Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Listened to The Epic of Gilgamesh earlier, anyone else familiar with this work?

Yeah, great work, MI. I actually wrote about it a few years ago on the opera board. A little long, but at the time I was kinda high on the work.

Ah, okay, Gilgamesh.

Well, it's a very likable work. Very approachable. But this is not meant to imply it's lightweight or fluffy. In fact, it is the very opposite.

For anyone already familiar with Martinu's aesthetic the work is self-recommending. It's top-shelf Martinu which means that all the things that make Martinu great are to be found in abundance. It'll grip the listener from start to finish

But what about the many folks who aren't familiar with Martinu's aesthetic? Well, what's to say? Imagine a composer with all the ups and downs of Stravinsky, the quirkiness of Hindemith, and the pensiveness of Britten. Combine these and what you get is a partial picture of Martinu's musical style. Where he strikes out on his own is his unique sense of playfulness - but not as in 'ha-ha' playfulness. More like 'spicy' playfulness. And in his best works Martinu really turns up the spice.

As he does here.

But spice can mean different things depending on the approach. With Gilgamesh it's a matter of using that spice to decorate the musical line to keep the slowish pace of the work from bogging down the listener. But that's the joy of the work!! It's not so much a test of patience for the listener as it is an exploration of undiscovered riches.

It's simply a steady stream of invention, color, and quirkiness, which keeps the listener on their toes and wondering what will happen next. But certainly there's more to the work than a slowish pace. There's nothing quite like Martinu's unique powers of invention and when the orchestral outbursts eventually do come they're all a-dazzle. The complexity, the layering, and the way the outbursts seem so perfectly contrasted with the preceding calm, all this spells drama of the first order and leaves one marveling. The kaleidoscopic effect on the musical line is amazing!

What that I could do justice to the musical effects. No it's not a piece to show off an orchestra's chops - a la Rite or some such - but the moods and colors are pounded home by a rigorous musical regime that dazzles every bit as deeply as your garden variety orchestral showpiece (0:)). It's just a different side of the dramatic coin and Martinu chooses finesse.

Over the long haul there's no repetitiveness or fatigue. Nor is the music watered down or laced with dramatic effects. It's just good honest music. With this type of piece (low-keyed) the goodness resides in the way the music can be made to seem relevant. And at every point the music makes itself relevant. And then some (I think I should mention spice here but I won't ).

[Mirror Image]

Yeah, great work, MI. I actually wrote about it a few years ago on the opera board. A little long, but at the time I was kinda high on the work.

Ah, thanks for the feedback. A great haunting work. The orchestration is also noteworthy.

[Mirror Image]

My hunch about this symphony is that it's Martinu's attempt to rewrite Brahms' 2nd. Just speculation on my part, but the structure and mood are very similar to the Brahms, although the whole is much more compressed at only 20-some minutes.

But yeah, very lovable, relaxed piece and more old-fashioned in feel than his other symphonies.

I don't know if I agree with that, Velimir, but love the overall sound of the symphony.

[Mirror Image]

Had quite a few of my Martinu orders arrive today, I think I'll listen to the Oboe Concerto first...

(I know DD will approve this message)

After the Oboe Concerto, I'll let the recording play through the Harpsichord Concerto, which I'm sure Monkey Greg will approve of, and then I will listen to the ballet Who is the Most Powerful in the World?. Sounds like a good night already.

[TheGSMoeller]

Had quite a few of my Martinu orders arrive today, I think I'll listen to the Oboe Concerto first...

(I know DD will approve this message)

After the Oboe Concerto, I'll let the recording play through the Harpsichord Concerto, which I'm sure Monkey Greg will approve of, and then I will listen to the ballet Who is the Most Powerful in the World?. Sounds like a good night already.

Ha! Good memory 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Had quite a few of my Martinu orders arrive today, I think I'll listen to the Oboe Concerto first...

(I know DD will approve this message)

[Mirror Image]

Ha! Good memory 

How about this warm weather today, Greg? Such a weak winter here in GA, eh?

[snyprrr]

Had quite a few of my Martinu orders arrive today, I think I'll listen to the Oboe Concerto first...

(I know DD will approve this message)

After the Oboe Concerto, I'll let the recording play through the Harpsichord Concerto, which I'm sure Monkey Greg will approve of, and then I will listen to the ballet Who is the Most Powerful in the World?. Sounds like a good night already.

Pretty chipper, huh? As if they weren't going to be. I've got Holliger in the OC (Philips; check it out) and a Koch cd for the HC (with Francaix and Jelinek).

[Mirror Image]

Pretty chipper, huh? As if they weren't going to be. I've got Holliger in the OC (Philips; check it out) and a Koch cd for the HC (with Francaix and Jelinek).

Yeah, I just finished the Oboe Concerto and I enjoyed it greatly. Incredibly lyrical and I love the orchestration. I'm going to listen to it again! I'll get to the Harpsichord Concerto eventually...

[Mirror Image]

Has anyone read this book?



If yes, would you recommend it? Any other good books on Martinu I should be aware of? I saw two others, but I'm not sure of their quality. The one pictured got a very good review on MusicWeb.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Any other good books on Martinu I should be aware of?

There's a book by Frank Rybka, who knew Martinu personally, called Bohuslav Martinu and the Compulsion to Compose, or something like that. It has the interesting thesis that Martinu had Asperger's syndrome, and that this condition affected both his musical style and method of composition. You can find large excerpts of the book on Google Books.

Also preview-able on Google Books is Martinu's Mysterious Accident, which is a collection of articles on various aspects of Martinu by several authors. Worth a look.

[Mirror Image]

There's a book by Frank Rybka, who knew Martinu personally, called Bohuslav Martinu and the Compulsion to Compose, or something like that. It has the interesting thesis that Martinu had Asperger's syndrome, and that this condition affected both his musical style and method of composition. You can find large excerpts of the book on Google Books.

Also preview-able on Google Books is Martinu's Mysterious Accident, which is a collection of articles on various aspects of Martinu by several authors. Worth a look.

Thanks, Velimir. Have you read these?

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Thanks, Velimir. Have you read these?

Not in their entirety - only the Google excerpts. They were interesting enough that I'm considering trying to get them through inter-library loan.

There are a couple of bios of Martinu (Safranek, Large) but I haven't read either of them.

[Mirror Image]

Not in their entirety - only the Google excerpts. They were interesting enough that I'm considering trying to get them through inter-library loan.

There are a couple of bios of Martinu (Safranek, Large) but I haven't read either of them.

Oh, okay. Thanks again.

[Mirror Image]

I've got to say I loved the Oboe Concerto. I didn't think much of the Harpsichord Concerto, although it was well-written with good parts. Who is the Most Powerful in the World? is, without a doubt, a very minor Martinu work, but it's a fun listen. Finishing The Butterfly That Stamped right now, it's a good ballet and definitely more substantial than Who is the Most Powerful in the World?

I received several more of my Martinu orders today. I think I'll listen to the Checkmating the King (Echec au Roi) next.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I've got to say I loved the Oboe Concerto. I didn't think much of the Harpsichord Concerto, although it was well-written with good parts. Who is the Most Powerful in the World? is, without a doubt, a very minor Martinu work, but it's a fun listen. Finishing The Butterfly That Stamped right now, it's a good ballet and definitely more substantial than Who is the Most Powerful in the World?

I received several more of my Martinu orders today. I think I'll listen to the Checkmating the King (Echec au Roi) next.

Glad you liked the oboe concerto, MI! The harpsichord concerto works for me but it could be I have a higher tolerance for the sound of the harpsichord.

[Mirror Image]

Glad you liked the oboe concerto, MI! The harpsichord concerto works for me but it could be I have a higher tolerance for the sound of the harpsichord.

Yeah, DD. I would venture to say that the Oboe Concerto is one of Martinu's finest works. It's certainly one of the best concertante works he has composed I think. The Harpsichord Concerto was nice don't get me wrong, but, yeah, I'm not a big fan of the instrument. I would have preferred the work be another piano concerti with perhaps a celeste playing off of the main piano part instead of harpsichord/piano. Just my opinion of course and it's not like we can call Martinu up and have him re-write it.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Yeah, DD. I would venture to say that the Oboe Concerto is one of Martinu's finest works. It's certainly one of the best concertante works he has composed I think. The Harpsichord Concerto was nice don't get me wrong, but, yeah, I'm not a big fan of the instrument. I would have preferred the work be another piano concerti with perhaps a celeste playing off of the main piano part instead of harpsichord/piano. Just my opinion of course and it's not like we can call Martinu up and have him re-write it.

A good "modern" transcription for piano might be just what the work needs!

[Mirror Image]

A good "modern" transcription for piano might be just what the work needs!

Maybe Luke will do it.

[Leo K.]

John (Mirror Image) and all the rest in this thread, you have convinced me to try Martinu. 

I now have the Neumann account of the symphonies, violin concertos (with josef Suk), and a disk of the complete quartets (I'm at work and can't remember the artists). Can't wait!