My Country. A Cycle of Symphonic Poems

Tábor


  • Recorded: 12th May 1968
  • Record Place: The Smetana Hall of Municipal House, Prague
  • First Release: 2008
  • (P) 2008 Česká televize

Artists

  • music by: Bedřich Smetana
  • camera: Martin Kubala
  • conductor: Karel Ančerl
  • musical group: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Album

Henryk Szeryng, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Karel Ančerl

Smetana: My Country - Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D major

Catalogue Number: SU 7015-9
Published: 11th April 2008
Genre: Orchestral
Format: 1 DVD
This album has received following awards:
  • Choc du Monde de la Musique - Le Monde de la Musique (2008)
  • Diapason d´Or, Diapason Magazine (2008)
In the year of the centenary of the birth of Karel Ančerl, one of the most distinguished conductors of the 20th century, this DVD is an invaluable and authentic document of magnificent artistic achievement and a turbulent life. The recording of the opening concert of Prague Spring 1968 captures Ančerl's performance of Smetana's My Country with the Czech Philharmonic which - over the 18 years he was at the helm - he managed to transform into one of the world's finest symphony orchestras. Ančerl's "harvest" of the fruit of many years of diligentwork was in fact also the beginning of his leave-taking from his orchestra, as well as his homeland itself. At the time of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968 the conductor found himself in Toronto. Save for a single guest appearance in Prague in 1969, he was never to return to his country. The second filmed concert shows Ančerl in action in 1966 with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and the outstanding Polish violinist Henryk Szeryng performing Beethoven's violin concerto. The 1968 documentary is a unique encounter with Karel Ančerl. This compact picture of his true personality is supplemented by a comprehensive booklet containing a plethora of fascinating and not generally known biographical information.
1. Who is Karel Ančerl? Documentary 31:08
Bedřich Smetana
My Country. A Cycle of Symphonic Poems
2. Vyšehrad 14:30
3. Vltava 12:34
4. Šárka 10:55
5. From Bohemia´s Woods and Fields 12:12
6. Tábor 12:43
7. Blaník 13:29
Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major
8. Allegro ma non troppo 26:34
9. Larghetto (attaca) 09:57
10. Rondo. Allegro (attaca) 11:12