
This mini-ballet was conceived 'sans personnages' for lighting and shadows alone. The French avant-garde was surely in Martinu's mind. In some ways it brings to mind Satie's 'Parade'.

'On tourne!', with its scenario for lobsters, fish, a dancing pearl and a diver that falls in love with it, is making more than a nod in the direction of the surreal. This is very jazz-tinged music to the point of some tunes sounding very familiar, in a generic kind of way. But that's part of the fun and charm of this music. Incidentally, the stage directions for the ballet require the bottom half of the 'tableaux' to be a projected animation of an underwater scene while the top half features a boat and a diver on the surface.

Thanks, John, looks interesting!

I listened to the first movement of the Oboe Concerto (from Youtube) earlier, great stuff.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks, John, looks interesting!

I listened to the first movement of the Oboe Concerto (from Youtube) earlier, great stuff.

Do you have any favorite Martinu works?

[not edward]

I'm curious about the Concerto da Camera (not the String Quartet)

Good piece. Expressively speaking, somewhat in the vein of the Double Concerto, though not quite as consistently taut.

and the Piano/Violin Concerto.

IMO, one of Martinu's very greatest works. It's actually a bit of a throwback to his '40s style, but I can see why Martinu would have revisited the style, given the verve and joie de vivre of the work. For me, it's one of those pieces that can put a smile on my face even when I'm not feeling like it (like, for example, the Brahms piano quartets or Beethoven's 8th symphony).

[North Star]

Do you have any favorite Martinu works?

Nonet, Sonatina for 2 violins & piano H. 198, Double Concerto and Julietta. The symphonies, too, but I need to revisit them.

What about you?