The only Martinu symphony I have not taken to after over fifty years of listening to his works is the 2nd. Th 5th is the most appealing; its rhythms and its whole mood is reminiscent of Beethoven 's 7th. The bleakest is No. 3, redeemed only by the conclusion, a musical response to news of the D Day landings and the liberation of Europe. The 4th is the best, though the 6th has that mystical, fantastic element you find in his final works. The 1st is a work of great radiance, and a fitting introduction to a great symphonic cycle.
But the greatest works are not symphonic - the Double Concerto, written in difficult times, Gilgamesh and the Greek Passion
I wonder why the 50th anniversary of his death in 2009 was given so little recognition in Britain?
The only Martinu symphony I have not taken to after over fifty years of listening to his works is the 2nd. Th 5th is the most appealing; its rhythms and its whole mood is reminiscent of Beethoven 's 7th. The bleakest is No. 3, redeemed only by the conclusion, a musical response to news of the D Day landings and the liberation of Europe. The 4th is the best, though the 6th has that mystical, fantastic element you find in his final works. The 1st is a work of great radiance, and a fitting introduction to a great symphonic cycle.
But the greatest works are not symphonic - the Double Concerto, written in difficult times, Gilgamesh and the Greek Passion
I wonder why the 50th anniversary of his death in 2009 was given so little recognition in Britain?