Bohuslav Martinů

Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959), the Czech neoclassical composer, was born in Polička in East Bohemia. As a child he received his first violin lesson from the town’s tailor, and on seeing the speed of his progress the townsfolk joined forces to finance his studies in Prague. The young prodigy began studying violin in 1906, under Josef Suk, and from 1909 he also learned the organ and composition. In 1910, however, he was expelled from the Conservatory for lack of diligence. He did finally receive his diploma in violin teaching in 1912, and worked as a musician with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Prague. He escaped conscription during World War I after being found unfit for military service, and he worked instead as a music teacher in his home town. By 1920, however, he had returned to playing the violin with the Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1922-23 he returned to Josef Suk to study composition, then went to Paris to further his expertise under Albert Roussel. He lived and composed in the French capital until 1940 when, rather than endure the German occupation, he emigrated to the United States and taught at Princeton and the Tanglewood Music Festival. He returned to Europe in 1953, first to Nice and then to Rome, after which he spent yet another year in America, at the prestigious Curtis Institute. The last years of his life were spent in Switzerland. His extensive oeuvre is characteristically diverse in terms of both genre and style. Folk music, impressionism, Stravinsky and Les Six were some of his main influences, and it was because of them that he turned to neoclassicism; he liked including jazzy elements in his compositions. Today, Martinů is regarded as one of the most significant Czech composers. His music – primarily his orchestral and chamber works – is being performed more than ever.