In several respects, the Les Fresques de Piero della Francesca, H 352, from 1955, resemble the composer's return to his beginnings. Long 40 years after Martinů, inspired by the famous Arnold Böcklin's picture, had written the Ballad on Böcklin´s Painting “Villa by the Sea”, H 97, symphonic composition, he went back in the Les Fresques to make a specific picture reference become source of his inspiration. At the time Martinů wrote the orchestral piece, however, his only inspiration was only a picture of Piero della Francesca's Les Fresques, reproduced in a book his close friend Rudolf Kundera, painter, showed him in Southern France. What is more important, though, is the rediscovery of the charming world of impressionism, to which Martinů had waved good bye at the beginning of the 1920's. However, while the impressionism represented by Debussy, Ducas and Roussel entirely overcome Martinů back then, this time, he approached it in a highly subjective and unmistakable manner. In a letter Martinů addressed to Polička, his native town, in reference to this composition, he mentioned: "It is far from descriptive, naturally, but it expresses impressions Les Fresques had arisen in me in the Arezzo church. The first movement depicts this well known group of women with the Queen of Saba; the second is Constantin's Dream; while the third is the overall impession the Les Fresques gave me. The composition is rather impressionistic in its character." The piece is dedicated to Rafael Kubelík, who premiered it at the Salzburg Music Festival, in 1956.
Eva Benešová and Aleš Březina, programme of the concert Bohuslav Martinů Festival, 12 December 1996.