The Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů was born in Polička, Bohemia, on December 8, 1890 and died in Liestal, Switzerland, August 28, 1959. While he lived outside of his native Czechoslovakia most of his career, history has placed him in the pantheon of great Czech musicians following in the footsteps of Smetana, Dvořák, and Janaček. His earliest music education was that of a violin student. Showing great promise, he enrolled in the Prague Conservatory in 1906. While his career as a student there was less than successful, Prague’s lively musical environment stimulated his creative spirit as a budding composer. His skills as a violinist earned him a position in the Czech Philharmonic from 1919-23. During this period he took composition lessons with Josef Suk. In 1923 he moved to Paris and began to fall under the influence of Debussy and Stravinsky, among others. In 1941 he emigrated to the United States to escape the ongoing Nazi conquest and resided here until 1953, becoming an American citizen in 1952. We decided to return to Europe, but because his native land fell under communism, he lived in France and Switzerland until his death. The score calls for solo oboe, 2 flutes, 2 clarinets, bassoon, 2 horns, trumpet, piano, and strings.

Martinů composed his Concerto for Oboe in 1955 for the Czech-born Australian oboist Jiři Tancibudek, who gave the piece its world premiere in Sydney in August 1956 with Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt leading the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The work comprises three movements and is of ca. 17 minutes in length. Calling for considerable virtuosity on the part of the soloist, its style is quite accessible to audiences, showing the neo-classical influence of Stravinsky. While its outer movements (Moderato and Poco allegro) display a jaunty mien, the middle movement (Poco andante) is more introspective.

Program Note by David B. Levy, © 2026