Bohuslav Martinů

Bohuslav Jan Martinů was a Czech composer of modern classical music. He wrote 6 symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber, vocal and instrumental works. He became a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and briefly studied under Czech composer and violinist Josef Suk. After leaving Czechoslovakia in 1923 for Paris, Martinů deliberately withdrew from the Romantic style in which he had been trained. During the 1920s he experimented with modern French stylistic developments, exemplified by his orchestral works Half-time and La Bagarre. He also adopted jazz idioms, for instance in his Kitchen Revue.

8 December 1890

Born on the same birth day (8 December): Dominic Monaghan • Frits Pirard • Gregg Allman • James Tate (writer) • Philip Holm • Red Berenson • Slick (wrestling) • Steve Elkington • Thatcher Demko • William C. Durant

Born in the same month (December 1890): Carlos Gardel • Fritz Lang • Jaroslav Heyrovský • Konstantinos Georgakopoulos • Laura Salverson • László Bárdossy • Mark Tobey • Noel Odell • Prince Joachim of Prussia • Quincy Wright • Yoshio Nishina