Two anniversaries form the framework for the international “Martinů revisited” project. The beginning will be marked by the fiftieth anniversary of Martinů’s death († 28.8.1959), and the conclusion, two years later, coincides with the 120th anniversary of his birth (* 8.12.1890).The Czech government regards ”Martinů revisited” as the most important cultural project of its EU presidency in the first half of 2009, which is appropriate because Martinů spent a large part of his life in several European countries (France, Switzerland, Italy) and the USA. The opening concert on 11 December 2008 features the renowned mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená with the Australian tenor Steve Davislim and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Sir Charles Mackerras. This concert includes the world premiere of the previously unknown Three Fragments from the opera ”Julietta”. Martinů will also be the featured composer in the 2009 and 2010 Prague Spring Festivals, and his works will be a major focus of the 2009 festival. In addition to this, new productions of his operas and ballets are planned in Prague, Brno, Bratislava, Nice, Aix-en-Provence, Zürich, Lucerne, Munich, Rostock, London, Oxford, Garsington, Pittsburgh, Boston etc. Important festivals in particular in Switzerland (Basel), France (Aix-en-Provence), Hungary (Budapest), England and the USA will specially feature Martinů’s works.
Stage works and cantatas
During the ”Martinů revisited” project, numerous works by the composer from the Bärenreiter catalogue will be performed, including the operas ”Dvakrát Alexandr” (1937), ”Mirandolina” (1953/4) and ”Ariadna” (1958). These works are excellently suited to the international operatic repertoire for their original language libretti (French or Italian) and their wit (”Alexandre bis” and ”Mirandolina”) or their rare neo-madrigalian beauty (Ariane).The dry, strongly rhythmic folk cantata ”Kytice” (Bouquet) (1937) is extremely popular in the composer’s native land for the Czech and Moravian folk texts it uses. Its themes are universally recognised, as, for example, in the final part which portrays a Czech variation on the ’everyman’ theme. The cycle of four short folk cantatas is quite differently structured; of these, ”Otvírání studánek” (The opening of the wells) (1955) in particular has enjoyed enormous popularity in Czechoslovakia. The other three parts of this late work, moving in its simplicity ”Legenda z dýmu bramborové nati” (Legend of the smoke from potato fires), ”Romance z pampelišek” (The romance of the dandelions) and ”Mikeš z hor” (Mikeš of the mountains)), are also extremely effective in performance.
Orchestral works
Amongst the orchestral works, ”Paraboly” (The Parables) (1957/58) is one of Martinů’s major works which has been little known until recently. Together with ”Rytiny” (Estampes) and ”Fresky Piero della Francesca” they form a trilogy of late orchestral works by Martinů, in which he developed a very personal neo-impressionistic style. The Rhapsodie (”Allegro symphonique”) (1928) and the Saltarello from the opera Mirandolina are in comparison robust works full of zest, which are suitable, for example, as concert openers.Certainly the ”Rhapsody concerto” for viola and orchestra (1952) will be played more frequently than normal. This work will also be published in the second volume of the Martinů Complete Edition; the publication of this is being planned by Bärenreiter-Verlag in co-operation with the Martinů Foundation and the Martinů Institute from 2009. Two small masterworks dating from the 1930s are the Concertino for Piano Trio and String Orchestra (1933) and the ”Duo concertante” for two violins and orchestra (1937), just released on the English label Hyperion with Bohuslav Matoušek, Regis Paquier and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra under Christopher Hogwood. ”Inkantace” (Incantations) (1955/6) is Martinů’s most idiosyncratic creation amongst his piano concertos by some distance.
Chamber music
Martinů’s contribution to the chamber music repertoire comprises no fewer than 90 works, of which the series of string quartets nos. 4–6 stands out in the Bärenreiter catalogue. These are available in new Urtext editions. Just one further work should be singled out: ”Ronda” for oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, two violins and piano (1930). This septet comprises six short pieces, whose folk-based inspiration with the linearity of the part-writing places them alongside the best works of Leoš Janáček or Béla Bartók.
The selection of Martinů’s works in the Bärenreiter catalogue will be expanded by numerous piano works ”Loutky” (Puppets) I–III and vocal works (”Songs on one page”. "Songs on two pages”, ”Nový Špalíček”) [The new Špalíček]).
Aleš Brezina
(from: takte 1/2008 – translation: Elizabeth Robinson)