Into a New Life – Josef Suk

I thought the time has come to write about another piece, and why don't we talk about really strange things today? I mean, yes, it says the man who periodically comes up with facts like J.S. Bach sentenced to prison or Anton Bruckner opening the door naked (wait, or I didn't mention this on the pages of the blog? If so, it was an inexcusable omission! Well, at least now you all know more about an Austrian composer's habits).

So, what I'm going to talk about today is Art Competitions at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Yes, you got it right: at that date not only freerunners and biathlonists could participate in Olympics, composers, painters, sculptors, and architects were eligible too. As if it isn't strange enough already on its own, there is a documentary evidence that Czech composer Josef Suk took second place silver medal in music – and no one was awarded gold and bronze, at that! Why didn't they give him gold then, you may ask. The answer is...I don't know. (I already mentioned this post is all about strangeness, didn't I?..)

If you are interested to hear a piece that brought him fame – and who isn't? – it is available by the link below:

V nový život (Toward a New Life) Sokol March, Op.35c.

Enjoy!