General information
Type of the document Letter
SenderKorte, Oldřich
Sender (corporation)
Sender‘s locationStříbrné Hory
Send date12/1956
Send date notethe letter was written on Jun, but OK sent it as late as december with birthday wisches to composer
RecipientMartinů, Bohuslav
Recipient (corporation)
Recipient‘s locationRome
Note on Recipient‘s location[Roma]
LanguageCzech
AcquiredCopy of the signed letter from V. Vaněk papers at Czech Foreign Affairs Ministry Archive, 2021; the other copy at Martinů Institute is a copy of the carbon copy from O. Korte
Owner of the sourceArchiv Ministerstva zahraničních věcí ČR
Call number at IBMKorO 1956-12-00
Content and physical description
ContentOldřích Korte writes to Bohuslav Martinů a comprehensive confession of admiration for his music and an emotional analysis of his work. There are many in the CSR who eagerly await BM's return but understand his reasons. His admirers meet and share recordings and sheet music. This is mainly the generation that grew up during WWII. BM's music stands out for its humanity alongside the avant-garde, which everyone was enchanted by, but after a short time learned its limitations. BM music combines the best of Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Czech folk music. In these times, when the threat of war is still a daily concern, there is no need for composers to continue to frighten people, spread confusion or, on the contrary, lie and distract listeners. BM music brings the most necessary thing: order. It also has spiritual character and power. Listening to SYMPHONIC FANTASIES is perhaps the most powerful experience of OK. Apart from Bruckner's last symphonies, OK knows nothing like it. BM appeals mainly to spiritually minded people and not necessarily musicians. When BM was "on the index", they got recordings in various ways, especially from foreign radio. They would then inquire about the compositions with [Miloš] Šafránek, who was always willing to tell them about the compositions. At the concert, he discovered that the pocket score of the 4th SYMPHONY by Boosey & Hawkes omitted the "three abandoned piano exhalations" in the slow movement. It was one of the most fascinating spots for OK and it will never be missed. OK was in Polička last year and BM should see how the people there talk about it
Total number of leaves3 + 6
Number of pages bearing text6 + 6
NoteDate revised on the base of letter KorO 1958-05-03
FixationTypescript and handwritten signature, handwritten inscriptions
MarkingsMinor corrections in the text
Digitisation
Quality of digitisationNot professional colour
Digitized atMZV
Date of digitisation2022

Preview only available at the Institute.

Location as subject
Polička
Person as subject
Corporation as subject
Composition as subject
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