Leoš Janáček’s Sinfonietta

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In this series of The Essay, five leading cultural voices choose a great work of art and talk about a small, under-appreciated aspect of the piece that carries great meaning for them. In this edition, we hear from scholar, writer and broadcaster, Nigel Simeone, about the secret inspiration behind composer Leoš Janáček’s 'Sinfonietta', written in 1926. We learn what really motivated the composer to write this 22-minute masterpiece, and why we should especially listen out for the bells. Produced by Emma Betteridge