Bedrich Smetana: Ma Vlast/My Fatherland

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) has been called the father of Czech music; indeed, he used his people's national folk idiom in protest against foreign political and cultural domination. Má Vlast, a cycle of six symphonic poems held together by some recurring thematic material, was begun in 1874 and premiered in 1882. Most of the music celebrates the Bohemian countryside with beguiling melodies, luscious harmonies, and masterly, colorful orchestration. "Vysehrad," a portrait of the majestic castle overlooking Prague, opens with broad harp arpeggios; in "The Moldau," the cycle's most familiar movement, the music follows the great river's course from its two sources through a peasant wedding, a hunt, the rapids, nymphs dancing in the moonlight, and past the castle as the harp arpeggios recur. "Sárka" was a warrior maiden betrayed in love, who wreaks vengeance on men by slaughtering a company of knights. "From Bohemia's Woods and Meadows" is a pastoral idyll that lovingly depicts sunlit fields and shady forests. The last two movements, based on a Hussite chorale, commemorate the Hussites' courageous, hopeless struggle for their faith. "Tábor" was their settlement, "Blaník" a mountain inside which the defeated slain warriors wait, asleep, to resume their fight. Despite his patriotic fervor, Smetana seems less at home describing bloody battles than his beloved countryside, but the real miracle of this life-affirming work is that in the course of its creation, his health failed increasingly, and he suddenly became completely deaf; he attended its triumphant first performance, but could not hear it. This performance is warm, affectionate, and idiomatic; the wind solos are particularly lovely. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

The Moldau (Vitava): The Moldau (Vltava)
From Bohemia's Meadows And Forests
Slavonic Dances Op.46: No. 1 in C Major: Presto
Slavonic Dances Op.46: No. 2 In E Minor: Allegretto Schezando
Slavonic Dances Op.46: No. 3 In A Flat Major: Poco Allegro
Slavonic Dances Op.46: No. 4 In F Major: Tempo di Minuetto
Slavonic Dances Op.46: No.6 In D Major: Allegretto Scherzando
Slavonic Dances Op.46: No.7 In C Minor: Alegro assai
Slavonic Dances Op.72: No.2 in E minor: Allegretto Grazioso
Slavonic Dances Op.72: No.8 In A Flat Mijor: Grazioso e lento, ma non troppo, quasi Tempo di Valse

Customer Reviews:

Obra-prima.......2007-05-13

Smetana não é muito difundido, mas "O Moldávia", parte integrante do poema sinfônico "Minha Pátria", é uma obra-prima da música clássica. Ao que parece, Rafael Kubelik, tanto no comando da sinfônica de Boston, quanto da orquestra sinfônica da rádio Bávara, dão um show de interpretação e lirismo. A gravação, como era esperado, não é boa, pois é muito antiga, mas artisticamenté a composição e execução são piramidais. Existem vários cds com esta obra com Rafael Kubelik, variando muito a técnica de gravação, mas a música em si é difícil de esquecer, eu mesmo fico com a melodia na minha cabeça todos os dias. Tem um cd da Mercury que nem estéreo é, contendo o poema completo, é magnífico, mesmo com chiados. Imperdível todos eles.

Magical.......2003-10-12

While listening to this CD, I had the undeniable feeling that I was outside breathing in the fresh air, relaxing in the sunshine listening to the sounds of a babbling brook and this glorious music!

I enjoyed it........2001-12-17

I enjoyed it, that's about all I can say. Couldn't fault it.

Beautiful..........2000-07-08

I love "The Moldau". It is one of the most prettiest works by Smetna. I still get chills from repeated listening.

Liszt: Les Preludes, Mazeppa, Ungarische Rhapsodie No.4, Smetana: Vysehrad, Die Moldau

Average customer rating:

Run-of-the-mill
Excelente
Excellent
Bold and Brilliant

Liszt: Les Preludes, Mazeppa, Ungarische Rhapsodie No.4, Smetana: Vysehrad, Die Moldau

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Liszt: Symphonic Poems
Mendelssohn: Symphonies 3 & 4 / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Liszt: The Two Piano Concertos; The Piano Sonata
Franck: Symphony in Dm; Chasseur maudit
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO

ASIN: B000001GQA
Release Date: 1996-02-13

Tracks:

Die Moldau aus dem Zyklus Symphonischer Dichtungen 'Mein Vaterland'
Vysehrad aus dem Zyklus Symphonischer Dichtungen 'Mein Vaterland'
Les Preludes Symphonische Dichtung Nr. 3 fur grosses Orchester
Mazeppa Symphonische Dichtung Nr. 6
Ungarische Rhapsodie Nr. 4

Customer Reviews:

Run-of-the-mill.......2007-01-18

I think these tone poems require more passion and emotion than von Karajan exhibits. I was prepared to enjoy these selections but came away disappointed. The sound was good and the notes were played, but the interpretation didn't reach me emotionally. Les Preludes crashed away at me and the Hungarian Rhapsody seemed unduly lethargic. The Smetana pieces also had a paint-by-the-numbers feel. It felt like van Karajan was holding something back even as the orchestra played on.

Excelente.......2004-12-10

Mi director favorito es Eugene Ormandy pero de ningun modo podre y yo creo que otra persona podra desmerecer el valor de la excelencia de la dictadora mano de Karajan y el sonido envidiable de su Berliner Philharmoniker.
Estas grabaciones que poseo en un LP y que ahora tengo en CD son geniales el sonido espectacular DG logra lo mejor en estos registros sensacionales.
Karajan nos lleva con inmensa sutileza por el moldava, nos remece con el Vysehrad, nos conmueve con la increible Mazeppa, el magnifico Les Preludes y finalmente con la sublime Rapasodia Hungara Nº4.
Es verdaderamente genial y nada que decir casi perfecto.
Para Mazeppa Kurt Masur la mejor opcion, para Les preludes Haitink el mejor, Para Smetana y su ciclo sinfonico Antal Dorati es grandioso.

Excellent.......2002-06-11

I guess i'm just big on classical because i dont find very much classical out there that is bad. This is one of the best from Franz Liszt. He was a master on the piano, but as shown though both the hungarian rhapsodies and les preludes, he had a wonderful understanding of the orchestra as a whole.

Bold and Brilliant.......2001-11-06

The Deutsche-Grammophon label rarely ever disappoints, and this album is a great example. This is an old recording, and it has stuck around because it is truly great. I first heard it listening to my dad's old LP, and when I saw it in the store on CD, I snatched it up.

That said, I have mixed feelings about Karajan. I mostly enjoy his recordings. He has a controlled, dispassionate approach to his music that makes it a bit passive at times, but Karajan gets past that by letting the music speak for itself. Instead of muddling a great piece with silly interpretative ideas, his calm style lets the composers' ideas come across unscathed.

The Moldeau, also known as Vltava is a great rendition, as is Les Preludes. Karajan renders them masterfully, as I said, letting the majesty of these glorious pieces shine through. I was surprised by the orchestral version of the Hungarian Rhapsody, but it is a good performance, although I am partial to the original piano.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Set For Lovers of Czech Repertoire.......2005-08-24

Dvorak's last two symphonies and Smetena's The Moldau were among favorite works of Karajan's wide repertoire.He recorded these works several times...No.8:in 1979 with BP for EMI,in 1985 with WP for DG...No.9:in 1964 with BP,in 1985 with WP for DG and in 1977 with BP for EMI...The Moldau:in 1967 and 1980's with BP,in 1985 with WP for DG,in 1970's with BP for EMI.This two CD consists of his DG recordings:No.8(1985-with WP),No.9(1964-with BP),selected parts from Slavonic Dances(1959-BP),The Moldau(1967-BP),Vysehrad and etc...I have almost all important recordings of these works(Kubelik,Giulini,Munch,Keilberth,great Klemperer & B.Walter,A.Fiedler,Szell,Solti,Ormandy,Kertesz,Maazel,Mackerras, Neumann,Sawallisch,Ancerl,Bernstein,Kondrashin,Dohnanyi,Jansons).Especially No.8 is my favorite interpretation and recording by far.Well- balanced rythmic figures,powerful string parts and blazing trumpets.No conductor(except Giulini)recorded this work such wonderful.No.9(1964)is good (particularly Largo).If you are lover of 'From the New World',this is a must for your collection,if not,you can find better recordings.My favorites for all times:Karajan-1977,BP and 1985,WP;Giulini's Chicago(1970's) and Concertgebouw(1992)recordings;Keilberth-1960's with Bamberg;Arthur Fiedler with Boston for BMG/RCA and Kubelik-1972 with BP.Some listeners don't like Karajan's performings because of more powerful than usual readings.They says:'Dvorak is not Bruckner or Wagner'.This may be true but not exactly.Dvorak's works(particularly Nos.7,8,9) includes structural and orchestral inspirations from Wagner and Bruckner.In short Karajan is always true conductor for Dvorak and Smetana lovers.All his performings in this set are powerful,authoritative,essential and undoubtly romantic!Very good price for two CD.Do not miss.

Average customer rating:

Boring
Maybe The Best Digital Recording Of Ma Vlast, But...
A Ma Vlast that stretches far beyond mediocority
Definitely one of the best Ma Vlast recordings
Routine, routine

Smetana: Má Vlast

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade for orchestra Op35; Russian Easter Festival Overture Op36
Sheherazade / Russian Easter Overture

ASIN: B000001GEN
Release Date: 1992-02-11

Tracks:

Ma Vlast: Vysehrad: Lento - Largo maestoso - Grandioso poco largamente - Allegro vivo ma non agitato - Lento ma non troppo
Ma Vlast: Vltava: The Moldau - Allegro comodo non agitato. L'istesso tempo ma moderato. L'istesso tempo. Tempo I. Piu moto.
Ma Vlast: Sarka: Allegro con fuoco ma non agitato - Piu moderato assai - Moderato ma con calore - Moderato - Molto vivo - Piu vivo
Ma Vlast: Z Ceskych Luhu A Haju: From Bohemia's Woods And Fields - Molto moderato - Allegro poco vivo, ma non troppo - Allegro (Quasi Polka) - Tempo I - Allegro - Presto
Ma Vlast: Tabor: Lento - Grandioso - Molto vivace - Lento - Molto vivace - Lento maestoso - Piu animato
Ma Vlast: Blan Allegro moderato - Andante non troppo - Piu Allegro ma non molto - Temop di marcia - Grandioso - Temop I - Largamente maestoso - Grandioso meno - Allegro - Vivace

Customer Reviews:

Boring.......2005-01-04

I usually love James Levine's recordings. His versions of the Dvorak symphonies are some of my favorites. Thus, I eagerly bought this recording. I must agree with other reviewers in that the recorded sound is top notch. Vienna, as always, gives an alert and well balanced performance. However, this really is the most routine of performances. Levine does little to bring out anything from the score. This is simply a very well executed but boring recording of Ma Vlast.

Maybe The Best Digital Recording Of Ma Vlast, But..........2001-12-18

James Levine and the Vienna Philharmonic joined forces back in the 1980's to create one of the best recorded versions of Smetana's "Ma Vlast" tone poem cycle. These are fine performances, noted for the warm, vibrant playing of the winds, strings and horns. Unfortunately, this performance isn't nearly as vibrant as any I've heard from Kubelik or Mackerras. Still, if you're most interested in sound quality, then this might be the version to acquire. Certainly Deutsche Grammophon's sound engineers did a splendid job recording this performance.

A Ma Vlast that stretches far beyond mediocority.......2001-01-13

James Levine's viennese recording of Smetana's famed masterpiece is one of the best performances of the work around today. With clear, full-bodied digital recording and ripe, rich and opulent playing from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, it presents a performance that is as comporable to Kubelik as any other. Despite Levine's roots in the theatre (Metropolitan Opera), he manages to grasp a clear sense of drama in the work, and while some might argue that he is mainly concerned with orchestral effect for its own sake, he certainly does not do this but presents every minute detail in this musical kaliedascopic picture.

The opening harp passage in "Vysherad" sets the tone of the cycle admirably, and in the ensuing moments, one can feel the scene springing forth to life. The various aspects associated with this castle and fortress are vividly brought out, with a sense of elegaic nostalgia at the close of the work. "Moldau (Vltava)" follows hot on the heels of the end of "Vysherad," and there is a sweeping magic in this movement than in any other. The streamlets flow freely into the river, and the scenes of hunting, wedding, nymphs and rapids are brought out admirably. The flutes are crisply articulated, and the warmth of the playing is particularly telling. Sarka, one of the least well-known in the cycle, is given a thrilling performance, and Levine's sense of drama surfaces here perfectly. However, the music takes a lyrical turn with From Bohemia's Woods and Fields. Here, Levine manages to observe every minute detail in presenting this music, and the sounds of nature are nicely evoked. There is also a sense of joy in the proceedings. In the last two movements, Levine is at his very best. Tension is just at the right level, and there is also room for hushed intensity in the softer passages. It also seems as if you are hearing the music with new ears.

Overall, if there was a digital Ma Vlast you would like to buy apart from Kubelik's, you can certainly feel just content with Levine's supertlative Viennese performance. However, I would rather recommend that you buy it in tandem with his equally outstanding DG Dresden disc of Dvorak symphonies (including the famed New World) which I hope will be reissued by DG on a 2-CD set or on their Galleria label, along with this recording. This is an impressive recording, and I hope that DG will record more of this partnership, including Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade.

Definitely one of the best Ma Vlast recordings.......1999-07-17

This recording of Ma Vlast is one of the best intrepretations of the work I have ever heard. From the opening rush of notes on the harp that introduces "Vysherad" to the exhilorating climax of "Blanik" Levine is in utter control of this material. The tempi is very well-chosen and the Viennese players respond excellently to him. Never has a recorded version of this work kept a listener spellbound since Kubelik. Not forgetting the recorded sound, which is from DG's top drawer. If there was only one recording of Ma Vlast that a listener could choose, this is what I would recommend.

Routine, routine.......1999-06-22

No tempi, no passion, no love for the music; a job, technically well done, yes of course, but nothing more. Routine, routine. Well, the Vltava is not the Hudson river, and Levine is far more at home at the Met than in Bohemia. Every Kubelik recording will prove far better and far more suited for a dazzling piece like this one.

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Grab It While It's Still Available
A Ma Vlast that is as amazing as this CD remaster
SOME MONO RECORDINGS SOUND BETTER THAN SOME STEREO
A very fine recording

Smetana: Má Vlast

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Smetana: Má Vlast
Borodin: Symphony No.2/In The Steppes Of Central Asia/Prince Igor
Smetana: Moldau/From Bohemia's Meadows and Forests/Dvorák: Slavonic Dances Op.46 & Op.72
Enesco: Roumanian Rhapsody no 2
Smetana: Má vlast

ASIN: B0000057NA
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

Ma Vlast ('My Country'), Symphonic Cycle: Vysehrad ('The High Castle')
Ma Vlast ('My Country'), Symphonic Cycle: Vltava ('The Moldau')
Ma Vlast ('My Country'), Symphonic Cycle: Sarka
Ma Vlast ('My Country'), Symphonic Cycle: Z ceskych luhu a haju ('From Bohemia's Meadows And Forests')
Ma Vlast ('My Country'), Symphonic Cycle: Tabor
Ma Vlast ('My Country'), Symphonic Cycle: Blanik

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2006-01-21

I wanted to get a recording of "The Moldau", a haunting Romantic orchestral piece, so I went to Amazon for the reviews. A handy thing, that, although reviews have to be filtered because they mainly reflect the taste of the reviewer. But the more articulate ones give you an idea of what to expect. I went for a Rafael Kubelik recording from 1952 in mono. One microphone. He lasted 3 years with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra but was considered too modern in his repertoire. And he over-reached in his other duties as mentioned in the liner notes in the CD. This was in the early '50s! Not much of a time for innovation as far as the public was concerned (although some very good artistic work came out of this time, despite the Red scare, conformity, etc.)

I have heard maybe four versions of "The Moldau", the second part of the Ma Vlast (my country) tone poem cycle from the Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. He was a contemporary of Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korssakoff. This recording blows you away, I highly recommend it.The strings are crisp, the brass is right there and not over done. No miscues I could notice anywhere. The tempo has a certain realness to it, the phrasing is superb and very hard to coordinate in most orchestras. This recording is much better than two of the others I have heard on radio, the third one (I could not get the name of the conductor and orchestra) may be almost up to it in quality and feeling but maybe it is not available at Amazon. It is hard to believe the full sound in this mono. I usually am put off by monaural recordings even if conducted well, wanting to hear the fullness of "2-D" sound and imagining the musicians in their locations. If you haven't heard "The Moldau" (named for the Vltava River), or even if you have, I would go for this.

Grab It While It's Still Available.......2004-05-02

I own three performances of Ma Vlast--Ancerl's with the Czech Phil, Kubelik with Boston, and now this one (I also intend to acquire Kubelik's final recording--the live performance on Supraphon--as well). Each one is superb but this is the only one that actually moved me to tears. The performance is PERFECT, as are the sonics. Don't let the fact that this is a monaural recording affect your decision about whether or not to purchase this disk because if anything, it ENHANCES this performance (go figure). There's an in-your-face immediacy that I haven't found in my other two readings that's very powerful and which is due entirely to the way it's recorded. Trust me, you won't miss the separation. And the pre-Reiner CSO simply must be heard to be believed--it's a very different animal, somehow more refined than during Reiner's tenure. I think it's safe to write that this disk is essential listening for those who want to lay claim to knowing this work.
I like to refer to Mercury Living Presence recordings as "audio Technicolor"; the sound is bigger and more vivid than anything one is likely to experience live. There's nothing "natural" about the sound of these performances. They're not to everyone's taste and they're often not considered reference works but I love them and am thrilled and grateful that so many of the mono recordings in Mercury's catalog have made it to CD. If Mrs. Fine pays any attention to these reviews and is taking requests, may I respectfully suggest Kubelik's Bloch?

A Ma Vlast that is as amazing as this CD remaster.......2001-06-19

This Kubelik recording of Smetana's epic cycle of symphonic poems is in itself one of the most amazing and inspired performances of the work on record. The late conductor was himself a Czechman, and you can feel his characteristic idiomatic flari on all his recordings of this work, including on here. Kubelik elicits peerless playing from his Chicago players, and you can often feel the effectiveness in the sound in painting a well-detailed picture of the Czech landscape. Equally amazing is the sound of the half-century-old Mercury monaural recording, because while the tape hiss has been kept at a minimum, you can still feel the orchestra's living presence and wide dynamic range without the extraneous intrusions that are often anomolous with monaural recordings.

The opening harp flourish in Vysherad sets the cycle off to a flying start. Every moment of this poem sees Kubelik encouraging the orchestra to give it a sweeping momentu to make it spine-tingling. Kubelik also enables the much-overplayed Vltava to sound fresh and new with a few flicks of his baton, and indeed he enables the piece to be played rapturously and seductively. The thrill and adreanaline of Sarka and the kaliedascopic and energetic lyricism of From Bohemia's Woods and Fields are engaging and inviting, without sounding boring and laboured, and they all lead up to the thrilling concluding movements Tabor and Blonik, where Kubelik is at his best, building up the tension to keep the listener in suspense when following the Hussite struggle. The two pieces are played with the fervour that they deserve, and the last few thrilling moments of Blonik crown a performance of Ma Vlast that is sure to become a benchmark standard for a long time to come.

To sum everything up, I can safely say that the monaural recording still sounds good, and this thrilling recording of Ma Vlast is sure to find a happy home in the libraries of everyone who loves soul-stirring Czech orchestral music.

SOME MONO RECORDINGS SOUND BETTER THAN SOME STEREO.......2000-06-23

Rafael Kubelik, that careful craftsman who did such a great job on works by Dvorak (New World Symphony) and Mahler (Symphony No. 1), presents his homeland in wonderful musical fashion. Listen very carefully to the 4th section (From Bohemia's Forests and Meadows): echoes of the land, whispering and yearning... so well rendered in its minute detail. The whole work is articulated and played with great precision. It is surely a credit to Kubelik, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Mercury sound engineers that this mono recording sounds better than a lot of stereo recordings. Sound quality: 10 out of 10. Performance: 10 also.

A very fine recording.......2000-02-18

This is a very fine performance of Ma Vlast, with state of the art sound (for its time). The CSO plays with much character and idiomatic feeling, and let's face it, nobody ever conducted this work better than Kubelik. The Czech personality of the piece comes through very strongly. It is a pity that Kubelik's finest recording of this work is quite difficult to find, his live digital recording of this piece shortly before he died with the Czech Philharmonic on the Supraphon label. If you find it grab it! Otherwise this Chicago version will certainly bring much listening pleasure.

Average customer rating:

Wow!!!

Smetana: Ma Vlast

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 8
The Children of Húrin

ASIN: B00004TV9M
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Tracks:

Ma Vlast: Vysehrad
Ma Vlast: Vltava (The Moldau)
Ma Vlast: Sarka
Ma Vlast: From Bohemia's Meadows And Forests
Ma Vlast: Tabor
Ma Vlast: Blanik

Customer Reviews:

Wow!!!.......2006-12-14

This is my second recording of Ma Vlast and this one is a beauty!!! It is hard to go wrong with the Dresden Orchestra and this one captures the full-lush sound of this orchestra at their best. I was surprised to learn it was an ADD recording. At this price, it is a no brainer.

Smetana: Má Vlast; The Bartered Bride - Hakon Jarl; Dvorák: Czech Suite; Prague Waltzes

Average customer rating:

A very enjoyable album
Glorious "Ma Vlast"
Nice Czech Collection

Smetana: Má Vlast; The Bartered Bride - Hakon Jarl; Dvorák: Czech Suite; Prague Waltzes

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B000004238
Release Date: 1995-03-14

Tracks:

Ma vlast (My Fatherland): Vysehrad - Bedrich Smetana
Ma vlast (My Fatherland): Vltava - Bedrich Smetana
Ma vlast (My Fatherland): Sarka - Bedrich Smetana
Ma vlast (My Fatherland): Z ceskych luhu a haju (From Bohemia's Meadows And Groves) - Bedrich Smetana
Ma vlast (My Fatherland): Tabor - Bedrich Smetana
Ma vlast (My Fatherland): Blanik - Bedrich Smetana

Tracks:

The Bartered Bride: Overture - Smetana/Dvorak
The Bartered Bride: Polka - Smetana/Dvorak
The Bartered Bride: Furiant - Smetana/Dvorak
Hakon Jarl, op.16 - Smetana/Dvorak
Prague Waltzes, B99 - Smetana/Dvorak
Nocturne, op.40 B47 - Smetana/Dvorak
Czech Suite, op.39 B93: l Preludium (Pastorale) - Smetana/Dvorak
Czech Suite, op.39 B93: ll Polka - Smetana/Dvorak
Czech Suite, op.39 B93: lll Sousedska (Minuetto) - Smetana/Dvorak
Czech Suite, op.39 B93: lV Romance - Smetana/Dvorak
Czech Suite, op.39 B93: V Finale (Furiant) - Smetana/Dvorak

Customer Reviews:

A very enjoyable album.......2004-11-07

There are plenty of great recordings of Ma Vlast. Actually, this one (Walter Weller conducting the Israel Philharmonic) is my favorite, even though Kubelik is a close second and Levine is good too. And there's also a choice I'm almost sure you haven't thought of, the superb performance by Igor Ardasev and Renata Ardaseva as a piano duet!

When you get this version, not only do you have an unforgettable Ma Vlast, you get a second CD that includes Antal Dorati conducting the Detroit Symphony in Dvorak's Czech Suite, Nokturno, and Prague Waltzes. Plus, there's Istvan Kertesz conducting the Israeli Philharmonic in some more works by Smetana (Hakon Jarl and the Overture, Polka and Furiant from the Bartered Bride). Of these, the Prague Waltzes and the Czech Suite are my favorites.

I heartily recommend this album.

Glorious "Ma Vlast".......2004-06-28

This is a very good czech collection includes Smetana's best known works and Dvorak's less known but all-worth-listening works.

CD 1 includes Smetana's complete symphonic poem cycle "Ma Vlast" (My Fatherland). This cycle based on six movements which, the second is ever-famous "Moldau". This cycle (as in name) tells about Czechoslovakia's historic lands and legends. As you know, Moldau is the famous river.
The other movements are:
1. Vysherad is the castle which protect the capital Prague in 13th century.

3. Sarka is the woman-hero who was lived in 13th century. She was fighted with Frenchs and but their general was fall in love to Sarka. So, she (with her charm) was deceived and then she invited the some of Frenchs for drink wine. Then, all of them (except Sarka) gets drunk and Sarka, secretly was added a poison which make them sleepy. So, all of them sleeps, and then Sarka calls her Czech army with her horn. And gradullay they comes, and all of them kills Frenchs (with their general), while they're sleeping!

5. Tabor is the army of the country and then 6. Blanik is the contiuation of Tabor. Blanik is the mountain which, the army's shelter, while they're waiting the "war alarm". But, this movement ends with a triumphal finale, which includes the main "Vysherad" and "God's Warriors" chorale. This work is very succesful example of patriotic music and it is to affect nationalism.

The performance of this work is very good. This is may be one of the best recordings of Walter Weller and Israel P O, too. They played this programme with emotion.

CD 2 starts with the overture and polka of Smetana's best known opera "The Bartered Bride". Especially, polka is a very beautiful example of this kind. The performances by Israel P O again, but conductor is Istvan Kertesz, who always a champion in perform Czech music. And then, there is a less known tone poem, Hakon Jarl, based on a Norwegian warrior legend. Conductor is again Walter Weller.

And at last, Dvorak and his beautiful Czech Suite which includes Furiant, Polka, Minuetto and like these dances. And there is a gentle work "Prague Waltzes" and a romantic "Notturno". All of these are digital recording and performed by Detroi S O, conducted by another legendary conductor, Antal Dorati.

This is a very good collection and highly recommended.

Nice Czech Collection.......2003-11-14

This two-disc set from the "Double Decker" series is a very good, if not definitive, collection of famous and lesser-known Czech orchestral works. Smetana's "Ma Vlast," a work virtually owned by conductors Kubelik and Ancerl (see my review of the latter), is performed well by Walter Weller and the Israel Philharmonic, who return for an encore on disc two with Smetana's "Hakon Jarl." Selections from Smetana's "The Bartered Bride" are done again with the IPO, but this time they are led by one of my favorite conductors, Istvan Kertesz. As much as I enjoy Kertesz, the highlights of this collection for me are the lesser-known pieces by Dvorak. Antal Dorati (another one of my favs) and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra offer us early digital recordings of the Prague Waltzes, Nocturne and Czech Suite. In all, this is a collection that will appeal to the casual fan and serious collector alike.

Average customer rating:

Performance- Wise, A Personal Favorite, But.....
Zizka's Drum
Look elsewhere for livelier readings and better sound
Kubelik and the Boston SO - 5 Stars - DG - 1 Star = 3 Stars
The sonic is NOT very good

Smetana: Má vlast

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Smetana: Moldau/From Bohemia's Meadows and Forests/Dvorák: Slavonic Dances Op.46 & Op.72
Tchaikovsky: String Quartets Nos. 1 - 3/Souvenir De Florence
Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Cantelli Conducts Mendelssohn & Brahms
Smetana: Má Vlast

ASIN: B000001GC2
Release Date: 1990-02-13

Tracks:

My Fatherland: I. Vysehrad
My Fatherland: II. Die Moldau
My Fatherland: III. Sarka
My Fatherland: IV. Aus Boehmens Hain und Flur
My Fatherland: V. Tabor
Ma Vlast: VI. Blanik

Customer Reviews:

Performance- Wise, A Personal Favorite, But............2007-06-03

Distinguished Czech conductor Rafael Kubelik knew how to get the most of whatever orchestra he was working with; a quality he demonstrated most memorably in his mid 1970s Deutsche Grammophon Beethoven symphony cycle which used 9 separate North American, European, and Israeli (Israel Philharmonic if I'm not mistaken) orchestras. I've owned this compelling account of Smetana's Ma Vlast for years, and have found most memorable Kubelik's insightful interpretations strongly emphasizing the Czech folk musical heritage that Smetana and Dvorak relied so much in their work, and the superb, but restrained, playing from the Boston Symphony Orchestra. As an original analogue recording this one was fine, but it has been eclipsed sonically speakng from acoustically superior ones from James Levine (Deutsche Grammophon) and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, with both conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker on their respective recordings (Another notable, more recent, recording is Charles Mackerras' with the Czech Philharmonic.). Still, there is much to recommend with Kubelik's Boston Symphony recording, starting with one of the most exciting versions of the Moldau tone poem that I've heard in recordings. That in itself may be the best reason why you should acquire this Kubelik recording; one of five of this very tone poem cycle that he recorded throughout his impressive career.

Zizka's Drum.......2007-02-10

As a Protestant fundamentalist, I take a particular interest in 19th century cultural interpretations of the early Protestant heritage. Mendelssohn's "Reformation" Symphony No. 5 treats Luther's hymn "A Mighty Fortress" with respect. As one might expect, operas from Catholic Italy and France treat early Protestantism as adversarial but without rancor. Bellini's I Puritani uses the Puritans of the regicide period as a springboard for a conventional Catholic hero who risks his life to assist Charles I's Catholic widow. Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots is concerned only with historical colorfulness and expresses no depth of feeling one way or another about the heinous St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. It achieves balance by featuring a naively bigoted Huguenot soldier but then allowing for a Huguenot hero-- as long as he is a conventional lover. Meyerbeer's Le Prophete is more interesting. It deals with the vulnerable, rather lawless Anabaptists of Luther's time but attributes to their fanaticism a certain sublime power especially in the treatment of a stark Latin hymn of the period.

Smetana's fifth number "Tabor" deals with the pre-Protestant Hussite movement of the early 15th century. By stressing "stubborn inflexibility" the music falls in line with Meyerbeer's satirical portrait of a bigoted Huguenot soldier; but Smetana gives the piece stark, sublime power as in Le Prophete. The work is one of the most percussive classical numbers I have heard and recalls Thomas Carlyle's phrase "Zizka's Drum" in reference to a literally blind General Ziska who led the Hussites in battle. Carlyle made a point of sympathizing with the heroics of early Protestants and even sought to rehabilitate the British reputation of the Puritan dictator Oliver Cromwell, whom it was fashionable to despise between 1660 and Carlyle's 1840s.

Smetana's Hussites may be stubborn; but their courage is beyond question. The Czech's music is consistent with Carlyle's phrase and constitutes the sort of cultural reinforcement I am always looking for. This is forceful music with a mimetic purpose. A real knowledge of history works like personal memory on the basis of strong impressions such as this. Historical accuracy is not an issue in this case because it is quite clear that Zizka was an an actual pre-Protestant warrior of the Hussite cause.

Look elsewhere for livelier readings and better sound.......2006-09-21

DG used Rafael Kubelik as their house Czech conductor, assigning Janacek, Dvorak, and Smetana to him. He was eminently qualified, but this recording is a bit star-croossed. I'm indebted to R. Lane's review below, which details Kubelik's history with Ma Vlast and the five recordings he made of it. I own and enjoy the mono version from Chicago that he recommends--it's now available in a bargain box set from Mercury. But the BSO was demoralized in 1971 when this version was made, after the dull era of Erich Leinsdorf, and they play rather drably. Kubelik doesn't seem inspired, either--a lot of the tempos are foursquare and lack his usual sizzle. So when you consider the screechy, thin sonics in the bargain, I believe this is one Ma Vlast to strike off your list. I gravitate toward the versions by James Levine and Niklaus Harnoncourt.

Kubelik and the Boston SO - 5 Stars - DG - 1 Star = 3 Stars.......2004-11-21

Rafael Kubelik has made Ma Vlast one of his staples throughout his career. In the studio he made at 5 recordings. The first was in mono with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Mercury. In many respects, that recording is still the standard by which all others should be judged. Kubelik's interpretation and the superior Chicago forces make that one of the most compelling recordings of Czech music ever made; when you count some pretty awesome recordings by conductors like Karl Ancerl and Vaclav Talich, that's saying a lot.

The next recording was with the Vienna Philharmonic for Decca in stereo in 1959. That recording has been issued on CD several times, most recently in teh Eloquence series. But the production is marred with poor mastering and editing. Having in recent years heard Kubelik's Dvorak Slavonic Dances with the VPO on Decca from the same era (see Amazon ASIN # B00005N570, try Amazon.co.uk if it is not availabe any longer at Amazon.com), I am more anxious than ever for that recording to be remastered properly. Do you hear me Universal?

This recording, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, was made in 1971. Another recording was made with Bavarian forces for Orfeo in 1985, and again for Supraphon with the Czech Philharmonic in 1990.

The present recording has some qualities that make it very welcome. Most notable is the unique resonance of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, one that is very appropriate for Smetana's masterpiece. The BSO has a restrained tonal quality, particularly the horn section, that lends itself very well to expressing the tender flowing melodies that are resplendant throughout Ma Vlast. And they can come alive, such as in movement V, Tabor, if not quite with the overwhelming authority that the Chicago forces are so well known for. While the effect may not be as effective and powerful as the Chicago reading, the sound and impact are actually more close to what the composer was after.

The disappointment with the current issue is the sound quality. Very muddy, more so than the original LPs. I remember when this Galleria issue came out. The local store where I lived only had one copy. I recommeded it to a friend, who had heard my LPs of it previously. We were disgusted with teh Galleria issue. I never bought it. For years I used the Paavo Berglund disk as my lone CD copy of Ma Vlast.

There is hope, though. For those of you who are very fond of this reading, as I am, there is a 2 CD edition of this same recording available coupled with Kubelik's excellent Bavarian RSO reccordings of Richard III op 11, Wallenstein's Camp op 14, Haon Jari op 16, and Prague Carnival. Excerpts from The Bartered Bride with VPO under Levine rounds out the collection. And, DG used their latest remastering techniques on the BSO Ma Vlast to great effect. Sadly, that issue never made it to the USA, but it is available from Amazon.co.uk with ASIN # B000024577). If you love this reading, which I certainly do, you owe it to yourself to check out the 2CD version. I picked up a copy in the HMV store in Philadelphia in 1998 while vacationing there. It is now a demonstration disk in my collection. The soudstage is wildly 3 dimensional, the strings vibrant, the percussion alive. What an awesome transformation!

The sonic is NOT very good.......2004-01-27

The sonic of this CD is flat, uninvolving and fuzzy. Personally, I think Decca often has better sound engineering than DG. Bought this CD based on review here, but very disappointed now.

Average customer rating:

Rich
Excellent Ma Vlast Recording.
Fine Ma Vlast

Bedrich Smetana: Ma Vlast (My Country)

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

I. Vysehrad
II. Vltava (The Moldau)
III. Sarka
IV. Z Ceskych Luhu A Haju (From Bohemia's Woods And Meadows)
V. Tabor
VI. Blanik

Customer Reviews:

Rich.......2006-08-09

(4.5/5 stars) I agree with other reviewers that this recording sounds wonderful. The piece itself is one of my favorites. Smetana practically redefines "patriotism" with this powerful love song to his fatherland. While I have never ridden on the Moldau, Macal and the Milwaukee Symphony certainly provide the turbulence necessary to experience it with this digital recording. An essential piece of music and a thoroughly decent recording.

Excellent Ma Vlast Recording........2002-01-31

Ma Vlast is one of my favorite pieces of music. And I firmly believe that Zdenek Macal gives a tremendous reading of it here on this disc. The performance is reverently passionate, the recording is lush, but not nearly as vibrant as it maybe could have been. I used to think this was a sad recording flaw. But, in fairness to Telarc engineering, I recently had the pleasure of hearing several pieces from Ma Vlast performed live in Atlanta. And I came to the realization that, just like Schumann, Smetana could sure write a tune, but was exceedingly murky and unimaginative when orchestrating. His muted symphonic range causes the orchestra to produce sounds that will remind you of a top notch analog transfer. Macal's forces, on the other hand, spend plenty of time lingering over the melodies and exuding nostalgia that you forget about the sonics by the end anyway. The terrific performance overcomes any objections I have to the lack of presence. Buy and enjoy.

Fine Ma Vlast.......2001-04-03

I hate to say it, but for me, Kubelik owns this piece, especially his Czech Phil recording on Supraphon (digital, too).

That said, however, Telarc has done us a favor by bringing to the fore these excellent forces and Macal's idiomatic conducting. The engineering, too, is better than Kubelik's Supraphon recording--there is more aural depth. I do find the "highs" to be a little bit much for me, but hardly anything that should deter the interested buyer.

The Milwaukee orchestra is a fine one, and while the strings are very sweet, I do hear some strain (are there enough violins?) that can sometimes be tiring, especially since Macal makes such demands.