Bohuslav Martinů Archives

History, Music, People

Bohuslav Martinů and Lucie Rosen: the Path to Fantasia for Theremin

By Valerio Saggini - June 20, 2020June 10, 2021

Bohuslav Martinů and Lucie Rosen in New York.

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Although Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů does not enjoy the same fame as other composers of the same period, he certainly has a prominent place in twentieth-century music. He is also well known by theremin enthusiasts thanks to Fantasia for theremin, oboe, piano, and string quartet, the composition commissioned to him in 1944 by Lucie Bigelow Rosen. Let’s try to understand a little more about him and follow the path that led him from a Moravian village to Manhattan, where the fortuitous meeting took place.

Fantasia for Theremin, Oboe, Piano, and String Quartet

By Valerio Saggini - June 18, 2020June 23, 2020

Lydia KavinaFantasia for Theremin, Oboe, Piano, and String Quartet

“Fantasia for theremin, oboe, piano, and string quartet” by Bohuslav Martinů taken from the unpublished VHS cassette by Lydia Kavina “Concerto per Theremin. Live in Italy” (2000).

Theremin – Lydia Kavina
Violin – Roberto Mazzola*
Violin – Angela Ferrando*
Viola – Alessandro Ghè*
Cello – Giulio Glavina*
Oboe – Stefania Tedesco
Piano – Mauro Cavalieri D’Oro
* Columbus Orchestra (Italy)

Lydia Kavina’s Theremin made by Anthony J. Henk (U.K.)

Recorded live in Colletta di Castelbianco (SV), Italy, in 1998.

Bohuslav Martinu

By TVOX Staff - July 16, 2003June 25, 2020

See new article on Bohuslav Martinů: Bohuslav Martinů and Lucie Rosen: the Path to Fantasia for Theremin. Bohuslav Martinů (December 8, 1890 – August 28, 1959) was a Czech composer. He wrote a “Fantasia” for theremin, oboe, string quartet and piano, which he dedicated to Lucie Bigelow Rosen. Bohuslav Martinů (December 8, 1890 – August […]

Fantasia

By Valerio Saggini - July 20, 2001June 23, 2020

Bohuslav Martinů

Fantasia

This midi file was (brutally) generated from the transcriptions (made by Mauro Cavalieri D’Oro on Finale for Macintosh) of the musical scores utilized by the Columbus Orchestra during the two concerts that Lydia Kavina gave in Italy in 1998 (See Lydia’s CD “Concerto per Theremin”). The theremin part is assigned to the GM whistle sound.