CZECH REPUBLIC - Music is a language we don't always understand with words, but which can awaken strong emotions within us. And just as its tones sound mysterious or distant to some musical terms, do you know exactly what the word "philharmonic" means? Come along with Kudy z nudy and take a look into the world of orchestras, conductors, and famous concert halls, discovering interesting facts that you may not have known. If we are not connoisseurs and lovers of classical music, the term philharmonic might sound to us as exotic as instructions in sheet music such as adagio, andante, dolce, larghetto or crescendo. So come along with Kudy z nudy and take a closer look at our Czech and European philharmonics, their stories and history in detail. And an interesting fact? Every year ending in four brings a series of musical anniversaries. In 2024 we did not celebrate only the bicentenary of the birth of composer Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884), but also the anniversary of Leoš Janáček (1854–1928) or Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904). It was he who conducted the first concert in history of the Czech Philharmonic.
1. 1896 and the First Concert of the Czech Philharmonic
When on January 4, 1896, the first tones of the Czech Philharmonic sounded in Prague's Rudolfinum, Antonín Dvořák stood at the conductor's podium. At that time he was already a world-famous composer. He conducted his own works, including the Third Slavonic Rhapsody, the premiere of five Biblical Songs, the overture to Othello or the famous Symphony No. 9 "From the New World." The concert took place in the hall which today bears Dvořák's name and became the basis for a tradition thanks to which the Czech Philharmonic belongs among Europe's most respected orchestras. In more than a century of its history, prominent conductors such as Václav Talich, Rafael Kubelík, Václav Neumann, Jiří Bělohlávek or current chief conductor Semjon Byčkov have taken turns leading the orchestra. Jakub Hrůša will replace him in autumn 2028.
2. The Oldest Orchestras in Our Country Played for Spa Guests
This is long ago, but some other orchestras have an even longer history. The oldest large musical ensemble in the Czech lands is probably the West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, whose history connected with the very birth of Mariánské Lázně dates back to 1821. As a seasonal spa orchestra, the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1835; concerts by both ensembles in both spa towns traditionally belong among the grand openings of the spa season.
The history of the North Bohemian Philharmonic Teplice also dates back to the beginning of the 19th century; its founding charter and official approval of the orchestra bears the year 1838.
3. From Band to Philharmonic
In late medieval and Renaissance times, the word "banda" was used for a group of musicians. In Baroque times, the word orchestra appeared for the first time; it comes from the Greek expression orchéstra, denoting the space between the stage and auditorium in an ancient theatre. Orchestras later began to be distinguished by type of musical instruments music as well as size, ranging from smallest chamber through symphonic up to philharmonics. In them usually play more than one hundred instrumentalists grouped into instrument sections. The artistic head of a philharmonic is the chief conductor; besides him large orchestras also have permanent and guest conductors.
4.中欧最古老的乐团
莱比锡格万特豪斯管弦乐团（Gewandhausorchester）被认为是中欧最古老的交响乐团，目前它是世界上最大的专业乐团之一，拥有近 200 名职业音乐家。其历史可追溯至 1479 年，当时利普茨克市议会雇佣了双簧管作为城市庆典的乐队伴奏。该乐团的正式组建是在 1743 年，并于同年 3 月 11 日举行了首场音乐会。德累斯顿国家歌剧院（Staatskapelle）同样拥有悠久的历史，它由萨克森选帝侯莫里茨于 1548 年创立，作为其他欧洲贵族的仿效榜样建立的宫廷代表乐队。尽管其名称可能被称为“德累斯顿爱乐乐团”，但它保留了“管弦乐团”一词的名称，以此指代其最初的形态和功能。
5.罢工与叛乱
捷克爱乐乐团的诞生源于一次罢工：1901 年 2 月 9 日，国家剧院乐团（同时也是捷克爱乐协会正式成员）的成员对歌剧总监卡尔·科瓦罗维奇发起罢工。几天后，所有罢工的演奏家被解雇，科瓦罗维奇开始组建新的剧院乐团。然而，这些被解雇的演奏家拒绝接受命运，决定成立一个独立的交响乐团——捷克爱乐。
他们并非音乐舞台上唯一的叛乱者；柏林爱乐乐团的诞生也源于一次叛乱，发生在 1882 年。该乐团由五十名因本杰明·比尔斯的权威作风、低薪以及前往华沙音乐会需乘坐第四等车厢火车而离开其乐团的演奏家创立。他们最初的名字是“前比尔斯管弦乐团”（Frühere Bilsesche Kapelle），直到几年后才开始使用“柏林爱乐乐团”这一名称。
6.捷克、摩拉维亚和西里西亚爱乐乐团
几乎每个地区的城市在捷克共和国都有自己的爱乐乐团。莫拉维亚爱乐乐团的奥洛穆奇是捷克共和国最著名和最古老的交响乐团之一，它于 1945 年 5 月 26 日战争结束后立即成立。一年后，普热罗夫广播管弦乐团（现称普热罗夫爱乐）以及兹林今天的波胡斯拉夫·马丁努爱乐也相继建立。后者最初作为国家企业巴塔交响乐团成立，两年后更名为“工人爱乐”，明确揭示了其主要使命：为兹林的工厂工人普及严肃音乐。自 1989 年以来一直使用现名。
名字变更的还有位于日赫拉瓦的室内爱乐乐团（Vysočina Chamber Orchestra），该乐团在古斯塔夫·马勒逝世一百周年之际更名为“古斯塔夫·马勒爱乐”。同样，今天的克伦洛维茨爱乐也多次更名：它于 1978 年成立时名为“赫拉德茨克拉洛韦市管弦乐团”，但现名继承了天鹅绒（Filharmonie Sokola）的历史（1921–65）和爱乐联盟的历史，后者早在 1887 年就在该市成立。南波希米亚爱乐乐团的成员名单中列有几十位音乐家，该团成立于捷克布杰约维采；而帕尔杜比策室内管弦乐团则是一个较小的海顿-莫扎特风格的交响团体，成立于 1969 年。
7.爱乐乐团及其在新家园：奥斯特拉瓦、布尔诺和布拉格
布拉格爱乐大厅的新建筑不仅让捷克国家爱乐乐团期待，也让其他城市的各大交响乐团翘首以盼。这座从高空看去形似小提琴琴盒、宇宙飞船甚至蜥蜴的全新音乐厅，已成为奥斯特拉瓦最受期待的建设项目之一。按照美国建筑师史蒂文·霍尔的设计方案对文化宫进行改造并扩建音乐大厅，将为自成立起一直缺乏固定场地的扬纳切克爱乐乐团（Ostrava）提供相应的运营空间。
拥有约 1200 个座位的音乐厅将是欧洲最大的舞台之一，其声学效果可与世界上最著名的音乐厅相媲美。布拉格的扬纳切克文化中心将以此迎接主要演出团体——布尔诺爱乐乐团。该乐团在城市中缺乏适合全编制演奏的场地，多年来只能在风景如画但空间狭小的博埃西德宫（Besední dům）进行排练和小型演出，甚至无法容纳整个交响乐队。如今，在布拉格（扬纳切克在此创作了几乎全部作品），人们终于能听到《格拉戈利弥撒》及其宏大的管风琴独奏等作品的本来面貌——此前由于乐团、合唱团以及真正的管风琴都无法进入任何现有场地，此类曲目根本无法演奏。
爱乐乐团与交响乐队数据概览
捷克共和国拥有令人惊讶的密集交响乐团、爱乐乐团及其他常驻音乐团体网络。根据最新可获取的文化统计数据，目前有数十个专业团体定期开展活动，涵盖从大型州级爱乐乐团到地区性管弦乐队。这些乐团每年共同演出数千场音乐会，吸引数十万观众。
它们有多少家？
全国统计数据显示约四十个音乐团体和大型交响乐团的活跃情况。
每个乐团有多少人参与演奏？
一个完整的交响乐队通常由 80 至 120 名乐手组成。对于捷克国家爱乐乐布尔诺爱乐等大型团体，人数则更多。
每年举办多少场音乐会？
最活跃的是拥有约 400 至 500 场年度音乐会的捷克国家爱乐乐团。
作为旗舰的捷克国家爱乐乐团
捷克国家爱乐是捷克最重要的文化机构之一，长期代表捷克音乐走向国际。在国际比较中，它被视为受尊敬的全球交响乐队；《Gramophone》杂志于 2024 年将其评为“年度最佳乐团”。
若无公共资助则无法维持运营
虽然观众数量至关重要，但远不足以覆盖所有运营成本。因此，专业乐团的运作高度依赖城市、州、国家及其他公私合作伙伴的支持。
kudyznudy.cz / gnews.cz