Over to Prague this week, by way of Madrid, for a broadcast concert featuring the venerable Czech Philharmonic, conducted by the equally venerable Jiri Belohlavek.

The program consists of music by Martinu, Novak, Ancerel (Karl Ancerel who was Music Director of the Czech Phil for many years) and Antonin Dvorak and is part of the 100 year anniversary celebration of the Czech Conservatory.

Here are the program notes from Radio Nacional Espana:

100 aniversario del Conservatorio de de Praga. Concierto celebrado en el Rudolfinum de Praga el 28 de abril de 2011. Grabación de la CR, República Checa.

(Top Player) MARTINU: Obertura (6‟18”).
K. ANCERL: Sinfonietta(19‟05”).
(Bottom Player) - NOVAK: Suite morava, Op. 32 (27‟51”).
DVORAK: La rueca dorada, Op. 109 (22‟02”). Orq. Fil. Checa. Dir.: J. Belohlavek.

Great concert, and the Czech Philharmonic certainly lives up to their reputation. Nice Anti Road-Rage Wednesday (Thursday) music.

Enjoy.

Even though the drive is more or less officially over, I know there are some who didn't get a chance to donate while we were in crisis mode. If you care to, that would be wonderful, as running Newstalgia is an every day effort. I'll leave the Donate button up until the end of the week so if you didn't get a chance before, now's your opportunity.

(Vaclav Talich - one of the champions of Czech music early on)

Almost missing out on Sunday Gramophone completely this week, I nonetheless thought I would offer up one of the great recordings by the Czech Philharmonic, during their tour of the UK in 1938. They were invited to record several pieces at Abbey Road in November and this piece was one of them.

Talich was one of the greatest proponents of Czech music and his recordings of Dvorak and tonight's composer Joseph Suk, are considered some of the finest and most definitive of the repertoire.

Here is the Suk Serenade for Strings with the Czech Philharmonic lead by Vaclav Talich for a session recorded by HMV from November of 1938.

Enjoy.