Sunday Music Show | All stories

The first public performance of Vltava, one of the best known pieces by Bedřich Smetana, took place 145 years ago today. The famous composition, also known by its English title The Moldau, is part of a cycle of six symphonic poems, entitled Má Vlast or My Country. Its premiere took place on April 4, 1875.

Fanfán Tulipán are known for their playful melodies rooted in jazz, as well as funk and chanson traditions, and for their energetic exploration of rhythm. The band was founded by composer Eliška Vidomus in 2009, when she was a student at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory.

She was one of the biggest stars on the Czechoslovak music scene during the 1960s and 1970s. Known for her three and a half octave soprano voice and down to earth character, Eva Pilarova remained a popular personality and singer until the day she died, aged 80, on March 14, 2020. With the ongoing coronavirus epidemic a public goodbye with the her has not been possible. However, that does not prevent us from playing Mrs Pilarová's greatest hits.

The Kladno quintet Zrní have just returned with a new LP, Nebeský Klid (Heavenly Peace). Last year the quirky alt-rock band dedicated themselves to the memory of Václav Havel, performing at the late dissident-turned-president’s country residence and at a prison where he was held under communism, which may explain (along with the fact several members have become fathers) a fresh focus on social and political issues in the record’s lyrics. However, with help from producers Pjoni and Ondřej Ježek, Zrní employ electronic elements to keep the sound just

Did the outnumbered Hussites defeat the crusaders at the Battle of Domažlice by singing? Modern-day historians are sceptical. But for František Palacký, Alois Jirásek and other Czech historians and writers of the Czech National Revival movement, the answer was clear. Their argument was Ktož jsú boží bojovníci, the choral Hussite fighting anthem (which translates from Old Czech as “Ye Who Are Warriors of God”), featured in this edition of the Best of Czech Classical Music.

If one was to look through history in search of the predecessors of today’s popular music, then one of the oldest songs worth a mention would have to be Frolicking Little Angel (entitled Andělíku rozkochaný in Czech). This love song from 14th century Bohemia sounded rather strange even in its time. It was certainly different from all the other liturgical compositions of the Middle Ages.

Czech classical music is not only a part of the national culture and history, but also of its very soul. This year, we have prepared a series on renowned works of Czech classical music. Listeners will be familiar with many of them, as they are widely known and regularly performed in concert halls all over the world. The background to their creation and how they were recorded will all be covered by this series in the coming weeks.

In the latest edition of our series about some of the greatest works of Czech classical music we explore the most famous of Czech marches – Towards a New Life – composed by Josef Suk in the first years of the newly born Czechoslovak Republic.

In the latest edition of our series about some of the greatest works of Czech classical music the focus is on Poem, a short but stirring symphonic work by composer Zdeněk Fibich.

Czech classical music is not only a part of national culture and history, but also of the nation’s soul. This year we have prepared a series on the renowned hits of Czech classical music. You will be familiar with many of them, as they are widely known and regularly performed in concert halls all over the world. The background to their creation and how they were recorded will all be covered by this series in the coming weeks.