Music

Bohuslav Martinu

8. 12. 1890 Policka – 28. 8. 1959 Liestl in Switzerland

He attempted to compose at the age of 10. He entered Prague’s conservatoire, but he was excluded. Then he returned to Policka where he worked as a teacher of violin and he became a member of Czech philharmonic orchestra. When he was 32 he entered again Prague conservatoire but he didn’t finish it. In 1923 he left for Paris to study there. He met Einstein there and taught him how to play violin, but Einstein couldn’t learn it. Martinu wrote for Einstein Madrigal Stanzas.

He died of stomach cancer in the hospital in Liestl. 20 years after his death his remains were transported to Policka. 

Folk literature was for B. Martinu some from fundamental inspired source.

Spalicek

The title of this folk ballet is untranslatable. In Czech culture, the word Spalicek is associated particularly with the famous collection of folk poetry illustrated with pictures of the life in Czech villages in the past centuries by Mikolas Ales (1852 – 1913).

In Spalicek, B. Martinu’s yearning for home was expressed with particular strength as he realized clearly the unnaturalness of his separation. The play about Cock and hen and Carrying out Death are parts of Spalicek.

Play about cock and hen

The cock tries to swallow a nut without the hen noticing. The nut gets stuck in his throat. The cock pleads with the hen to fetch him water. The hen runs to the well. The well wants the hen to bring a scarf from she seamstress; the seamstress asks for shoes from the shoemaker; the shoemaker for bristles from the sow; the sow asks for cream from the cow; the cow grass from the meadow and the meadow dew from sky. The hen explains to each of them what she has to give to get the water. Finally, the sky shows compassion and sends dew, etc., and things get moving until the well provides the water, and the hen saves the cock’s life.

Carrying out Death

It describes an ancient Czech Easter custom: children cast Death - a straw effigy - into the water and greet the arrival of spring that is represented by the maypole.

Opening of the wells

This is the cantata for woman’s chorus, baritone, reciter, violin, viola and piano. This chamber cantata was later included in a four part cycle. It describes an antient Czech custom, which is cleaning wells in spring in the author’s native country.

Primrose

5 duets with the piano and violin of 1954, to the texts of Moravian folk poetry.