| Content | Bohuslav Martinů thanks Vladimír Vaňek for his letter and apologises for not replying sooner, but has been taken to work on the CLASSICAL CONCERT [No. 5]. His hand has deteriorated due to the work on the concert and he will probably not rest, as BM has subjected the opera [GREEK PASSIONS] to a revision and has decided to make the ending much more effective. "Lidice in Germany is still going on in view of the Golgotha of the stench of the Sudetenland and the poor refugees from their country exiled among the ends of barbarism." [unclear meaning of the sentence]. [Jaromir] Měšt'an works perfectly [i.e. apparently informs BM of upcoming performances of his pieces]. The Kolars are in Paris. The magazine Czechoslovak Life [with an article about BM] finally got BM from Prague and sees how they promote him. BM's discs of OPENING STUDIES broke on the way, but it's the second issue, so he has a new one. They seem to have done a lot of stuff in Prague, but they're not available yet. Bares [perhaps Mirolasv Bures? BM met him in May 1957] charmed Martinů, i.e. Martinů didn't even get to speak, no sooner had Martinů opened his mouth than he was in the middle of the next movement. BM regrets that Comenius' book was sent back from Rome, but it is too late to write to Bares. BM is already feeling well after the flu, drinking French wine and describing the paper with notes, he is just in the middle of the 3rd movement, the last one [of the CLASSICAL CONCERT No. 5], which makes a stone fall from his heart. Martinů wishes all the best for Christmas and the New Year, BM adds a short verse.
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