Writings | Sources database of B. Martinu Institute

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BMI call number Former call number

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Composition as subject

Location as subject

General information

Type of the document	Letter
Sender	Novák, Jan
Sender (corporation)
Sender‘s location	Neu-Ulm
Send date	24.03.1984
Recipient	Henderson, Michael
Recipient (corporation)
Language	English
Call number at IBM	NovJ 1984-03-24

Content and physical description

Content	Jan Novák describes how he came to Bohuslav Martinů. He wanted to study with him in Prague at the Academy, but since he was still not coming back, he joined JN under Pavel Bořkovec. His dream to study with Martinů came true after he won a scholarship to the USA. He returned from his studies just as the Communists took power in the Czechoslovakia. After 20 August [1968], he had the chance to move to Italy, where he found his second home. Martinů wished to return to the Czechoslovakia after the war and asked JN to find a suitable apartment for him, but the events surrounding the death of Jan Masaryk changed the circumstances. After 1946 BM did not return to his homeland because of his involvement with the Berkshire Music Center. JN describes BM's acquaintance with Rosalie Barstow, who cared for BM after his fall while Charlotte was in Prague. JN also met RB on several occasions. Once it was at the opening night of BM's TWO MADRIGALS where he introduced BM to RB. He was also once with RB at a concert when BM was expecting a phone call about his mother-in-law's health. JN was due to have his cantata Dido performed by the New York Philharmonic on these days with JN as narrator, but Rafael Kubelík broke his arm and so cancelled all the concerts. Eliška Nováková performed the following BM works: the CONCERT FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA, the 3rd CONCERT and the SONATA (the latter even the day before Rudolf Serkin), and in 1956 she also played the FANTASIA AND TOCCATA, for which BM admired her. BM was also very well received in Brno thanks to Zdeněk Zouhar, who organised several concerts with BM compositions in the university library. BM's style was much closer to Josef Suk than to Vítězslav Novák.
Total number of leaves	1
Number of pages bearing text	2
Fixation	Typescript

Digitisation The document is not digitized. Hard copy available in Bohuslav Martinů Institute library.

Location as subject

Berkshire

Brno

New York, NY

Prague

Person as subject

Bakala, Břetislav

Barstow, Rosalie

Bořkovec, Pavel

Halbreich, Harry

Horowitz, Vladimir