The Symphony No. 1, H. 289, is an orchestral composition by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů.
On 19 December 1941, Martinů wrote a letter to Serge Koussevitzky, expressing a wish to compose a symphony for the Boston Symphony Orchestra for their next season. In reply, early in 1942 Koussevitzky commissioned a work for large orchestra in memory of his late wife Natalie. Despite the freedom offered in the commission, Martinů persisted in his intention to tackle the ambitious form of the symphony, with an eye to increasing his standing in American musical life. [1] Work on the Symphony was begun in June with the first movement, in Jamaica. The two middle movements were composed in July in Middlebury, Vermont, and the finale was worked out in July and August, in Lenox, Massachusetts, while Martinů was teaching at the Berkshire Music Center. The score was completed on 1 September 1942, at Manomet, Massachusetts and was premiered on 13 November 1942 in Boston, with further performances in New York on 21 November 1942 and 7 January 1943, all conducted by Serge Koussevitzky. [2] (According to the publisher's website, the premiere actually took place three months earlier, on 13 August 1942, two weeks before completion of the score. [3]
The symphony is scored for two flutes, piccolo, two oboes, cor anglais, three clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (cymbals, tam-tam, triangle, bass drum, side drum, tambourine), harp, piano, and strings.
The symphony is in the traditional four movements:
The Symphony No. 1, H. 289, is an orchestral composition by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů.
On 19 December 1941, Martinů wrote a letter to Serge Koussevitzky, expressing a wish to compose a symphony for the Boston Symphony Orchestra for their next season. In reply, early in 1942 Koussevitzky commissioned a work for large orchestra in memory of his late wife Natalie. Despite the freedom offered in the commission, Martinů persisted in his intention to tackle the ambitious form of the symphony, with an eye to increasing his standing in American musical life. [1] Work on the Symphony was begun in June with the first movement, in Jamaica. The two middle movements were composed in July in Middlebury, Vermont, and the finale was worked out in July and August, in Lenox, Massachusetts, while Martinů was teaching at the Berkshire Music Center. The score was completed on 1 September 1942, at Manomet, Massachusetts and was premiered on 13 November 1942 in Boston, with further performances in New York on 21 November 1942 and 7 January 1943, all conducted by Serge Koussevitzky. [2] (According to the publisher's website, the premiere actually took place three months earlier, on 13 August 1942, two weeks before completion of the score. [3]
The symphony is scored for two flutes, piccolo, two oboes, cor anglais, three clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (cymbals, tam-tam, triangle, bass drum, side drum, tambourine), harp, piano, and strings.
The symphony is in the traditional four movements: