Bohuslav Martinů

Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959) was a Czech composer whose prolific output joined Czech folk and classical traditions with neoclassicism, jazz, and other modernist influences.

Neoclassicism: A twentieth-century musical movement that revived classical forms and textures while using modern harmony and rhythm. Its clear forms and energetic counterpoint shaped much of Martinů’s mature style.
Juliette (Martinů opera): A 1938 opera by Martinů about a man searching for a woman in a town where people cannot remember. This surreal opera is among Martinů’s best-known stage works.
Polička: A town in eastern Bohemia where Martinů was born in 1890. His origins in this small Czech town remained a strong point of cultural identification.
Josef Suk: A Czech composer and violinist who studied with Antonín Dvořák. Suk taught Martinů at the Prague Conservatory and represented a major Czech musical lineage.
Czech Philharmonic: A Czech orchestra founded in Prague in 1896. The orchestra has helped sustain Martinů’s orchestral music within Czech concert culture.
Czech music: The musical traditions and repertory associated with the Czech lands and their composers. Martinů drew on Czech rhythms, dances, and melodic character throughout his career.
The Greek Passion: An opera by Martinů based on Nikos Kazantzakis’s novel Christ Recrucified. Its biblical drama shows the scale and late-period ambition of Martinů’s operatic writing.
Prague Conservatory: A music conservatory in Prague, founded in 1811. Martinů studied there but left without completing its prescribed course.
Antonín Dvořák: A Czech composer known for symphonies, concertos, chamber music, and works shaped by Czech and American influences. Dvořák’s national style forms an earlier reference point for Martinů’s Czech musical identity.
Martinů Foundation: An organization devoted to preserving and promoting the works and legacy of Bohuslav Martinů. The foundation supports research, editions, and performances of his extensive catalogue.

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Iannis XenakisRelated: Martinů was among the composers Xenakis studied while developing his musical practice.