Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959) was born within the tower of St. Jakub Church within the small Bohemian city of Polička. He was a notoriously unhealthy pupil on the Prague Conservatory, the place he studied violin however was extra thinking about composing. Briefly, he was a member of the second violin part of the Czech Philharmonic. In 1923, he moved to Paris, the place he studied with Albert Roussel and started to compose extensively. Following the German occupation in 1940, Martinů emigrated to New York. After the struggle, he was supplied a educating place on the Prague Conservatory, and he almost returned residence, however it was not meant to be. Through the summer season of 1946, whereas educating at Serge Koussevitzky’s Berkshire Music Faculty, Martinů suffered a near-fatal fall from a balcony.
It was in 1947, throughout a interval of convalescence following the accident, that Martinů composed the Three Madrigals for violin and viola. The work was devoted to Joseph and Lilian Fuchs, the famend brother-sister violin-viola duo. Martinů was impressed to jot down the Madrigals after listening to the Fuchs’ carry out Mozart Duos. He liked English madrigals, and these Renaissance influences are evident, together with the zesty rhythms and inflections of Czech folks music.
The primary Madrigal (Poco allegro) is a blazing perpetual movement stuffed with alternating interjections between the 2 devices. A lamenting dumka, the second Madrigal (Poco andante) begins with ghostly trills, and a way of thriller. The ultimate moments arrive at a passionate climax, adopted by repose. The ultimate Madrigal (Allegro) has been described as “an exuberant mashup of hoedown and Bach invention.” (John Henken) There are humorous references to Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony, and the Baroque counterpoint of Vivaldi.
This efficiency, recorded in 2020 by Leonart Studio, options Bartek Niziol (violin) and Michel Willi (viola):
Featured Picture: “Fakir Taming Snakes” (1915), Bohumil Kubišta
