Martinu, Bohuslav (Jan)

(born Dec. 8, 1890, Policka, Bohemia—died Aug. 28, 1959, Liestal, Switz.) Czech (Bohemian) composer. He started composing at age 10 but was expelled from the conservatory for neglecting his studies. His early pieces combined the influences of Czech folk music and French composer Claude Debussy's music. In Paris (1923–40) he gained a reputation for his colourful ballet scores and experimented with Neoclassicism, jazz, and ragtime. He composed many works, including six symphonies, operas (including , 1938), and large choral works (including , 1955), but he did little to promote his music.

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