CBC's overnight radio just broadcast a Czech radio news item on the
rediscovery of Bohuslav Martinu's earliest String Trio, which was lost
in the 1920s.  A Czech researcher looking in a Danish library for a score
of Martinu's ballet 'The Revolt' was asked if she had any interest in
their other Martinu holding from the same period, which turned out to
be the Trio.

This 3-movement, 15-minute work was composed in 1923, not long after
Martinu arrived in Paris for lessons with Albert Roussel.  His 2-movement
String Trio of 1934, H238, was so called as his earlier composition was
known to have vanished in the '20s after being performed in Paris and
Prague.  Correct me if I'm wrong (Christine, Steve, Richard?) but, to
the best of my knowledge, this is his first work in the genre, and there
is no Third String Trio.

This one was recently performed for the first time in over 80 years.
The report, including some snippets of the performance, can be found
at: http://www.radio.cz/en/article/73473

My love of Martinu does not stretch far into his early works -- say,
prior to 1918 -- but these clips are very promising: to my ear, it's
characteristic 1920s Martinu.  I know I'm not alone in hoping to hear
it recorded soon.

Bert Bailey