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.  The Boston Symphony one on DG is quite good, but, though
praised, I have found the London recording with the Vienna Philharmonic
very hard to listen to because of hard sound.  I know it only on LP, so
perhaps the CD is better, but I doubt this would be the case.

Is that Neumann one the one he made in 1982 on Denon with some of Kosler's
Janacek? If so, that is a delightful performance, lacking only the last
ounce of excitement.  If this Kubelik is better, then it's something.  The
Janacek stuff is very nice too, a reissue from the 70s, old fashioned and
earthy.

Roger Hecht