Collegium 1704 & Václav Luks - Smetana: Má vlast, JB 1.112 (Live) (2022) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Bedrich Smetana's cycle Má vlast is not only the culmination of his symphonic output, it also occupies a unique position in Czech music and conveys a very special message of national character for Czech society. "Sublime", one reviewer called the remarkable live performance of Smetana's Ma vlast by an extended Collegium 1704 during the Prague Spring Festival of 2021. The Czech ensemble played on period instruments and thanks to the Czech conductor Václav Luks, Smetana's masterpiece is a "source of innovation, a living history that took listeners on a journey of pride and inspiration". The album can only be described in one way: a must for every music lover.

The recording of the 2021 Prague Spring Festival opening concert, at which Smetana’s Má vlast (My homeland) was performed by the Collegium 1704 orchestra under the baton of Václav Luks, has now been released by the Belgian label Accent, which has been cooperating with the orchestra for a long time.

“We approach Smetana’s legacy with great respect and deep humility for the great Czech tradition of interpretation of this work. Our performance is not a museum reconstruction, but a reminder of the aesthetic ideals of the romantic interpretation of Smetana’s time, which can be an inspiration for contemporary performers and audiences,” says the conductor Václav Luks about the recording.

“This performance of My Homeland left us with immense joy and encouragement, even though the whole project was created in extremely difficult conditions of pandemic measures. The energy of the musicians of the Collegium 1704 orchestra and the tireless research of the founder and the conductor Václav Luks have brought a timeless account of the seemingly familiar and explored work of Bedřich Smetana. The joy of the concert is now enhanced by this audio recording,” said Pavel Trojan, the director of Prague Spring.

Tracklist:
1. Smetana: Má vlast, JB 1:112: No. 1, Vyšehrad (Live) (15:46)
2. Smetana: Má vlast, JB 1:112: No. 2, Vltava (Live) (12:43)
3. Smetana: Má vlast, JB 1:112: No. 3, Šárka (Live) (10:22)
4. Smetana: Má vlast, JB 1:112: No. 4, Z českých luhů a hájů (Live) (13:00)
5. Smetana: Má vlast, JB 1:112: No. 5, Tábor (Live) (12:01)
6. Smetana: Má vlast, JB 1:112: No. 6, Blaník (Live) (15:03)


Thanks to the Original customer!