Martinu, Variations on a Slovakian Theme for Cello (Barenreiter) Born in Bohemia in 1890, Bohuslav Martinu was already composing by the age of ten. In 1906, he was able to study violin with Josef Suk at the Prague Conservatorium with the assistance of a patron. He was however more interested in composition and he went on to study this with Albert Roussel in Paris. His music was influenced by jazz, Stravinsky and Debussy whom he admired immensely.