SUPRAPHON TO HONOUR JIŘÍ BĚLOHLÁVEK’S LEGACY

On 18 May 2018, Supraphon will release an exquisite set of Jiří Bělohlávek’s pi­votal and unknown recordings alike. Made up of 8 CDs, the compilation, titled Jiří Bělohlávek – Recollection, pays tribute to the most noted Czech conductor of the past half a century. “The selection of Jiří Bělohlávek’s re­cordings was made less than a year after his passing away. It above all serves to recollect the extraordinary musician and human,” said Matouš Vlčinský, Supraphon’s pro­ducer.
The 8CD set contains recordings of a number of pieces (by Mozart, Ravel, Mahler, Bartók) that serve to document the extraordinarily wide range of the conductor’s re­pertoire.

RECOLLECTIONS of Jiří Bělohlávek

MAGDALENA KOŽENÁ – soprano
"Jiří Bělohlávek inspired me not only as a brilliant conductor, but also as a wise and kind person possessing a peculiar sense of humour. I feel greatly honoured to have been one of the singers he regularly worked with and to have had the opportunity to ripen next to him.”

PAUL HUGHES – general manager of the BBC Symphony Orchestra
“Jiří Bělohlávek’s last concert with his beloved BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus was Dvořák’s mighty Requiem Mass and a more fitting tribute to the music making of this extraordinary man it would be hard to imagine. His relationship with the BBCSO spanned 20 years there are so many memories, but I would single out the pride with which he brought the orchestra to the Prague Spring Festival, and the award-winning performances and recordings of Czech operas and Martinu symphonies. There was always a sense of family with Jiří, we were his musical family and his family were our family.”

JAKUB HRŮŠA – conductor
"Jiří Bělohlávek was a dear friend of mine. There is now no one like him to give me such valuable, thorough and highly cultivated feedback, critical words, erudite encouragement.”

DAGMAR PECKOVÁ – mezzo-soprano
“When I think of Jiří Bělohlávek, I recollect the beginning of my artistic career and his generous support, the concerts we gave together, our making of recordings of music by Mahler, Wagner and Brahms, as well as our spiritual connection at the time of our most intense collaboration.”

ŠTEFAN MARGITA – tenor
“In Jiří Bělohlávek, we have lost a splendid conductor, who had done a lot to build up the good reputation of the Czech Republic abroad. He was a truly unique ambassador of Czech music!”

ADAM PLACHETKA – bass-baritone
“Jiří Bělohlávek was an extraordinary artist and person alike, a towering figure of our music and social scene. We greatly miss him on the stage, as well as in private.”

JIŘÍ HEŘMAN – opera stage director
“When recollecting Jiří Bělohlávek, I would like to highlight that he introduced to the world a number of Czech conductors, including Tomáš Hanus, Jakub Hrůša and Tomáš Netopil. And as a professor at the Music Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, he shared his viewpoints and ample professional experience with other future Czech conductors. He will thus remain with us, since his students will continue to pursue his path, promoting his knowledge of and approach to music. By nurturing young talent, Jiří Bělohlávek ensured a vital part in the continuity of Czech music.”

JOSEF ŠPAČEK – solo violinist and concert master of the Czech Philharmonic
"Jiří Bělohlávek has left an indelible footprint in the history of Czech music. An outstanding artist, to whom I felt great respect, he was also a good-hearted man, capable of making those around him happy. His legacy will stay with us for ever.”