New recording of Bohuslav Martinů’s violin masterpieces

The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, featuring acclaimed violinist Josef Špaček, presents Bohuslav Martinů’s Violin Concertos No. 1 and 2  on a new CD released by Supraphon.

The Czech record label Supraphon has just released a new CD featuring recordings of Bohuslav Martinů’s Violin Concertos alongside Igor Stravinsky’s Divertimento for Violin and Piano - all performed by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. The soloist on the album is the acclaimed violinist Josef Špaček, with Petr Popelka conducting. This season is particularly significant as it marks Popelka’s final year as chief conductor before passing the baton to German-Japanese conductor Elias Grandy.

Bohuslav Martinů|Photo: Bohuslav Martinů Centre in Polička

Bohuslav Martinů was one of the most prolific Czech composers of the 20th century, composing nearly 400 works that drew on a wide range of styles and genres. Yet throughout his career, the violin held a special place in his heart. He began as a violinist with the Czech Philharmonic, before moving to Paris in 1923, where he spent 17 formative years. In 1940, fleeing the German invasion of France, he emigrated to the United States, where he gained international acclaim working as a composer and as a teacher at Princeton University and the Berkshire Music Center in Massachusetts.

Some of Martinů’s best-loved works include the opera The Greek Passion, or his Symphonies No. 1 and No. 6. The Violin Concertos included on the new CD are somewhat lesser well known. The first Concerto, which he composed in Paris in 1932 was commissioned by the violin virtuoso Samuel Dushkin, but it was never performed during the composer’s lifetime. It got mislaid and was considered lost for many years until 1961.

Martinů’s Violin Concerto No.2 was equaly commissioned by a star violinist impressed by his work – Russian-American Misha Elman. This Concerto, however, did see the light of day, as Elman premiered it with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in December 1943.

Photo: Supraphon

Martinů himself wrote a brief introduction for the premiere, acknowledging that “writing for a solo violin requires a very special state of mind,” a testament to his deep understanding of the instrument. He also described the concerto’s three-movement structure: “In the first movement, lyrical, I maintained a serious character (…). The second movement serves as a form of rest, a bridge leading to the final allegro.”

The newly released CD marks the second collaboration between Špaček and Popelka on Martinů’s works, following a highly praised earlier release. Their latest recording once again promises both virtuosity and fresh insight into the music of this influential Czech composer.