Who better than the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra to bring the 30th Bohuslav Martinů Days festival to a rousing finish? Hailing from Zlín in southern Moravia, the orchestra is equally versatile in classical, jazz and pop, reflecting its namesake’s wide range of musical influences. That expertise was on impressive display in a closing concert which bookended a Martinů mash-up with two simpatico pieces.
The centerpiece of the program was Martinů’s String Quartet with Orchestra, featuring a chamber ensemble named after another 20th-century Czech composer, the Pavel Bořkovec Quartet. A pulsing work that grows frenetic at times, it rises and falls in complex dramatic swells that demand intricate playing from both the quartet and orchestra. Riding a knife’s edge, the quartet cut sharp lines playing with the orchestra that softened into pathos in the solo passages. Led by conductor Robert Kružik, the orchestra struck a level of intensity from the opening bars that never let up, giving the music an exciting edge. The surfeit of strings was a bit much at times, especially in a small hall that compressed the sound. Otherwise it was an impassioned performance and tight collaboration, turning a potentially awkward pairing into a seamless showcase. And with an original arrangement of folk songs for an encore, the quartet showed that it does imaginative work on its own.
The program opened with a world premiere, Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra by Czech composer Jiří Teml. Intentionally or not, it was a perfect companion piece to the Martinů concerto, just as tumultuous in sound and structure and innovative with traditional forms. Kružik neatly balanced an orchestral score that veered wildly from ominous marches to light-hearted riffs, the latter changing so often and abruptly that they could serve as a cartoon soundtrack, especially with the whimsical touches Teml added in percussion. The solo parts were just the opposite, short, serious bursts that pushed the sonic and technical limits of the instrument. Contemporary clarinetist Irvin Venyš showed virtuoso technical skills and a flair for new music in handling his part with aplomb. The 89-year-old Teml was no less enthusiastic afterward, spryly taking the stage to give Kružik and Venyš hugs of appreciation.
Capping the evening, Josef Suk’s Pohadka (Fairy Tale) took the spirit of innovation into the gentler realm of romantic fantasy, with Kružik giving the four-movement suite rich symphonic treatment. A glimmering quality in the sound added a sense of wonder – an intangible, perhaps, but a beautiful realization of the theme and potential of the piece. The cramped acoustics robbed the music of some depth and polish, but the spirit of festive celebration was exactly right. And deliberate pacing set up an expansive finale, portraying light overcoming the darkness with some exceptionally sweet strings.
Overall, the program offered an insightful and satisfying conclusion to a festival that focuses not simply on Martinů, but his influences, other composers he influenced, and the musical world he inhabited and created. The conviction in his values and work, 65 years after his death, still rang clear and true in every note, and the very presence of the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic onstage marked an enduring triumph over adversity.
