The Second Violin Concerto was commissioned by Ukrainian-American violinist Mischa Elman, who was so impressed by Martinů's First Symphony that he requested a piece for his instrument.
Historical Context
Martinů emigrated to the USA in 1941 via Lisbon, leaving Europe not due to racial persecution but out of detestation for fascism and war, and fear of political persecution.
Composition History
The First Violin Concerto was commissioned by Polish-American virtuoso Samuel Dushkin, who also premiered works by Igor Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel.
Composition History
The score for Martinů's First Violin Concerto was considered lost for many years and was only rediscovered in 1968, nine years after the composer's death.
Composer Biography
Martinů was expelled from the Prague Conservatory in 1910 due to 'inveterate inattentiveness' after studying violin with Josef Suk, Antonín Dvořák's son-in-law.
Composer Biography
Bohuslav Martinů, a Czech composer, was born in 1890 in the watchman's apartment of St. Jacob's Church in Polička, where his father was the local fire warden.
Notable Performances
The First Violin Concerto received its posthumous premiere in Chicago on October 25, 1973, performed by Czech soloist Josef Suk, grandson of Martinů's teacher, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Georg Solti.
