Canon
Where to start with Martinů
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
OrchestralDouble Concerto, H.271 — For 2 string orchestras, piano and timpani
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ChamberCello Sonata no. 2, H.286
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Keyboard16 Etudes and Polkas, H.308
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Vocal2 Ballads, for contralto and piano, H.228
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 4, H.358, "Incantations"
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OrchestralCello Concerto no. 2, H.304
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OrchestralFrescoes of Piero della Francesca, H.352
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OrchestralHarpsichord Concerto, H.246
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ChamberMusique de Chambre no. 1, for clarinet, violin, viola, cello, harp and piano, H.376
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ChamberNonet for Wind Quintet, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass, H.374
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OrchestralOboe Concerto, H.353
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OrchestralSymphony no. 1, H.289
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OrchestralSymphony no. 3, H. 299
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OrchestralSymphony no. 6, H.343, "Fantaisies symphoniques"
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OrchestralToccata e due canzoni, H.311 — For chamber orchestra
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Martinů's catalogueMost Popular
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Julietta (opera)
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Double Concerto for two string orchestras, piano and timpani
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Symphony No. 6 ”Fantasies Symphoniques”
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Rhapsody-Concerto for viola
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Piano Quintet No. 2
Most Acclaimed
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Symphony No. 6
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String Quartet No. 7
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The Greek Passion (opera)
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Double Concerto
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Memoriale — November 1914
Most Weird
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Juliettaopera about a town with no collective memory — the inhabitants create new false pasts with each conversation; a man goes mad searching for a woman he heard singing once
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The Greek Passionpeasants in 1920s Anatolia reenact the Passion — and the actors become their roles
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Les Trois Souhaits (film-ballet)one of the first pieces written for film — experimental form
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H.M.S. Royal Oak (jazz ballet)jazz orchestra + ballet; influenced by his Paris years
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Nipponarisongs for voice and small ensemble — Japanese poetry
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 218
- Orchestral
- ● Double Concerto, H.271 — For 2 string orchestras, piano and timpani
- ● Piano Concerto no. 4, H.358, "Incantations"
- Cello Concerto no. 2, H.304
- Frescoes of Piero della Francesca, H.352
- Harpsichord Concerto, H.246
- Oboe Concerto, H.353
- Symphony no. 1, H.289
- Symphony no. 3, H. 299
- Symphony no. 6, H.343, "Fantaisies symphoniques"
- Toccata e due canzoni, H.311 — For chamber orchestra
- Violin Concerto no. 2, H.293
- 3 Ricercari, H.267
- Composition for large orchestra, H.90
- Concertino for Piano Trio and Strings, H.232
- Concertino for Piano and Orchestra, H.269
- Concertino in C minor for Cello, Wind and Brass Ensemble, Percussion, and Piano H.143
- Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra, H.292
- Concerto for Piano Trio and Strings, H.231
- Estampes H. 369
- Le Départ, symphonic interlude from the opera Les trois souhaits, H. 175a
- Les rondes, for piano and orchestra, H.200
- Malá tanecní suita H.123
- Nocturne, for orchestra no. 1 in F sharp minor, H.91
- Overture for Orchestra, H.345
- Památník Lidicím, H.296, "Memorial to Lidice"
- Piano Concerto no. 1 in D major, H.149
- Piano Concerto no. 2, H.237
- Piano Concerto no. 3, H.316
- Piano Concerto no. 5, H.366, "Fantasia concertante"
- Rhapsody-Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, H.337
- Sinfonietta La Jolla in A major, H. 328
- Symphony no. 2, H.295
- Symphony no. 4, H.305
- Symphony no. 5, H.310
- Chamber
- Cello Sonata no. 2, H.286
- Musique de Chambre no. 1, for clarinet, violin, viola, cello, harp and piano, H.376
- Nonet for Wind Quintet, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass, H.374
- Violin Sonata no. 3, H.303
- 3 Madrigals for Violin and Viola, H.313, "Duo no. 1"
- 4 Nocturnes, for cello and piano, H.189
- 4 Promenades, for flute, violin and harpsichord, H.274
- 5 Bergerettes, for piano trio, H. 275
- 5 Madrigal Stanzas, for violin and piano, H.297
- 6 Pastorales, for cello and piano, H.190
- 7 Arabesques, for cello and piano, H.201, "Études rhythmiques"
- Ariette, for cello and piano, H.188b
- Bergerettes, for piano trio, H.275
- Cello Sonata no. 1, H.277
- Cello Sonata no. 3, H.340
- Concerto for Violin and Piano, H.13
- Duo no. 1 for Violin and Cello, H.157
- Duo no. 2 for Violin and Cello, H.371
- Duo no. 2 for Violin and Viola, H.331
- Fantasia for Theremin, Oboe, String Quartet, and Piano, H.301
- Flute Sonata, H.306
- La Revue de cuisine, jazz suite and ballet for clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, cello and piano, H.161
- Madrigal-Sonata for Flute, Violin and Piano, H.291
- Piano Quartet, H.287
- Piano Quintet no. 1, H.229
- Piano Quintet no. 2, H.298
- Piano Trio no. 1, H.193, "5 Short Pieces"
- Piano Trio no. 2 in D minor, H.327
- Piano Trio no. 3 in C major, H.332
- Piece for 2 Cellos, H.377
- Posvícení, for flute and strings, H.2
- Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Cello and Piano, H.315
- Quintet for 2 Violins, 2 Violas and Cello, H. 164
- Scherzo, for flute and piano, H.174a
- Serenade no. 2 for 2 Violins and Viola, H.216
- Sextet for 2 Violins, 2 Violas and 2 Cellos, H.224
- Sextet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, 2 Bassoons and Piano, H.174
- Sonata for 2 Violins and Piano, H.213
- Sonata for Flute, Violin and Piano, H.254
- Sonatina for 2 Violins and Piano, H.198
- Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano, H.356
- Sonatina for Trumpet and Piano, H.357
- Sonatina, for clarinet and piano, H.356
- String Quartet no. 1 in E flat minor, H.117, "French"
- String Quartet no. 2, H.150
- String Quartet no. 3, H.183
- String Quartet no. 4, H.256
- String Quartet no. 5, H.268
- String Quartet no. 6, H.312
- String Quartet no. 7, H.314, "Concerto Da Camera"
- String Trio no. 1, H.136
- String Trio no. 2, H.238
- Suite Miniature for Cello and Piano, H.192
- Tri jezdci, for string quartet, H.1
- Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano, H.300
- Variations on a Slovak Folksong, for cello and piano, H.378
- Variations on a Theme by Rossini, for cello and piano, op. 290
- Viola Sonata, H.355
- Violin Sonata in C major, H.120
- Violin Sonata no. 1, H.182
- Violin Sonata no. 2, H.208
- Violin Sonatina, H.262
- Keyboard
- 16 Etudes and Polkas, H.308
- 3 Czech Dances, H.154
- 3 Czech Dances, for 2 pianos, H.324
- 3 Esquisses on Modern Dances, H.160
- 3 Lyric Pieces, H.98
- 4 Movements, H.170
- 4 Pieces, H.205
- 5 Esquisses de Danses, H.220
- 5 Waltzes, H.5
- 6 Esquisses, H.203
- 6 Polkas, H.101
- 8 Preludes, H.181
- A Fairy-Tale of Goldilocks, H.28
- A Sea Fantasy, H.100
- Adagio, H. 362, "Memories"
- Albumleaf, H.241
- Bagatelle, H.323
- Barcarolle, H.326
- Black Bottom, H.165
- Borová: 7 Czech Dances, H.195
- Butterflies and Birds of Paradise, 3 pieces, H.127
- Chanson triste, H.36
- Dumka no. 1, H.249
- Dumka no. 2, H.250
- Dumka no. 3, H.285bis
- Evening at the Shore, 3 little pieces, H.128
- Fables, H.138
- Fantaisie and Toccata, H. 281
- Fantasie, for 2 pianos, H.180
- Film en Miniature, cycle of pieces, H.148
- Foxtrot narozený "na Ruzku", H.122
- Foxtrot, H.126bisA
- From Andersen's Fairy-Tales, H.42
- Improvisation, H.333
- Instructive Duo for the Nervous, H.145
- Jeux, 6 easy pieces, H.206
- Le Noël, 3 pieces, H.167
- Les Bouquinistes du quai Malaquais, H.319
- Les Ritournelles, 6 pieces, H.227
- Mazurka, H.284
- Merry Christmas 1941
- Nocturne, H.95
- PAR T.S.F., H.173bis
- Piano Sonata, H.350
- Piece for the Little Evas, H.242
- Piece without Title, H.141
- Pièce for piano, H.222
- Prelude no. 2 in F minor, H.86
- Prelude, H.85
- Pro tanec, H.158
- Pruvod kocek v noci slunovratu, H.122
- Prélude, H.140
- Puppets, Book 1, H.137
- Puppets, Book 2, H.116
- Puppets, Book 3, H.92
- Scherzo, H.138bis
- Song Without Words, H.46
- Spring in the Garden, H.125
- The Fifth Day of the Fifth Moon, H.318
- Window onto the Garden, H.270
- Vocal
- 2 Ballads, for contralto and piano, H.228
- 2 Songs on Negro Folk-Poetry, H.226
- 2 pisne na ruskou poezii, H.135bis
- 2 pisne, H.31
- 2 pisnicky v narodnim slohu, H.14
- 3 Christmas Songs, H.184bis
- 3 Goethelieder, H.94
- 3 Songs for the Cabaret 'Cervená sedma', H.129
- 3 Songs on Poems of Apollinaire, H. 97
- 3 detske pisnicky, H.146
- 3 pisne na francouzske texty, H.88
- 3 ukolebavky, H.146bis
- 4 Children's Songs and Rhymes, H.225
- 4 Songs to Czech Poetry, H.282bis
- 6 prostych pisni, H.110
- 7 Songs on Two Pages, H.302
- A Bouquet of Flowers, H.260 — Songs for soloists, children's choir, choir and chamber orchestra
- Az budeme stari, H.10
- Best Wishes for Mummy, song for voice and piano, H.279bis
- Ceske hadanky, H.277bis
- Ctyri pisne na slova ceske lidove poezie, "Songs for a Friend of My Country"
- Divci sny, H. 22
- Fleur de pêcher, H.213bisB
- Gilgames, oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra, H.351
- Jak mily cas, H.106
- Kde jsem to byla
- Kdysi, song for voice and piano, H.69
- Koleda milostná, H. 259
- Komarova svadba, H.75
- Konec vsemu, H.43
- Kracim, kracim mezi vrchy, H.74bis
- L'Automne malade, H.213bisA
- La Nuit, song for voice and piano
- Líbej, Milá, Líbej, song for voice and piano, H.27
- Mesice, for voice and piano H.135
- Mrtva laska, H.44
- Naladova kresba, H.29
- Nez se nadejes, H.6
- Nové slovenské písne, H.126
- Nový spalícek, H.288, "New Chap-Book"
- Ohnivý muz, song for voice and piano, H.71
- Pastel, song for voice and piano, H.8
- Pisen na starospanelsky text, H.87
- Pisen o hubickach, H.27bis
- Pisen prvniho listopadu, H.72
- Polní Mse, cantata for baritone, male chorus, winds, piano, harmonium and percussion, H.279
- Proc zoubky tvé tak smály se...
- Písen, for voice and piano, H.79
- Písničky na jednu stránku, H.294
- Slzy, H.41
- Spící, song for voice and piano, H.19
- Stara pisen, H.74
- Stesti to dost, H.81
- V noci, H.30
- V zahrade na hrade, song for voice and piano, H.77
- Velikonocní, for voice and piano, H.230
- Vim hajicek, H.273
- Vocalise-Etude for middle voice and piano, H.188
- Stage
- Hry o Marii, opera, H.236
- La revue de cuisine, jazz suite and ballet for clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, violin, cello, and piano, H.161, "Kitchen revue"
- Le jour de bonte, opera, H.194
- Spalícek, ballet, H.214