Czech Philharmonic

Leoš Janáček (1854–1928), a generation younger Béla Bartók (1881–1945), and Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) form a distinguished trio of 20th-century composers, each of whom engaged deeply with folk music. Each in his own way, but all three were profoundly influenced by it in their musical thinking. Janáček and Bartók studied folk song not only creatively but also scientifically, undertaking field research. For Janáček, folk music was a “truth of life” shaping his melodic language, while for Bartók it became the foundation of his approach to modality and rhythm. Stravinsky, on the other hand, was fascinated by folk ritual, drawing on folk sources selectively and only when needed, above all for texts and melodic ideas. In all cases, however, each composer used this material in a highly personal and inventive way.