Milan Kundera, 90 today, is our last living link to Janáček
mainThe exiled Czech author grew up in Brno at or around the Janáček Academy where his father, Ludvik, was a professor and, for three years, director. A colleague of Leos Janacek’s at the Brno Academy, Ludvik Kundera made the vocal score of Glagolitic Mass. He may also have played the premieres of several Janáček piano pieces (see Nigel Simeone’s new book, The Janáček Compendium).
Milan describes the music of Janáček in an intensely detailed memoir, ‘My First Love’.
His literary style – naturalism interspersed with aphorism – owes something to the master.
Each leaves a huge footprint in Czech culture.
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