Roger Hecht <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>James Zehm wrote:
>
>>I recently found Kubelik's live recording of Ma Vlast, played during the
>>first Prague Spring festival (the CD still says Made in Czechoslovakia).
>>I don't think it's possible to hear a better interpretation of this great
>>tone poem. ...
>>
>>While in Prague I also purchased Neumann's Ma Vlast (and a few other
>>CDs I may write about as I listen to them), and while it is elegant and
>>beautiful, it too pales by comparison.
>
>I don't know the Kubelik performance you're talking about, but your
>comments don't surprise me.  Kubelik also made two commercial recordings
>of this work.

Kubelik recorded "Ma Vlast" on many occasions:

- Czech Phil. 1946 (not issued on CD)
- CSO, early 1950s (now on Mercury CD)
- VPO, late 1950s (now on Decca and Belart CDs)
- BSO, mid 70s (now on DG CD)
- BRSO, mid 80s (now on Orfeo CD)
- Czech Phil, 1990 (two recordings, one on Supraphon
  from the Prague Spring Festival [the one Miguel refers to]
  and from a concert in Tokyo, issued on Denon and awarded a
  Japanese "best record of the year" award)

There exists also a superb broadcast tape with the Cleveland Orchestra
(from the 70s) that I hope will be issued on CD in the future.

I have the video of the 1990 performance in Prague and can testify that
it is a very moving experience.  The combination of Kubelik's homecoming
after many years of exile and the celebration of democracy in Prague
(President Havel and his late wife figured prominently in the audience),
coupled with the orchestra's warm reception to their former music director
simply worked to produce a truly memorable recording that is hard to match.
His performance of Dvorak's "New World" and Mozart's "Prague" symphonies
from 1991 (currently on Denon CD) are similarly inspired.

I treasure several other recordings of this cycle (three by Talich, one by
Ancerl, one by Sejna and one by Smetacek), but Kubelik/1990 would probably
be my first recommendation in terms of performance/sound.

Ramon Khalona
Carlsbad, California