Bohuslav Martinů
Stop, musicians, before our house, from the ballet "Špalíček"
Serenade H199
National Theatre Orchestra
Conductor: Jaroslav Kyzlink
Soprano: Marie Fajtová
Martinů belongs to the Musica non grata composers due to his political views, not by origin and race. In Paris he was active in the Czechoslovak National Liberation Committee against the Nazi Germany.
Špalíček, a sung ballet, is a work of the early 1930s. In Špalíček he works with the folk texts from different folk collections. This music is immensely beautiful and exciting, and it’s considered as the beginning of Martinů’s so called Czech national period. Martinů worked his way to this stage by composing very experimental, dramatic sometimes even dissonate music.
Serenade for the chamber orchestra was written in 1930 for Martinů’s teacher Albert Roussel. It premiered already in 1931, conducted by Walther Straram and it became one of his most played pieces.
Aleš Březina, musicologist and Bohuslav Martinů Institute Director.
