It is regrettable to issue this rather dodgy old recording
without being more explicit about its age. It is not that the date 1959
is missing; it is just extremely small. When this performance of Má
Vlást was first issued in the Summer of 1959 by Decca it was
not seen as a sonic success. Remember this was the same orchestra and
recording company who had just put down Das Rheingold in truly
spectacular fashion, so their credentials were, and are, undoubted. This
effort is hissy and rather rough at times. I am also disturbed that the
label ADD has been applied. If this is a digital remastering then why,
at the end of Blanik, can I clearly hear first the master-tape
fade down, then, after about 10 seconds, another layer of tape noise fade
away? To me this says copy of a copy. The performance has been reissued
at least three times, most recently on Belart, so anyone could be responsible.
The sound is poor-to-adequate throughout the cycle and with so many other
Kubelik recordings of Má Vlást in existence this
one seems poor value even at its rock bottom price. Add to these woes
the unchecked and insubstantial notes, lifted directly from the original
LP by the looks of it, and even then cut, and we have a bit of a loser.
However, there is the matter of the performance! I
have not much to say about Vyšehrad because as a piece it never
seems to get going. But it is followed by a fast and rhythmically exciting
Vltava that has such gusto in its central country dance section,
and such a dramatic waterfall that I almost forgave. Only almost, because
all that "surging in the rapids of St John" does require much
more of the Vienna percussion than this poor old recording can easily
contain. Šárka really does find Kubelik on top form and
the eponymous maid can be heard slaking her lust for slaughter with
great clarity, even the recording seems to open up a little here. This
really is a classic performance. From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields
is very tuneful and draws from the VPO some lovely playing. Both the
final two movements Tábor and Blaník, celebrating
the glories of the Hussites, are splendid. I was left feeling that,
despite everything, I had heard a very fine performance.
Kubelik has recorded this piece five times (my best
stab at the dates is: 1956, 1959, 1971, 1985, 1990). Consensus of critical
opinion is that he made better recordings of Má Vlást
than this one on at least two occasions: Bavarian Radio Symphony on
Orfeo (1985) and Czech Philharmonic on Supraphon (1990). Since the most
recent of these is reckoned to be the best he ever did, I remain unconvinced
that we should give house-room to this hissy relic of the 1950s.
Dave Billinge
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Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Rafael
Kubelik