General information
Type of the document Varia
SenderMartinů, Bohuslav
Sender (corporation)
Send date noteIt was probably written on the beginning of the year 1955
RecipientDownes, Olin
Recipient (corporation)
LanguageEnglish
Language 2Czech
AcquiredCopy from Olin Downes estate, University of Georgia (from Robert Simon), 2013
Owner of the sourceUniversity of Georgia
Call number at IBMDow 0000-00-00
Content and physical description
ContentBohuslav Martinů describes the creative process of composing. SYMPHONY No. 6 is the result of BM's desire to write a composition for Charles Munch, whom he admires. The original concept for SYMFONIE included a large orchestra with three pianos, which BM later rejected. The SYMFONIE contains a quotation from the opera JULIETTE, which Martinů will probably never hear again, so he can listen to at least the few bars he wrote into the SYMFONIE. [BM's handwritten note below the text:] The addressee knows that it was supposed to be called Symphonie Fantastique, but BM changed the title to avoid unnecessary comparisons, and he also did not find it sufficiently fantastic, which was probably a mistake. The piece was dedicated by Ch. Munch, but he apparently made a gift to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He will extend the text for the next programme.
Total number of leaves1
Number of pages bearing text1
NoteProbably program text to Symphony nr. 6, the typescript part of the letter is identical with the letter from Bohuslav Martinů to Boosey & Hawkes from 21.12.1954 (BH 1954-12-21); the letter might be an answer to the letter from John Burk to Bohuslav Martinů from 14.1.1955 (BSO 1954-01-14)
FixationTypyscript, handwriting
Digitisation
Quality of digitisationNot professional black-and-white
Date of digitisation2013
Note on digitisationCopy from Robert Simon

Preview only available at the Institute.

Person as subject
Munch, Charles
Corporation as subject
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Composition as subject
Juliette (The Key to Dreams), H 253
Symphony No. 6 (Fantaisies Symphoniques), H 343
« previous
ID 4621 (entry 1 / 0)
next »