The Ceská filharmonie
(Czech Philharmonic
) is a symphony orchestra based in Prague and is the best-known and most respected orchestra in the Czech Republic. [1] It was voted 20th place of the top 20 best orchestras in the World in a 2008 survey organized by the British magazine Gramophone
. [2]
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CZECH PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA TICKETS
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History
The name "Czech Philharmonic Orchestra" appeared for the first time in 1894, as the title of the orchestra of the
Prague National Theatre.
[1] It played its first concert under its current name on January 4, 1896 when
Antonín Dvorák conducted his own compositions, but it did not become fully independent from the opera until 1901. The first representative concert took place on October 15, 1901 conducted by
Ludvík Celanský, the first artistic director of the orchestra.
[1] In 1908,
Gustav Mahler led the orchestra in the world premiere of his
Symphony No. 7
. The orchestra first became internationally known under the baton of
Václav Talich, who was principal conductor from 1919 to 1931, and again from 1933 to 1941. In 1941 Talich together with Czech Philharmonic made a controversial journey to Germany, where they performed the cycle of
symphonic poems My Country by
Bedrich Smetana. The concert was enforced by the German offices.
[1]
Subsequent chief conductors included
Rafael Kubelík (1942-1948),
Karel Ancerl (1950-1968),
Václav Neumann(1968-1989),
Jiri Belohlavek (1990-1992),
Gerd Albrecht (1993-1996) and
Vladimir Ashkenazy (1996-2003).
Zdenek Mácal has been the chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic since September 1, 2003. In September 2007, Mácal announced his sudden resignation from the chief conductor post, although he is scheduled to fulfill his remaining conducting engagements with the orchestra, without administrative responsibilities.
[6] In February 2008, the orchestra announced the appointment of
Eliahu Inbal as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2009-2010 season.
[7]
Principal guest conductors of the orchestra have included Sir
Charles Mackerras, a noted
Czech music specialist, and currently
Manfred Honeck.
The Czech Philharmonic's first
phonograph recording dates from 1929, when Václav Talich recorded the
Smetana´s
My Country for
His Master's Voice
.
Honours and awards
The Czech Philharmonic has won many prestige awards, ten
Grand Prix du Disque de
l'Académie Charles Cros, five Grand Prix du disgue de l'
Académie française and several
Cannes Classical Awards. The Czech Philharmonic was nominated for
Grammy Awards in 2005, and also two
Wiener Flötenuhr awards, with
Pavel Štepán,
Zdenek Mácal and
Václav Neumann (1971 and 1982).
thumb's Piano Concerto in G minor op.33, Czech Philharmonic conducted by
Václav Talich
Chief Conductors
- 1901-1903 Ludvík Celanský
- 1903-1918 Vilém Zemánek
- 1919-1931 Václav Talich
- 1933-1941 Václav Talich
- 1942-1948 Rafael Kubelík
- 1950 Karel Šejna
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- 1950-1968 Karel Ancerl
- 1968-1989 Václav Neumann
- 1990-1992 Jirí Belohlávek
- 1993-1996 Gerd Albrecht
- 1996-2003 Vladimir Ashkenazy
- 2003-2007 Zdenek Mácal
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Notes
- Ceskoslovenský hudební slovník I. A-L
- LSO is only British orchestra in list of world’s best
- Ceskoslovenský hudební slovník I. A-L
- Ceskoslovenský hudební slovník I. A-L
- Ceskoslovenský hudební slovník I. A-L
- Angry Over Bad Review, Conductor Zdenek Mácal Abruptly Quits Czech Philharmonic
- Eliahu Inbal - the new chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic
References
- Ceskoslovenský hudební slovník I. A-L
- LSO is only British orchestra in list of world’s best
- Ceskoslovenský hudební slovník I. A-L
- Ceskoslovenský hudební slovník I. A-L
- Ceskoslovenský hudební slovník I. A-L
- Angry Over Bad Review, Conductor Zdenek Mácal Abruptly Quits Czech Philharmonic
- Eliahu Inbal - the new chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic