Documentary
Kubelík The Legend
The dust of musical archives has settled on the name of Jan Kubelík (1880-1940), a Czech violin player who was one of the first real music stars at the beginning of the 20th century. As early as 24, he received awards from many European governors and kings. He played the world famous Stradivarius violin "Emperor" built in 1715, whose price cannot be truly estimated. He gave concerts in all continents. During his repeated tours in the USA some of his concerts were visited by thousands of listeners. His outdoor Christmas concert in San Francisco was attended by 100, 000 listeners. Newspapers wrote about his fantastic fees, which had no equal in the music world at that time. Due to his wife, he suddenly lost all his fortune in a bad transaction when he bought the chateau of Rotenturm in Austria. But this event did not shake his musical genius, and he kept on giving concerts together with his son Rafael.
Of Jan Kubelík’s eight children, it was Rafael Kubelík (1914-1996) who became most famous. When he was only 19, he conducted the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra to become its permanent conductor at the age of 22 and chief conductor, after Václav Talich, at the age of 28. After the communist dictatorship was established in 1948 in Czechoslovakia, Kubelík protested and left the country. His talent soon enabled him guest performances with the best international orchestras and later the post of Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He then headed the Royal Opera Covent Garden in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York and for 18 years he was Music Director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich, with which he closed his concert activities in 1986 to devote himself to composing. In 1990, when democracy was restored in Czechoslovakia, he returned back to his native country after long years of living in emigration. After 42 years, he conducted the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra again.
Thanks to unique archival materials and the testimony of still living contemporaries, this film manages to reconstruct and present the dramatic conditions of both men and the outstanding stature of the name Kubelík in the music history of the 20th century. It also suggests a possible future continuation of the legend.
Of Jan Kubelík’s eight children, it was Rafael Kubelík (1914-1996) who became most famous. When he was only 19, he conducted the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra to become its permanent conductor at the age of 22 and chief conductor, after Václav Talich, at the age of 28. After the communist dictatorship was established in 1948 in Czechoslovakia, Kubelík protested and left the country. His talent soon enabled him guest performances with the best international orchestras and later the post of Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He then headed the Royal Opera Covent Garden in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York and for 18 years he was Music Director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich, with which he closed his concert activities in 1986 to devote himself to composing. In 1990, when democracy was restored in Czechoslovakia, he returned back to his native country after long years of living in emigration. After 42 years, he conducted the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra again.
Thanks to unique archival materials and the testimony of still living contemporaries, this film manages to reconstruct and present the dramatic conditions of both men and the outstanding stature of the name Kubelík in the music history of the 20th century. It also suggests a possible future continuation of the legend.
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(Kubelík The Legend)
director: Martin Suchánek
time: 50 min.