Bohuslav Martinů, born in Polička, Bohemia in 1890, spent many years searching for his own musical style.
Critical Reception
The String Quartet No. 4 was forgotten in the Puc family archive for years and only published in 1963, more than a quarter-century after its composition.
Performer Biography
The Emperor String Quartet, formed in London in 1992, was the first British group to win the prestigious Evian International String Quartet Competition in 1995.
Composer's Artistic Vision
For Martinů, neoclassicism meant striving for comprehensibility while using advanced compositional techniques, not over-simplification.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Martinů considered his String Quartet No. 2 (1925) to be his first mature composition, despite having already composed 150 pieces by then.
Composition History
Martinů dedicated his last three string quartets to women who played significant roles in his life, including his wife Charlotte.
Composition History
Martinů's String Quartet No. 4 was commissioned by wealthy Czech industrialist Čestmír Puc, an important patron of Czech artists in Paris.
You might also enjoy...
Ignaz Lachner: String Quartets Vol.2
Boulez: Livre pour Quatuor
Verhulst: String Quartets, Op. 6
Draeseke: String Quartets, Vol. 1
Egon Wellesz: String Quartets 2, 5 & 7
Mittler: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 3
The Alban Berg Quartett plays Boulez' Livre pour Quatuor (Live)
