Bohuslav Martinu festival underway in Prague
Since December 7th Prague has been hosting the Bohuslav Martinu Music Festival, named after the famous 20th century Czech composer. For the next two weeks, several concert halls will resound with the music of Martinu. As we hear from professor Ivan Straus of the Bohuslav Martinu Foundation, the festival also aims to help young Czech talents:
Since December 7th Prague has been hosting the Bohuslav Martinu Music Festival, named after the famous 20th century Czech composer. For the next two weeks, several concert halls will resound with the music of Martinu. As we hear from professor Ivan Straus of the Bohuslav Martinu Foundation, the festival also aims to help young Czech talents:
"It was initiated by the board of the Bohuslav Martinu Foundation, because we would like to introduce the music of Martinu to a broader public, and we would also like to help some young people in starting their careers, because when Mrs. Martinu gave the incomes from copyrights of her husband to the Czech Music Fund, she said it was aimed at young people so that they are not so poor so long as we were. Therefore we try to support every activity of young people which can also concern Martinu's music and which can contribute to the beginning of their careers."
At the premiere on Sunday, the Berg chamber orchestra a piece which Martinu composed 70 years ago as the accompanying music to a promotion film for the Bata shoe factory in the town of Zlin. The film was called 'Strevicek' or 'Lady's Shoe'. Its so far unknown original score was bought by the Bohuslav Martinu Foundation at an auction organised by Sotheby's in London earlier this year. But when Professor Straus says that the aim of the festival is to present Martinu to a broader public, does it mean that the Czech audience is not familiar enough with his music?
"Usually it is said that nobody is the prophet at home. It's not exactly the case of Martinu but some of his works are very much frequented and beloved by the common concert audience, some of the works are first: very demanding because of financial sources, second: they are not perhaps so popular, but they are worth to be listened to. Therefore we try to support also performances of some less known but very worthy works by Martinu. And it was also the aim of the festival to gradually present for instance all the six symphonies, all the five concertos etc., so that his works, which counted to around 400, could be presented in a wider range."
In any case, Czech classical music buffs will soon have a chance to buy a new CD set featuring a complete recording of Martinu's concertos for violin and orchestra. They are being recorded in Prague by violinist Bohuslav Matousek and the Czech Philharmonic under the baton of the British conductor Christopher Hogwood.
