General information
Title CZŠach králi
Subtitle CZjazzový balet o 1 dějství
Title ENCheck to the King
Subtitle ENjazz-ballet in 1 act
Title DESchach dem König
Subtitle DEJazz-Ballett in einem Aufzug
Title FRÉchec au Roi [auth.]
Subtitle FRballet en 1 acte [auth.]
CategoryStage Works and Film Music
SubcategoryBallets
Halbreich number186
Author of lyrics/libretto Coeuroy, André
Parts of the composition (movements)1. Allegro vivo; 2. Poco allegro - Moderato - Allegro marcia; 3. Valse - Boston; 4. Allegro; 5. Allegro moderato; 6. Blues; 7. Allegro; 8. Finale (Allegro vivo)
Durata27' 30''
Instruments2222-2230-Timp-Batt(GC-Ptti-Tamb mil/picc-Tbrino-Trgl)-Pf-Archi-Sp-A(alt - ad lib.)
Origin
Place of compositionParis
Year of origin1930
Initiation of composition10.01.1930
Completion of composition17.02.1930
First performance
Performer Ogoun, Luboš
Štolfa, Vojtěch
Štych, Jan
Date of the first performance11.04.1980
Location of the first performanceBrno, National Theatre (Národní divadlo)
Note on the first performanceJan Štych (cond.), Luboš Ogoun (choreography), Vojtěch Štolfa (scenography)
Ensemble Národní divadlo Brno
Autograph deposition
Note on the autograph depostitionAutograph piano reduction held by the Czech Museum of Music.
Facsimile of the autograph score located at the Éditions Max Eschig in Paris and at the Bohuslav Martinů Centre in Polička.
Copyright
CopyrightÉditions Max Eschig
Purchase linkbuy
First edition
PublisherÉditions Max Eschig
Place of issuePaříž
Year of publication1966
Editions available at the BM Institute
Éditions Max Eschig, Paris, 1987
Call number at the BM Institute: 1271
Specification of the edition: Hire material - large score (copy of composer's autograph)
Details of this edition
Sources
References Related writings
Related images
Documents in the Library
About the composition

Martinů’s farewell to his jazz period can be linked to the score of an one-act ballet entitled Check to the King (Échec au Roi in the original French libretto, written by André Coeuroy). Boston and blues, together with a playful combination of modern polyphony and counterpoint of a chess game danced on stage, create a refreshing atmosphere of the composition, which was composed between January 10 and February 17, 1930, in Paris.
The premiere took place on April 11, 1980, at the National Theater in Brno. The music was performed under the baton of Jan Štych, with choreography by Luboš Ogoun and scenography by Vojtěch Štofla. An autographed piano reduction of the score is now archived at the Czech Museum of Music.

Jaroslav Mihule, Martinů: Osud skladatele, Prague: Karolinum, 2002, p. 174.

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