Celebrating Martinu

An hommage to a forgotten genius: OMF 2015 celebrated the creative power of Bohuslav Martinu on the occasion of his 125th anniversary

Bohuslav Martinû (1890-1959) was among the most gifted and prolific composers in the first half of the 20th century and yet he remains conspicuously absent from many concert halls -- especially here in North America.  This is all the more surprising considering the fact that he spent more than ten years in exile in the United States (1941-1953) while fleeing the Nazi persecution.  And it is here that he wrote many of his finest symphonic works, some of which appear on the OMF program this year.  Original, inspired, technically sophisticated and truly beautiful music, his more than 400 compositions, representing every major musical genre, deserve to be heard and enjoyed.  OMF takes a step forward in promoting his output by including him among the featured composers of the festival.  This is electrifying, joyful or, by contrast, deeply expressive music that is simply unforgettable.  We are pleased you can join us in the celebration of a forgotten genius.  

List of works performed at OMF 2015

Double Concerto - June 20
        for two string orchestras, piano           and timpani
Sinfonietta Giocosa - June 23
        for piano and orchestra
Nonetto - June 25
        for wind quintet, string trio and             string bass
Sinfonietta la Jolla - June 27
        for orchestra
Sinfonia Concertante - June 27
        for oboe, bassoon, violin,                       violoncello and orchestra
Divertimento/Serenata No. 4 -June 30
        for violin, viola and orchestra
Piano Concerto No. 3 - July 1
        for piano and orchestra

Featured artists in Martinu's works

Alexander Velinzon, violin
Mary Lynch, oboe
Efe Baltacigil, violoncello
Seth Krimsky, bassoon
Dimitri Ashkenazy, clarinet
Ada Meinich, viola
Carla Trynchu, violin
Chi Yong Yun, piano
David Jacobs, conductor
Travis Hatton, conductor
Joel Bluestone, timpani
Charlene Farrugia, piano
Susan Chan, piano
Janet Coleman, piano
​Zvonimir Hacko, conductor
Jason Fromme, violin
Sonja Myklebust, violoncello
Kevin Deitz, string bass
Daria Binkovski, flute
Alan Juza, oboe
Jen Harrison, French Horn
Evan Kuhlmann, bassoon

About Martinu:
​A retrospective

 "I think I am better at writing music than in writing about it. I do not like placing the creative process under a microscope, to explain a work, to look at the molecules (so to speak) instead of examining the body as a whole. So far as I am concerned, a work should live by itself, and not as a result of analyses. I do not think that it is necessary for the public to enter the laboratory, where it understands nothing, and where the artist himself sometimes needs to reflect a long time in order to grasp the meaning of things." ​
Bohuslav Martinu​
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