Moravian Autumn celebrates a round anniversary, and that is a good reason to look back over our first 50 years. First held in 1966 as the Brno International Music Festival, the event began with a daring concept, never before seen in this country. It offered a representative selection of the works of Bohuslav Martinů, a composer recognised internationally but eclipsed and even suppressed domestically for political reasons. Over several of the following years, the festival was dedicated to broader musical themes, focusing on carefully conceived programmes of ancient, chamber, vocal and Slavic music, as well as comparisons of Czech and other European works. This year, the programme of the 50th Moravian Autumn reflects the roots of the festival; it does not return to them in a retrospective way, but seeks new impulses from them. A connection with Martinů can be seen in the festival’s emphasis on French music – marking the double anniversary of the French Revolution (1789–1799) – and the invitation we have extended to the Basel Chamber Orchestra, which continues the tradition of Paul Sacher’s celebrated ensemble, with which Martinů was closely linked. The festival commemorates a number of important anniversaries: we will mark 60 years since Martinů’s death; for Mieczysław Weinberg’s centenary, we will hear the complete cycle of his six sonatas for violin and piano; E.F. Burian’s double anniversary (1904–1959); Heinz Holliger’s eightieth birthday; and more. Distinctive international and domestic artists and ensembles will perform at the festival, including Collegium Vocale Gent, Ictus Ensemble, Suzanne Vega (in an unusual role for her, as the narrator), Piotr Anderszewski and the Basel Chamber Orchestra, David Greilsammer and his Geneva Camerata, the pianist Alexandre Tharaud, the Martinů Voices with Lukáš Vasilek, the Tiburtina Ensemble with Barbora Kabátková and many others. The final concert will offer a joint celebration of the birthdays of the composer and conductor, Peter Eötvös, and the Filharmonie Brno chief conductor, Dennis Russell Davies, who are both 75 this year.
