Bohuslav Martinů: The Parables (1957)

[@BritinIsrael]

I was so lucky to see a live performance of this fascinating work given by the Czech Phil in Prague in the 1960's conducted by the late great Ancerl. Martinu's music is so underperformed around the world and undeservedly so. Surely it's time to hear less Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert and let the younger generation hear such wonderful music by Martinu, Janacek, Nielsen, Barber, Copeland , Lutolawski and others....even Bruckners 2nd and 3rd symphonies which are fine compositions but rarely heard in live concert.

[@TheVaughan5]

Totally agree. The good news is that in Europe at least Janacek and Nielsen are now often played and Martinu is at last getting more recognition. Not sure if this is the case in other countries.

[@jackarcher7495]

Also agree. Martinu was a revelation to me when I happened to hear his Symphony No. 6 on our classical radio station. Now I cannot get enough. This is yet another work that is new to me.

[@lyricaltones]

A masterpiece of symphonic music of the 20th century. I love this Martinů's late orchestral style, it's so rich and colorful!

[@goognoog7371]

Truly symphonic in its richness, versatility and uniqueness of expression. Know plenty of composers who produce great music, but few who actually SPEAK as if putting you inside a story.

[@christophebaratault4685]

Magnifique !

[@notaire2]

Wunderschöne Interpretation dieses neoklassischen und perfekt komponierten Meisterwerks mit gut artikulierten und perfekt vereinigten Tönen aller Instrumente. Der unvergleichliche Dirigent leitet das ausgezeichnete Orchester im gut phrasierten Tempo und mit perfekt kontrollierter Dynamik. Bestimmt eine der zehn besten Aufführungen dieses Werks bis heute!

[@notaire2]

@SuperMagren Hoffentlich im Universum ohne Coronavirus-Infektion.

[@GaryLachman]

I love Martinu. His symphonies are superb, especially the 5th and 6th. This is another remarkable work. I've come to rely on these channels as a source of great music, much more than the BBC's Radio 3, which has lost itself in its misguided belief that it needs to "reach out" to new listeners, by watering down its classical remit with more "accessible" stuff, which can be easily accessed elsewhere. Here is the pure spring.

[@lessismore4470]

Agree with you completely. By the way, are you the Gary Lachman who played bass guitar in Blondie? Greetings from Poland.

[@GaryLachman]

@@lessismore4470 Yes, indeed. It was my discovery of classical music - by way of a girlfriend's Walkman, one of the first in NYC - in the early 1980s that led me away from the pop world. I now write books. Greetings from London.

[@lessismore4470]

@@GaryLachman Oh, I'm honoured. I am mainly your reader - your book on Rudolf Steiner, read and -reread quite a few times, has been immensely important to me. Today I've had many listenings of Martinu's music because me and my wife spent Saturday in Policka, Martinu's home town (not far away from the place where we live), and this was a moving visit...

[@guilhemmariotte]

Just discovered this great composer! Indeed, like others, he is largely underrated in France...

[@ralphmadach55]

Ich habe eine ganz besondere Verbindung zur Musik von Bohuslav Martinů von meiner Jugend an. Meine schweizer Großtante, die ihn auch persönlich kannte, erzählte mir sehr viel von diesem großartigen Menschen und Komponisten.

[@danieljeong7357]

What was he like as a person?

[@TheVaughan5]

Thanks so much Wellesz Theatre for introducing me to many little known works by the great Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu. Why this composer is not performed more often is a mystery - I have just scanned through the forthcoming programmes for the BBC Proms 2014 (World's largest classical music festival) Mahler, Mahler, Mahler but not a SINGLE work by Martinu! (a superior composer IMO) How narrowly focused these organizers can be.

[@potrelviewer9536]

Personally, if I were an artistic director of a national orchestra, I would make each season with 60% of well-known classical pieces and 40% of symphonic 'oddities'.

[@ΑΝΔΡΕΑΣΣΩΚΟΣ]

The Bohuslav Martinu music is a new dimension in a multi dimensional musical world! And of course a new sense of poly tonic music. This kind of music should be taken a place in this world and I was looking for years trying to find such a kind of music.

[@paintinatube]

I could not agree more! I can only assume the reviewers lack the passion, originality, imagination and love to respond to his work. In my humble opinion it is not Stravinsky but Martinu who was the greates 20th century composer.

[@gerardbegni2806]

This is a late work from Martinu.The thematic and the orchestration are splendid. Indeed, the work is highly inspired. It deserves to be more often heard in concdert halls. Pesonnally, I already heard about it, it is the first time that I hear it actually.

[@gerardbegni2806]

An energic a firm music with this touch of lyrism that belongs only to Martinu.

[@gustavoantonioalvaradoavel7277]

Extraordinary!!!

[@ronaldbwoodall2628]

Having just endured hearing the 4th Symphony of Viktor Kalabis, I desperately needed an antidote, and this gorgeous Martinu work served the purpose nicely! Martinu painted beautiful; pictures in sound, touching the soul and spirit with positive, life-affirming messages. This is one of them that is new to me; thanks for making it available for us to experience on YT.

[@gerardbegni2806]

This score dates from the final period of Martinu. The expressio is quite clear, some of the complexities of his writing in his youth and mature period have almost diappeared. We enter into a world of serenity.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

Excellent comment

[@gerardbegni2806]

@@DavidA-ps1qr Thank you. Reading back my comment, I would rather write that the complexities of his youth writing have not disappeared, n but for instance have been "assimilated".

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

@@gerardbegni2806 Once again, you hit the nail on the head. I have a great admiration for this composer and there is no doubt that like so many others, his music "moved on" as he aged. More perhaps than most. Stay safe. David A.

[@gerardbegni2806]

THis score dates from the very last creative period of the composer. The orchestra is written with care and virtuosity, the tonal melodic and harminic language of Martinu has been fixec for years. He wrote here a masterwork.

[@carlosmarquez9326]

000000000

[@gerardbegni2806]

All in all, this is rather a conservative style for his time, but Martinu built up a tonal language of his own, and he could build masterpieces with it, this is the primary thing that we have to consider. This late style, which we retrieve in the frsques da Pietro della Fracesca, in the 6th symphony, is beautiful and gorgeous. This is a really inspired score, a masterpiece of the late Martinu.

[@PeterLunowPL]

there are not many composers who had a tonal language of their own in the 1950:-) don't you agree?

[@gerardbegni2806]

@@PeterLunowPL At leaat the great Benjamin Britten, who wrote so many masterpieces including his operas and the War requiem, and in another world Shostakovitch, who kept his specific extended tonal style in spite of the hostility of the "official" guidelines of the Union of Composers of USSR. .

[@MrBohuslav]

I completely agree with cameronpaul. The situation is much more of a shame in Paris, considering that Martinu lived there some of the best years of his life (between 1923 and 1940) and met his wife. Regarding "Les Paraboles", I feel that Belohlavek is much less at home here as he is in his numerous excellent recordings of the Symphonies.

[@kuang-licheng402]

great

[@Hyblovina]

Great!

[@ontheroadagain2000]

14:40 through 14:47 "silent night, holy night" (in singing tune)

[@bublybubly1]

Yes, I noticed it too, years ago. I think Martinu was living near Basle Switzerland while composing the Parables - and there is much drumming and whistling every year on the carnival (Basler Fasnacht) - the drumming in the Parables is definitely inspired by this, Martinu mentions it in his letters - yet listening to it a week (which you cannot avoid, living there) can be almost nauseating and Martinu, imho, could not resist the temptation to parody it with a Silent Night :)

[@ilumalucwile2422]

Ads, ads, as far as the eye can see. KZbin has become TheirTube.

[@johannesbluemink4581]

I solved that problem long ago, by going YT Premium. Cost? 12 Euros per months and completely ad-free! Plus unlimited download via YTD, which cost me around 25 Euros per year! Well worth it. YT is THE channel for me. Any composer, any composition, you can find it here! In this work I clearly recognize his signature. Love his Sinfonietta 'La Jolla' too.

[@thadhorner5129]

Get KZbin Premium. Then you too, can say: What ads?

[@ChillinDylan2875]

13:10 13:44