London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis - Smetana: Má vlast (2005) [SACD]

Inspired by the mythology & pastoral beauty of his Czech homeland, Smetana’s 6 tone poems that form Má vlast (My Fatherland) is 1 of the best examples of Nationalism in music. The stirring 2nd movement depicts the river Vltava as it flows through the countryside & into Prague. Struck with deafness in 1874, Smetana would never hear a performance of what would become his most popular work
‘Má Vlast’ is the ultimate Nationalist musical composition. The title means ‘My Country’ & it’s opening bars are probably as well known to the average Czech, as ‘Land of Hope & Glory’ is to the average Brit.
The 6 movements that make up Smetana’s gloriously chauvinistic hymn to the Czech nation were 1st performed in what is now the Smetana Concert Hall in Prague in 1882. There are now annual performances in the Smetana Hall & ‘Má Vlast’ is regularly performed as the opening concert of the Prague Spring Festival.
It was therefore something more than a surprise when the London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Colin Davis were invited to give the opening concert of the Prague Spring in 2005 & the piece they were asked to play was ‘Má Vlast’. This could have been seen as a rather impertinent example of taking coals to Newcastle, but Sir Colin & the LSO are never ones to duck a challenge & the performance was a huge success.
Many members of the Czech Philharmonic were in the audience & after the performance – with extraordinary generosity – they congratulated their London colleagues & Sir Colin on bringing a fresh perspective to Smetana’s iconic work. After opening the Prague Spring the LSO gave 2 further performances of ‘Má Vlast’ at the Barbican & it is from these performances that the present recording is taken. The Czechs were ecstatic about LSO’s reading of Smetana’s masterpiece. We hope you are too.