Connections between Janacek and Mahler

[verismissimo]

Never really thought about it, but listening to the Sinfonietta this evening, it struck me that there were passages that sounded remarkably Mahlerian.

Both born in Moravia, just six years apart. Both loved military bands as children...

What else?

And did they ever meet?

[Chris Newman]

I don't think so. They did communicate by letter. After favourable reviews for Jenufa Janacek tried to interest Mahler in the opera for Vienna. Mahler expressed genuine interest and asked for a copy of the piano score in German. Max Brod was still working on the German version and there were many problems with squabbles between publishers so it was left on the backburner and meanwhile Mahler moved to New York. Eventually Mahler's successor, Hugo Reichenberger, saw Jenufa in Prague and fought hard to get it performed.