Album insights
Through the twentieth century, we have witnessed the profound and often devastating impact that political events can have on the fate of artists and their works throughout human history. It may seem at first glance that there was not much difference between the destiny of two equally talented composers and musicians. However, it was those "other characteristics" that made all the difference. Tragically, the younger musician, born into a middle-class family with strong musical connections, served as a soldier in the Austrian army during World War I, eventually becoming a talented composer and pianist. Before his fiftieth birthday, he tragically lost his life in a Bavarian concentration camp, with his music nearly forgotten for over forty years.
In the 1990s of the last century, Prague served as the capital of Bohemia within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a city of rich cultural heritage. The musical talent of Ervín Schulhoff, born in June 1894, was nurtured and supported by his family. Antonín Dvorák, the renowned composer who became the director of the Prague Conservatory in 1901, recommended that the Schulhoffs enroll their son under the tutelage of Heinrich Kaan-Alberts, a Polish pianist and composer. Ervín continued his studies in Vienna and then at the Leipzig Conservatory, where he studied piano and composition under renowned mentors. His time in Leipzig was instrumental in shaping his studies, culminating further in Cologne before finally completing studies in 1914. Schulhoff was awarded the Mendelssohn Prize in 1913 for his remarkable piano skills.
Following Austria's declaration of war on Serbia in July 1914, Schulhoff was conscripted into the Austrian army amid escalating European conflicts. The brutal experiences of trench warfare left a lasting impact on the man and the artist, much like his older contemporaries Vaughan Williams and Ravel. Upon his discharge, Schulhoff briefly returned to Prague. However, feeling that his career prospects were better in the artistic freedom of Weimar Republic Germany, he made his mark as a pioneering pianist at the forefront of the post-war avant-garde movement. Schulhoff's concerts featured contemporary music, including works by Czech composer Alois Hába. Despite his success, the deteriorating economic conditions in 1920s Germany led to social unrest.
Through various challenges in his young life, Schulhoff experienced anti-Semitism, the horrors of war, and the political chaos and uncertainties of collapsing empires. He believed that there must be better ways to address human issues and dreamed of a unified world of workers in brotherhood. Schulhoff eventually joined the Communist Party, aiming to realize his ideals. As Germany fell into the grip of the Nazis, Schulhoff—a Jew and a communist—faced grave danger. To evade persecution, he obtained Soviet citizenship, a move that saved him temporarily after Hitler's pact with Stalin in August 1939. However, as Germany invaded Russia in 1941, Schulhoff was arrested and perished in the notorious Wülzburg concentration camp in August 1942, leaving behind unfinished symphonies and manuscripts.
Schulhoff was a prolific composer, leaving a legacy of eight completed symphonies, two piano concertos, orchestral works, ballets, an opera, and two cantatas. Some of his noteworthy works date back to the 1930s when he delved into the chamber music genre. His Five Studies for String Quartet and Sextet gained acclaim at music festivals, marking the peak of his pre-communist era. Schulhoff's Sextet, completed in 1920 after deepening his study of Schoenberg in Dresden, showcased a structural originality that resonated through its movements, reflecting profound musical processes.
Since childhood, Ervín Schulhoff experienced anti-Semitism growing up in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, while his contemporary Bohuslav Martinů hailed from a lower-class Catholic family in Bohemia. Although both studied at the Prague Conservatory, their paths diverged as Martinů's main focus was on composing, eventually leading him to Paris post-World War I. As the war broke out, Martinů returned home but later sought opportunities abroad, especially in Paris. His endeavors in chamber music led to international recognition, with one of his significant works being the Sextet, which exemplified a unique structural blend of multiple forms. Fleeing war-torn Europe, Martinů relocated to Portugal and then to the United States, where he continued to compose and share his music with a responsive audience.
The intricate composition process and innovative structure of Martinů's Sextet, completed in a remarkably short span, reveal his talent and musical depth. As historical events unfolded, both Schulhoff and Martinů faced personal and artistic challenges, leaving behind enduring contributions to classical and chamber music that resonate to this day.