Czech Philharmonic

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Česká filharmonie

Background information
Also known as The Czech Philharmonic
Origin Flag of the Czech Republic Prague, Czech Republic
Genre(s) Classical
Occupation(s) Symphony orchestra
Years active 1896-present
Website www.ceskafilharmonie.cz
Members
Chief Conductor
Zdeněk Mácal
Former members
Founder
Antonín Dvořák

The Česká filharmonie (Czech Philharmonic) is a symphony orchestra based in Prague and is perhaps the most well known and respected orchestra in the Czech Republic. It was voted one of the top 10 best orchestras in Europe in a 2006 survey organized by the French magazine Le Monde de la Musique.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra was formerly the orchestra of the Prague National Opera. It played its first concert under its current name on January 4, 1896 when Antonín Dvořák conducted his own compositions, but it did not become fully independent from the opera until 1901. 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.

Subsequent chief conductors included Rafael Kubelík (1942-1948), Karel Ančerl (1950-1968), Václav Neumann (1968-1989) and Vladimir Ashkenazy (1996-2003). Zdeněk 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.[2] In February 2008, the orchestra announced the appointment of Eliahu Inbal as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2009-2010 season.[3]

Principal guest conductors of the orchestra have included Sir Charles Mackerras, a noted Czech music specialist, and currently Manfred Honeck.

[edit] Honours and awards

Premiere of Antonín Dvořák's Piano Concerto in G minor op.33, Czech Philharmonic conducted by Václav Talich
Premiere of Antonín Dvořák's Piano Concerto in G minor op.33, Czech Philharmonic conducted by Václav Talich

Czech Philharmonic 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 Štěpán, Zdeněk Mácal and Václav Neumann (1971 and 1982).

[edit] Chief Conductors

[edit] References

  1. ^ Matthew Westphal. "The Top Ten European Orchestras, According to Ten European Media Outlets", Playbill Arts, 10 Oct 2006. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. 
  2. ^ Matthew Westphal. "Angry Over Bad Review, Conductor Zdenek Mácal Abruptly Quits Czech Philharmonic", Playbill Arts, 11 September 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 
  3. ^ Rosie Johnston. "Eliahu Inbal - the new chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic", Radio Praha, 22 February 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-26. 

[edit] External links


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Czech Philharmonic Chief Conductors

Ludvík Čelanský (1901) · Vilém Zemánek (1903) · Václav Talich (1919) · Rafael Kubelík (1942) · Karel Ančerl (1950) · Václav Neumann (1968) · Jiří Bělohlávek (1990) · Gerd Albrecht (1993) · Vladimir Ashkenazy (1996) · Zdeněk Mácal (2003) · Eliahu Inbal (2009)