Samuel Dushkin, an American violinist of Polish descent (1891–1976), commissioned his friend Bohuslav Martinů to compose a suite for violin and orchestra in 1938. Originally intended to be titled "Czech Dances for Violin and Orchestra," the work, influenced by Czech folk music, was ultimately given the title "Suite Concertante."
Composing this suite proved extremely difficult for Martinů. Due to the looming threat of war and the impossibility of performing it in France, the piece remained unperformed for a considerable period. It was not until fifty years after its creation that the original version was first performed; the orchestral premiere finally took place in Prague in 2000.
The second version of the Suite Concertante (H276A), also written for Dushkin, differs so significantly from the first that it is considered a separate work. Martinů composed it between November 1943 and February 1944, and it premiered in St. Louis in 1945.
Another important work is the Rhapsody Concerto for Viola and Orchestra H337, commissioned by Jascha Veissi. This composition was written in New York City in 1952 and marks Martinů's turn towards Neo-Romanticism. It premiered in Cleveland in 1953 and has since become one of the most frequently performed viola concertos of the 20th century.