Bohuslav Martinů was destined not to enjoy the same level of popularity and widespread appeal as his compatriots Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák and Leoš Janáček. Although his talents were recognised, most of his works have remained generally unfamiliar. Having avoided composing a symphony for many years, Martinů finally wrote his first in 1942 and then continued prolifically, writing one symphony every year until 1946, followed by a gap of seven years before composing his Sixth Symphony. The symphonies were composed during his time in the United States, so they are sometimes referred to as 'American' symphonies. However, while the works do in some measure reflect his experiences, they are generally devoid of any graphic representation of his life and times.