Martinů's Mysterious Accident

Michael Henderson was in the midst of writing a new biography of Bohuslav MartinC9 when he was struck down by illness. In this volume of essays an international group of writers continues Henderson's work by looking closely at aspects of MartinC9's life and compositions. Since Brian Large's biography written more than a quarter century ago, there has been no book dealing with this prolific and fascinating figure. The essays in this collection range from an analytical examination of MartinC9's 2nd Piano Concerto to Henderson's investigation of MartinC9's mysterious accident that almost ended his career in the late 1940's. MartinC9's relationship to governmental authority is explored, and such lesser-known works as The Strangler, written for Martha Graham, are discussed in vivid terms. Contributors to this volume include Michael Beckerman, Judith Mabary, Ales Brezina and Jan Smaczny.