Part 1:
Part 2:
A classic concert this week. From one of the many guest appearances he made over the decades, a 1980 appearance by the legendary Rafael Kubelik with The Cleveland orchestra, recorded on March 27, 1980 and featuring only two works; the Symphony Number 99 by Haydn and the Symphony Number 6 by Anton Bruckner.
The career of Rafael Kubelik spanned over several decades and covered the early days of the electrical 78 to the days of Digital. He has guest conducted just about about major orchestra in the world and was, for a time, Music Director for the Chicago Symphony (recording some of the first memorable lps with that orchestra for Mercury Records). He was Music Director at The Metropolitan Opera and his recorded output is staggering.
Son of the legendary Czech violinist, Jan Kubelik, Rafael made his debut with the Czech Philharmonic at the age of 19. He worked closely with the Czech Philharmonic all through World War 2, but left his home and resettled in the UK in 1948 when the Communist coup took place.
From then on his career too off. After he left Chicago he was appointed Music Director of The Royal Opera, Covent Garden and remained there from 1955-1958 when he took up position of Music Director for The Bavarian Radio Symphony, a position he held from 1961-1979. After that, he became a much sought-after guest conductor and remained active as both a conductor, and composer up until 1985 when Arthritis forced him to retire from the podium. There was one other appearance after. In 1990, after the Czech Republic emerged from the fall of Communism, he was invited to conduct the Czech Philharmonic, the orchestra he first led in the country he vowed never to return to while it was under Communist rule. He returned to conduct the Czech Philharmonic on the occasion of the opening of the Prague Spring Festival; a festival he originally founded. He recorded the Dvorak “New World Symphony” and it would be his last recording, before his death in 1996.
But here he is, during one of his many appearances with the Cleveland Orchestra, in a concert originally recorded on March 27, 1980.
The top player features the Haydn and the bottom player features the Bruckner.
Perfect Anti-Road Rage Wednesday music – and historic too.
Enjoy.
Kubelik was a fantastic conductor. I remember in particular at the end of his life some great performances of Mahler symphonies with Orchestre de Paris. Thanks for this interesting program with Cleveland.
The Haydn is in complete – it’s the first three movements, but the fourth is missing.
Thanks for the heads-up. The Gremlins were busy at work and decided to lop off the last five minutes of the first half. It’s been reinstated and now the Symphony is complete! Apologies for the foul up. Thanks for pointing it out! – G.