catalogue

The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra opened its 100th season on 28th September 1995 with a concert, which was to celebrate Maestro Neumann’s 75th birthday. But fate would not have it. On 2nd September 1995, the cultural world suffered a severe loss. Václav Neumann, who led the Czech PO for 22 years from 1968 to 1990 - “master of musical refinement, conductor in hard times“, that is what journalists called him - died. Thus, the concert became a remembrance of a great man and musician.

The programme of the concert consists of compositions that belonged among the Maestro’s favourites. They are conducted by Maestro Neumann’s pupil and follower, the renowned Czech conductor, Jiří Bělohlávek.

Gustav Mahler wrote the song cycle Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen in 1883. Though he was only 23, he created a mature masterpiece, which embodied all his despair, and broken heart when a girl he passionately loved refused him. Mahler wrote the lyrics himself. This is the first piece containing features characteristic of all his work: autobiographical music reflecting in endless shades the inner life of a great artist and the sufferings of his sensitive soul.

Bohuslav Martinů composed his Symphony No. 6 in 1953. It is also known as "Symphonic variations".