Growing up in a bell tower

Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů was born and spent most of his childhood in a church tower in Polička, on the borders of Bohemia and Moravia.  Martinů recalled that the panoramic view encapsulated “the vast and boundless space I am always searching for in my music.”

Source: Calum MacDonald, “Bohuslav Martinů”, BBC Music, August 2009, p.44.

Posted

in

by

Greg

Tags:

Featured Content

Anxiety
“Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity”. — Chuck Jones, animator Goleman, D., Kaufman, P., & Ray, M. (1993) The Creative Spirit. New York: Plume.
The Lord Has Revealed To All Nations His Saving Power (Setting ii) – Psalm 97 (98)
Title: The Lord has revealed to all nations his saving power (Setting ii) Text: Psalm 97 (98): 1-4. R. cf. v.2 Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano Product medium: PDF score and part Sample:
The Lord Comes to Rule the Earth With Justice – Psalm 97 (98)
Title: The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice Text: Psalm 97 (98): 5-9. R. v.9 Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano Product medium: PDF score and part Sample:
Rustic Dance
Title: Rustic Dance Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano Product medium: PDF score SAMPLE:
Reich on the accessibility of his music
American composer Steve Reich on his compositional process: When I compose, I notice I’m the only one in the room. (laughs) I tend to be a somewhat self-critical person. I use my emotional faculties to judge whether I want to hear something again. Basically I have no one in mind except pleasing myself. And my […]
Remembering J. S. Bach
Carl Philip Emanuel Bach recalled his father’s (Johann Sebastian) talents as a musician: The exact tuning of his own instruments, and of the whole orchestra, had his greatest attention. No one could tune and quill his instruments to his satisfaction; he did it all himself. The positioning of an orchestra he understood perfectly. He made good use of […]
Leif Ove Andsnes on Beethoven
“I feel a real need for Beethoven now.  It’s such important and spiritual music: it gives you strength, it gives you comfort. It’s just great!” – Leif Ove Andsnes, pianist. Source: Jessica (2011) “Top of the World”, Pianist, Issue 60. p.13.
Dividing the concert takings
In 1866 Brahms and the violinist Joachim gave a concert tour through Switzerland.  One of their concerts was in Aarau. After the program, Brahms and Joachim went to a tavern, where they opened several bottles of the best vintage Swiss wine, including the popular vin mousseux of Lausanne.  Brahms felt decidedly genial. “How did we […]
Minuet I
Title: Minuet I Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano Duet Level: Piano I – level I (5 finger position, left and right hands) Product medium: PDF score & MP3 accompaniment track (Audio sample of accompaniment track only)
Reincken on Bach’s playing
The famous organist Reincken heard Bach play. Bach improvised for half an hour on the hymn “By the Waters of Babylon”.  Reincken said: “I thought such art was dead, but I see it still lives in you.” Siblin, Eric (2009) The Cello Suites.  Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin, p. 58.