Credits:

Rafael Kubelik, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Description:

A masterpiece that will be handed down forever. The first performance of Kubelík and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra's Hymn to the Fatherland in 42 years. This is the first SACD release with ORT mastering and high-resolution recording, and the latest revival of a master recording and performance. This is a masterpiece that shines brilliantly in the history of "My Homeland" performances. This is the first SACD release in high-resolution format using ORT mastering technology originally developed by Nippon Columbia. The CD layer also uses this mastered sound source. The miracle performance on May 12, 1990, the first day of the "Prague Spring" festival, was a truly historic occasion that attracted the attention of music fans all over the world. It is a moving record of the tears of many Czech citizens as they listened to the performance of "My Homeland," which rang out in high spirits as if to break the silence that had prevailed for 42 years since Kubelík had fled his homeland in exile. Kubelík was 75 years old at the time.He resigned as chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and retired from conducting in 1986 for health reasons and to concentrate on his composition activities. However, in 1989, a democratic revolution broke out in the Czech Republic, and at the strong request of President Havel, he was invited to conduct "Our Homeland" on the first day of the annual "Prague Spring" music festival, a performance that also marked his return again in his later years as a conductor. Kubelík opened the previous day's dress rehearsal to the public for those who could not enter the venue on the first day of the festival, and also conducted an open-air concert on June 9. The following year, he conducted "New World" (recorded live), and immediately after that, he visited Japan with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. His performance of "My Homeland" is still fresh in our memories. Kubelík made six official recordings of "My Homeland": three session recordings with orchestra until 1971 (MERCURY, DECCA, DG) and three live recordings after 1985 (ORFEO, SUPURAPHON, ALTUS), each of which has a once-in-a-lifetime element, but they consistently The basic elements of each song, tempo and articulation, are followed.The DG disc from 1971 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra is superior in terms of dynamism and dynamic appeal, and the ORFEO disc from 1985 with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra is superior in terms of stability and fullness, but this 1990 SUPRAPHON disc is without doubt a once-in-a-generation performance of a lifetime, with historical weight, atmosphere and excitement in every single note. There is no doubt that this 1990 SUPRAPHON disc is a once-in-a-lifetime performance that is special in its own right. The SACD version of this recording will allow the listener to hear the atmosphere of the time and a greater sense of reality than was possible with the CD. In order to overcome the limitations of the specifications and to highlight these historical performances once again, the ORT version has been converted to ORT with emphasis on musical elements, and then the latest mastering has been performed. In addition, the commentary book includes, for the first time on CD, the text "Kubelík and Havel" by Satoko Akio, which was previously included in the video release. (1/2)