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Video of Rafael Kubelik's Ma Vlast at 1990 Prague Spring Festival

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Posted on November 30, 2021 at 20:36:37
rkw
Audiophile

Posts: 321
Joined: July 12, 2000
I have the Supraphon CD of this concert, which was Kubelik's 1990 homecoming to Czechoslovakia after its separation from the Soviet Union and return to democracy. I didn't know that there was also a video of the event.







View YouTube Video

I was surprised by the break (intermission?) at 42:25 after the 3rd movement (Sarka). The audience breaks into applause, the performers take a bow, and Kubelik leaves the stage and returns to continue. The break isn't unnatural for the music and it seemed like the audience had expected it. Then I checked Vaclav Talich's 1939 live performance and the audience also breaks into applause at the same point. There might actually be a tradition to the practice.

It also struck me that there were no women in the orchestra in 1990 (besides the harpists). Perhaps the orchestra had been stuck in time during the Soviet era. Women do begin to appear in Czech Philharmonic videos not much later.

 

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I've never seen that particular concert myself - thanks!, posted on December 1, 2021 at 02:31:11
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Location: SF Bay Area
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I used to have another video concert from the time of Kubelik's return to Prague (on LaserDisc!) which included a performance of Mozart's Prague Symphony. In fact, maybe I still have it. (I think that it eventually appeared on a Denon CD too.) The last movement gets off to a slightly ragged start, but finishes brilliantly. There's also a DVD documentary biography of Kubelik, which includes footage of his getting off the plane as he returns to Prague - he's met at the airport by Vaclav Neumann.

I shared your surprise at the lack of women in the orchestra, since it flies in the face of official Soviet-era principles of equality between the sexes. I know the Russians had women conductors at that time. (Remember Veronika Dudarova?) IIRC, the last time I saw the CzPO, they seemed to be evening out the representations of men and women pretty well. (Certainly better than the VPO - LOL!)

 

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