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CZECH AND MORAVIAN COMPOSERS AND THEIR ROOTS
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Bohemia is said to be the heart of Europe and the region where Western and the Eastern influences have clashed and are still. It is also a region which due to its position, enjoy rich cultural past in which music has always played a very important role. A lot of the world's best WORKS were written and became famous here. Many outstanding composers came here to breathe Bohemia's atmosphere.
The city of Prague is associated with names such as Hector Berlioz, P.I.Cajkovsky, Ch.W.Gluck, Josef Hayden, Gustav Mahler, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Niccolo Paganini, C.M.Weber, etc. The Czech spa town attracted composers as J.S.Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Frederik Chopin and many others.
They were deeply impressed by these towns. They composed and gave concerts here. We are always glad to recourt one well-known Czech proveb:"If he is Czech, he must be a musician as well". The talents and abilities of our ancestors have created many varieties of folk music, the range and complepities of which are exceptional for a small country.
The composers Bedrich Smetana and Antonin Dvorak were inspired by Czech folk songs, but Leos Janacek had his own musical language and Bohuslav Martinu's dreaming and longing for home served as the basis for his worked. These formed the musical background on Moravia.
This itinerary is possible to combine with places of Antonin Dvorak's importance. Itinerary Day 1 Arrival in Vienna (or Prague) and drive to Southern Moravia.Visit a neogothic chateau in LEDNICE and followed by sightseeing around town MIKULOV. Open-air concert in DOLNI KAUNICE (not far from Mikulov). Accommodation in Mikulov. Day 2 After breakfast, transfer to the town of UHERSKE HRADISTE- center of the SLOVACKO area which has kept up folk traditions and folklore. Lunch in a wine cellar, with a lecture on local folklore and customs and a perfomance by a dulcimer orchestra. Transfer to KROMERIZ and visit a Rennessaince chateau, rotunda and garden. Dinner and accommodation in OLOMOUC.. Day 3 Departure for the town of ROZNOV pod RADHOSTEM. Opportunity to visit SKANZEN (local costumes, old wooden houses, early folk instruments). After lunch in stylish surroundings we leave for HUKVALDY, the birthplace of LEOS JANACEK (1854).Visit the JANACEK MUSEUM and the house where he grew up. Weather permitting, we will attend the concert in HUKCALDY CASTLE including Janacek's chamber contribution. If the weather is not pleasant- the concert will be held in a hall. Overnight in Olomouc. Day 4 After breakfast, we will tour the medieval town of OLOMOUC. We will also attend an organ concert of Czech composers in a church. After lunch, we will head north to the JESENIKY mountains and climb the highest PRADED peak, again weather rermitting. In the case of bad weather, we will tour KARLOVA STUDANKA (spa town founded in 1785). Overnight in Olomouc. Day 5 Departure for LITOMYSL, the birthplace of another famous musician BEDRICH SMETANA (1814). After visiting the Smetana museum, we will attend a piano and chamber music concert by Smetana and BOHUSLAV MARTINU in a castle. We then leave for POLICKA the birthplace of Martinu, where we will visit the famous "Domecek B.Martinu" (small house of B.Martinu). He could not come back to his country because of the political regime and he died in Switzerland. Finally we will explore the Gothic PERNSTEJN castle. Dinner and overnight in Brno. Day 6 Visit the famous MORAVIAN KARST site of the deepest Czech chasm MACOCHA (138 m), where we will take a boat-trip through its fascinating "decoration". Concert the drum ensamble DAMA DAMA in the caves interior. After lunch, transfer to JAROMERICE nad ROKYTNOU to visit a Baroque castle with its famous collection of old musician instruments. Overnight in Brno. Day 7 Sightseeing to the most interesting buildings and places including JANACEK'S MUSEUM, MONASTERY of St.ELISKA, where Janacek sang as small boy, JANACEK THEATRE and JANACEK's grave, where we can place flowers. Day 8 Departure to Vienna and flight home. |