Czech tribute to Bach from Baden. JCF Fischer International Music Festival
In relation to classical music, the Karlovy Vary region is full of paradoxes. With its approximately three hundred thousand inhabitants, it is the least populated region in the republic. And due to its size, it competes for last place with the Liberec region. And yet, there have been two symphony orchestras in this region for around two centuries, which is a record number.
AGAINST Karlovy Vary iv Mariánské Lázně naturally, they originally arose as spas, winning guests on the colonnades. But gradually they grew, developed into smaller symphonic ensembles.
They were headed by important personalities, let’s mention them all Radomila Eliška conducting for over two decades, namely from 1969 to 1990, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. Mariánskola symphonic he again led the orchestra in the period from 1916 to 1921 Ferdinand Hellmesberger, a member of a branched and very successful dynasty of Viennese musicians, who at one time were treading heavily on the heels of the famous Strauss family. It is certainly interesting that between 2021 and 2022, great horn players took up the baton in both cities – Radek Baborák in “Mariánky” and Ondřej Vrabec in Karlovy Vary.
Traditionally, the Karlovy Vary region, whether its name was different in one way or another, could rightly be proud of the quality of high-quality musical instruments. Both Cremona Luby and Amati Kraslice, if they use their post-war names, had a great sound in the world. Luby produced and exported the most stringed instruments, led by violins, in the whole of Europe. And there was also great interest in wind instruments from Kraslice. Unfortunately, two unfortunate phenomena have merged in recent decades – strange privatizations and a flood of cheaper Chinese musical instruments. Luby is over, Kralice is dying.
All the more valuable is the effort to save at least some of the valuable organs in the countless churches of this region. The meritorious but scattered effort of 2015 received a significant, overarching boost. It originated here Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer International Music Festivalwhich year after year from the end of June to the end of August attracts the attention of the audience not only to the music as such, but also to the fate of the organ that sounds at many concerts.
He will reveal more Jiří Vejvoda in the next part of the program Slavná auditorium. The premiere of the show is set for Monday December 12 at 7 p.m. Listen to repeats on Thursday 15/12 at 22:00 and Saturday 17/12 at 10:00.
Photo: Church of St. Jiří, Bečov nad Teplou (Profimedia)