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Bohuslav Martinů (8 December 1890, Polička – 28 August 1959, Liestahl) was a Czech composer of modern classical music. He was very prolific, writing almost 400 pieces, among them 6 symphonies, choral works, operas, concertos, including for cello, violin, oboe and five for the piano and his chamber music, including seven string quartets. His artistic history content more creative periods, incl. postimpresionism, neo-classicism, expressionism etc.
Biography:
Bohuslav Martinů was born in a bell-tower where his father, a shoemaker by trade, was a watchman. Even as a child, he developed a reputation locally, and he gave his first public concert in his hometown in 1905. In 1906 Martinů became a violin student at the Prague Conservatory. He studied briefly there (before being dismissed for “incorrigible negligence”) and later continued to study on his own.
He spent the First World War in his hometown as a teacher, where he pursued his interests in composition. He also joined the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra as a violinist. His ballet Istar was completed in 1922. He left Czechoslovakia for Paris in 1923, where he became a pupil of Albert Roussel, though he retained many links with his birthplace.
When the German army approached Paris early in the Second World War, he fled, first to the south of France, and then to the United States in 1941, where he settled in New York with his French wife. In later life he lived in Switzerland, never returning to his homeland.
Biography:
Bohuslav Martinů was born in a bell-tower where his father, a shoemaker by trade, was a watchman. Even as a child, he developed a reputation locally, and he gave his first public concert in his hometown in 1905. In 1906 Martinů became a violin student at the Prague Conservatory. He studied briefly there (before being dismissed for “incorrigible negligence”) and later continued to study on his own.
He spent the First World War in his hometown as a teacher, where he pursued his interests in composition. He also joined the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra as a violinist. His ballet Istar was completed in 1922. He left Czechoslovakia for Paris in 1923, where he became a pupil of Albert Roussel, though he retained many links with his birthplace.
When the German army approached Paris early in the Second World War, he fled, first to the south of France, and then to the United States in 1941, where he settled in New York with his French wife. In later life he lived in Switzerland, never returning to his homeland.
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Taxes wrote:
uneven but the cello sonatas are top notch
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Crustclock wrote:
In love at first listen! I hear a lot of late-era Debussy in his work.
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sGarrista- wrote:
goodness gracious
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IcyCoughs wrote:
Selected by this artist
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Torelli wrote:
http://www.last.fm/music/Bohuslav+Martin%C5%AF/Three+Fragments+and+Suite+From+the+Opera+Juliette+(Magdalena+Ko%C5%BEen%C3%A1,+Czech+Philharmonic+Orchestra,+Sir+Charles+Mackerras) Absolutely amazing ! Highly recommended !
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musiky wrote:
One epic word: Gilgameš. I heart Martinů.
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yu00 wrote:
Such an underrated composer...
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rm508 wrote:
Double Concerto, with double exclamation marks. Thrills me.
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ramyeon wrote:
Happy belated birthday!! : D
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ramyeon wrote:
I discovered him through Jim Svejda on KUSC haha... damn this man was prolific :O Just started listening to him and I feel like I'll never be able to hear it all. His piano works alone are amazing <3
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syater wrote:
Martinů's "Sinfonietta giocosa for piano and small orchestra" (H.282) is so inventive and beautiful. To echo another comment here - breathtaking!
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KraeheK wrote:
Please all vote to redirect Bohuslav Martinu to here - it has yet to be done =( This guy could sure write for piano and orchestra, couldn't he? Real tour de forces in concertante writing.
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Godbluffer wrote:
"The Epic of Gilgamesh" might just be *the* most mysterious, unearthly music ever composed. And although the whole work is suffused by this mystery, the closing moments take it all a step further; just breathtaking! For a great performance I'd advise the the 1976 Supraphon recording conducted by Jiří Bělohlávek.
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Seavas wrote:
Cello Sonatas, wonderful, driven stuff.
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fergen003 wrote:
but greatly
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KraeheK wrote:
Man, he composed so much :D
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SuperlativeHors wrote:
Jan, that's just what I was thinking.
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JanBlanicky wrote:
lesser known ? By whom ?
Events
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Apr
5
BBC SSO Thursday Night Series: Shostakovich's Fifth & Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 5
City Halls, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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windsil, waltertbuffalo, English-Tea and 4 other people added Bohuslav Martinů to their libraries. Friday morning
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psih-ad tagged Bohuslav Martinů with ‘classical’. December 2011
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xzwqt uploaded PNG to Bohuslav Martinů’s images. December 2011
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