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Czech Lands - Country of Musicians
In the course of its long history, the Czech country, a small territory in the middle of Europe, has had close relations with most of the greatest composers in the world. Each of them has left an imprint in the history of the country, and the Czech Lands have left an imprint in their souls and music.
The cycle Czech Lands - Country of Musicians consists of ten short parts. Each of them is based on a famous piece by one of the musical geniuses: Mozart, Dvořák, Chopin, Smetana, Mahler, Suk, Janáček and Ryba. The music is illustrated by picturesque views of the town and countryside where the composer lived or stayed for some time.
"Mozart’s Rendezvous in Prague", accompanied by Andante from the Prague Symphony, offers a flow of pictures of Prague tinted with slight melancholy, imposed by the music. We travel in an open carriage through Prague and visit the places where Mozart stayed (the famous villa Bertramka, house The Golden Angel, The Three Golden Lions) or gave concerts (Pachtovsky Palace and the Nostic Theatre where Don Giovanni was premiered).
W. A. MOZART: Symphony in D major "Prague", Andante
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Wolfgang Sawallisch
time: 9:15
Fryderyk Chopin visited Marienbad (a famous spa resort in Western Bohemia) in 1836. He had a romance there with Maria Wodzynska, his childhood friend and former pupil. Chopin’s love was not fulfilled. He kept the rose she had given him in Marienbad his entire life. The autumn nostalgic mood of the city’s beautiful buildings in Biedermayer, Art Nouveau and Pseudo-Gothic styles pictured in the "Marienbader Impromptu" brings about a memory of Chopin’s stay in Marienbad.
FRYDERYK CHOPIN: Impromptu in A flat, Op. 29
Valentina Kameníková - piano
time: 4:04
Antonín Dvořák’s Humoresque has a magnificent melody and apart from that a system, logic, rhythm, tempo and order. All of these qualities Dvořák admired in the products of the 19th century technical revolution. In "Prague Humoresque", we will follow the traces of the 19th century in Prague and the places where Dvořák lived, taught, where his compositions were played, and through the places he loved.
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK: Humoresque
Yuriko Kuronuma - violin, Alfréd Holeček - piano
time: 3:10
"Prague Victorious" is based on Smetana’s Overture to the Bartered Bride. The lively music accompanies the Prague scenery which dates back to the period of the social upsurge at the turn of the century - the National Theatre, the facades of the beautifully decorated houses along the embankment, statues, spires, reliefs, etc.
BEDŘICH SMETANA: Overture to the Bartered Bride
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Zdeněk Košler
time: 6:34
"Serenade"
In accordance with the joyful melody and youthful romanticism of Josef Suk’s Serenade in E flat, we are offered a flow of pictures from Suk’s birthplace Křečovice, a picturesque village in central Bohemia, and from the surrounding landscape.
JOSEF SUK: Serenade in E flat for String Orchestra Op. 6, Andante con moto
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
time: 6:03
"Roots of Life"
The sounds of three of Janáček’s Lachian Dances will take us to the beautiful regions of Lachia and Valachia, to Janáček’s birthplace Hukvaldy, a village in North Moravia, and to the unique open-air museum of folk architecture in Rožnov.
LEOŠ JANÁČEK: Lachian Dances (Požehnaný, Čeladenský, Pilky)
State Philharmonic Orchestra Brno, František Jílek
time: 6:45
"Memories of Childhood"
Until the age of 15, Gustav Mahler lived with his parents in the Czech town of Jihlava. We will visit his birthplace in a nearby village, walk through Jihlava and see the surrounding countryside as well as the town of Olomouc, where he lived and composed.
GUSTAV MAHLER: Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan", Scherzo
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Václav Neumann
time: 8:25
"Autumn Concerto"
The melodious baroque composition by the renowned Czech composer J.J. Ryba, author of the famous Czech Christmas Mass, underlines the magical views of Czech coutryside and the castle of Opočno with hunting motifs that resound in the music. JAKUB JAN RYBA: Concerto in D sharp for French Horn and Chamber Orchestra
Pilsen Radio Orchestra, Stanislav Macura, Stanislav Suchánek - French Horn
time: 7:45
"South Bohemian Minuet"
The Slavonic Dance in the minuet tempo is accompanied by the sunny rolling landscape of South Bohemia, which abounds in ponds, woods and fields.
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK: Slavonic Dance No. 4 in F major
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Václav Neumann
time: 6:40
"Inspiration for Scherzo"
B. Smetana was born in the picturesque town of Litomyšl. Accompanied by the Scherzo from his Triumphal Symphony, we will visit Smetana’s birthplace, the magnificent Renaissance chateau of Litomyšl, which is situated opposite Smetana’s house, and the tranquil surrounding countryside.
BEDŘICH SMETANA: Triumphal Symphony in E major, Scherzo
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Karel Šejna
time: 9:59
The cycle Czech Lands - Country of Musicians consists of ten short parts. Each of them is based on a famous piece by one of the musical geniuses: Mozart, Dvořák, Chopin, Smetana, Mahler, Suk, Janáček and Ryba. The music is illustrated by picturesque views of the town and countryside where the composer lived or stayed for some time.
"Mozart’s Rendezvous in Prague", accompanied by Andante from the Prague Symphony, offers a flow of pictures of Prague tinted with slight melancholy, imposed by the music. We travel in an open carriage through Prague and visit the places where Mozart stayed (the famous villa Bertramka, house The Golden Angel, The Three Golden Lions) or gave concerts (Pachtovsky Palace and the Nostic Theatre where Don Giovanni was premiered).
W. A. MOZART: Symphony in D major "Prague", Andante
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Wolfgang Sawallisch
time: 9:15
Fryderyk Chopin visited Marienbad (a famous spa resort in Western Bohemia) in 1836. He had a romance there with Maria Wodzynska, his childhood friend and former pupil. Chopin’s love was not fulfilled. He kept the rose she had given him in Marienbad his entire life. The autumn nostalgic mood of the city’s beautiful buildings in Biedermayer, Art Nouveau and Pseudo-Gothic styles pictured in the "Marienbader Impromptu" brings about a memory of Chopin’s stay in Marienbad.
FRYDERYK CHOPIN: Impromptu in A flat, Op. 29
Valentina Kameníková - piano
time: 4:04
Antonín Dvořák’s Humoresque has a magnificent melody and apart from that a system, logic, rhythm, tempo and order. All of these qualities Dvořák admired in the products of the 19th century technical revolution. In "Prague Humoresque", we will follow the traces of the 19th century in Prague and the places where Dvořák lived, taught, where his compositions were played, and through the places he loved.
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK: Humoresque
Yuriko Kuronuma - violin, Alfréd Holeček - piano
time: 3:10
"Prague Victorious" is based on Smetana’s Overture to the Bartered Bride. The lively music accompanies the Prague scenery which dates back to the period of the social upsurge at the turn of the century - the National Theatre, the facades of the beautifully decorated houses along the embankment, statues, spires, reliefs, etc.
BEDŘICH SMETANA: Overture to the Bartered Bride
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Zdeněk Košler
time: 6:34
"Serenade"
In accordance with the joyful melody and youthful romanticism of Josef Suk’s Serenade in E flat, we are offered a flow of pictures from Suk’s birthplace Křečovice, a picturesque village in central Bohemia, and from the surrounding landscape.
JOSEF SUK: Serenade in E flat for String Orchestra Op. 6, Andante con moto
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek
time: 6:03
"Roots of Life"
The sounds of three of Janáček’s Lachian Dances will take us to the beautiful regions of Lachia and Valachia, to Janáček’s birthplace Hukvaldy, a village in North Moravia, and to the unique open-air museum of folk architecture in Rožnov.
LEOŠ JANÁČEK: Lachian Dances (Požehnaný, Čeladenský, Pilky)
State Philharmonic Orchestra Brno, František Jílek
time: 6:45
"Memories of Childhood"
Until the age of 15, Gustav Mahler lived with his parents in the Czech town of Jihlava. We will visit his birthplace in a nearby village, walk through Jihlava and see the surrounding countryside as well as the town of Olomouc, where he lived and composed.
GUSTAV MAHLER: Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan", Scherzo
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Václav Neumann
time: 8:25
"Autumn Concerto"
The melodious baroque composition by the renowned Czech composer J.J. Ryba, author of the famous Czech Christmas Mass, underlines the magical views of Czech coutryside and the castle of Opočno with hunting motifs that resound in the music. JAKUB JAN RYBA: Concerto in D sharp for French Horn and Chamber Orchestra
Pilsen Radio Orchestra, Stanislav Macura, Stanislav Suchánek - French Horn
time: 7:45
"South Bohemian Minuet"
The Slavonic Dance in the minuet tempo is accompanied by the sunny rolling landscape of South Bohemia, which abounds in ponds, woods and fields.
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK: Slavonic Dance No. 4 in F major
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Václav Neumann
time: 6:40
"Inspiration for Scherzo"
B. Smetana was born in the picturesque town of Litomyšl. Accompanied by the Scherzo from his Triumphal Symphony, we will visit Smetana’s birthplace, the magnificent Renaissance chateau of Litomyšl, which is situated opposite Smetana’s house, and the tranquil surrounding countryside.
BEDŘICH SMETANA: Triumphal Symphony in E major, Scherzo
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Karel Šejna
time: 9:59
play video sample
(Gustav Mahler: Memories of Childhood)
director: Jaroslav Hovorka, Radovan Urban
time: 69 min.