1945 — 1989

Daughter of Jiří Novák, the first violin of the Smetana Quartet, Dagmar Virtová, together with the Czech Philharmonic, organized a memorial concert for the 100th anniversary of her father’s birth.

The concert took place on November 23, 2024 at Dvořák Hall of Prague’s Rudolfinum. During the evening, the string quartet “From My Life” by Bedřich Smetana was performed by the Wihan Quartet, and concerto for violin and orchestra K. 218 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was interpreted by students and friends of Jiří Novák with soloist Hana Kotková. The evening was hosted by Jitka Novotná, who complemented the concert with interesting information about Prof. Jiří Novák. The concert included a screening of documentary photographs, as well as a film by Jiří Hubač about the Smetana Quartet. A successful auditory experience was also the sound recording of the violin concerto by N. Paganini performed by Jiří Novák with the FOK. The audience had the opportunity to visit Jiří Bělohlávek’s salon with an exhibition of period posters, as well as personal belongings of Jiří Novák.

Reactions to the concert can be found, for example, on operaplus.cz and klasikaplus.cz.

https://operaplus.cz/dojemny-hold-virtuozovi-vecer-mistrovskych-vykonu-a-vzpominek-na-jiriho-novaka
https://www.klasikaplus.cz/hold-violinist-jirimu-novak-to-his-centenary

The Czech Chamber Music Society of the Czech Philharmonic in honor of Jiří Novák organizes an extraordinaryconcert on Saturday, November 23, 2024 in Dvořák Hall Rudolfinum. The word is being accompanied by Jitka Novotná.

The concert will be complemented by a projection from the private archive of Dagmar Virtová, the daughter of Jiří Novák. The program includes a video projection of excerpts from documentary films created in collaboration with Jiří Hubač.

You can also view an exhibition of authentic photographs, programs, recordings, and personal belongings of Jiří Novák. An interesting item is, for example, his identification card from the Czech Philharmonic. Furthermore, personal correspondence with Václav Neumann, or the already historical scarf in which he used to wrap his violin.

The performers are Jiří Novák’s students in the chamber orchestra. The soloist is Hana Kotková. Additionally, the Wihan Quartet with Leoš Čepický will perform.

Under this link you will find further information and the option to purchase tickets

https://www.ceskafilharmonie.cz/event/32167-concert-commemorating-the-100th-anniversary-of-the-birth-of-jiri-novak-czech-association-for-chamber-music

For the hundredth anniversary of the birth of violinist Jiří Novák, Czech Television prepared a report in the program Z metropole featuring Dagmar Virtová (née Nováková). It mainly focused on the connection of the Smetana Quartet with Prague 5, specifically with Cibulky.

This program can be viewed in the ČT archive at this link.

https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady/10116288835-z-metropole/224411058230036

On the 5th of September 2024, we commemorate one hundred years since the birth of the primary violinist of the Smetana Quartet, Jiří Novák. To mark this occasion, at 7:00 PM Radio Classic prepared an interview in the program “From the Archive of Personalities.” Dagmar Virtová (née Nováková) fondly recalls the life of her father. The program also included excerpts from violin concerts by N. Paganini and W. A. Mozart performed by Jiří Novák as a soloist.

The program can be listened to at this link

https://www.classicpraha.cz/radio/shows/from-the-archive-personalities/exceptional-first-violinist-of-the-smetana-quartet-and-great-violinist-that-was-jiri-novak-on-thursday-5th-september-he-would-have-celebrated-his-100th-birthday

At the invitation of violinist Martin Sekyra, I prepared a thematic evening about the Smetana Quartet from private archives. It was both aboutdisplaying photographs…and videos including listening to recordings. It was not recordings of concerts, but snippets from the life of the Smetana Quartet offstage. The audience consisted mainly of memorabilia and relatives of the quartet. The evening was informal in that the lecture was often supplemented by the memories of those present. The pleasant atmosphere was also complemented by the rich refreshments provided by Martin’s friends.

At the Church of St. Lawrence in Lesser Town, a celebratory concert took place to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary.Doležal QuartetFriends and former members of this ensemble met here.

Violinist Bohuslav Matoušek, cellist Petr Hejný, and clarinetist Anna Paulová were part of the program of works by Antonín Dvořák, Franz Schubert, and W. A. Mozart. During the concert, he reminisced about his father, the founding member of the Doležal Quartet, his son Martin Doležal.

More aboutgallery a www.dolezalquartet.com 

More documentaries from the life of the Smetana Quartet have appeared on YouTube.Smetana Quartet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rE-9txk2_w

(Document by Jaromil Jireš 1998)

https://youtu.be/watch?v=KoXAb62ox5Y

(Czechoslovak film weekly 1986)

Thanks to Richard and Lisa Seligman, a unique documentary film was created in Australia. It captures moments from concert tours between 1957 and 1979 – informal snapshots from their time spent with friends.

https://youtu.be/EJrQ_FUFZXU

On the twelfth of January 2023, we commemorated one hundred years since the birth of the original member of the Smetana Quartet, violinist and violist.Jaroslava Rybenského.

June marked the hundredth anniversary of the birthLubomíra Kosteckého. He spent his childhood in Hrušov near Ostrava. He started playing the violin at the age of seven.

Supraphon released a unique set of CDs by Ludwig van Beethoven with complete string quartets.

https://www.supraphonline.cz/album/571538-beethoven-complete-string-quartets

Czech StradivariusPřemysl Otakar Špidlen18.6.1920 was born. In honor of the centenary anniversary, a celebratory concert was held at the Prague Mozarteum organized by his son Jan Baptist Špidlen with considerable support from his wife and daughter. Commemorative projections of photographs and videos recalling this famous violin-making family of three generations were accompanied by humorous commentary referring to the family’s sporting activities. Pavel Šporcl performed at the concert with violins made in the early fifties for Josef Suk. Also, the Zemlinsky Quartet, whose leader František Souček played a 1963 Guarneri model violin and second violinist Petr Střížek played a 1972 Stradivarius model. Both instruments were created by Přemysl Otakar Špidlen for the leader of the Smetana Quartet Jiří Novák. During the evening, he reminisced about his “competitor”, but also friend, violin maker Karel Vávra, whose family, like the Špidlen’s, has a long tradition spanning several generations. Due to the great interest of the Špidlen family’s friends, two identical concerts were held on the same day in close succession.

On the occasion of Antonín Kohout’s 100th anniversary, a commemorative concert took place on 23.11.2019 in the Martinů Hall at HAMU. The Wihan Quartet performed a program typical for the Smetana Quartet, including Franz Schubert’s Quartet movement in C minor, Bedřich Smetana’s Quartet in D minor No. 2, and Leoš Janáček’s Intimate Letters. Throughout the evening, Prof. Ivan Štraus and Pravoslav Kohout shared their memories.

On 6 December 2019, the second memorial concert took place in the chamber hall of Mozartea in Prague. Once again, students of Smetanovců performed, this time it was supposed to be Panochovo Quartet, but due to illness it was eventually replaced by the Martinů Quartet.

On 5.9.2019, Jiří Novák would have celebrated his ninety-fifth birthday.

Viktor Moučka, a prominent cellist, teacher, and member of the Vlach Quartet, passed away during the night on 28.2.2019. He lived to be ninety-three years old.

Source: https://www.denik.cz/hudba/zemrel-virtuoz-viktor-moucka-z-kolina-20190313.html

On April 14, 2018, the last member of the Smetana Quartet, violist Milan Škampa, passed away in Prague. The farewell took place on Friday, April 20, 2018, at the Anežský Klášter with the presence of many violists and quartet students.

On Saturday, May 14, 2016 at 6:00 PM, in the Church of the Holy Trinity
Horní Jelení
a concert in honor of the master violinist Josef
Jane, the primary Smetana Quartet led by Jiří Novák. Cellist Petr
Nouzovský and violinist Dagmar Virtová will perform Duo No.2 by Bohuslav.
Martinů. Next, the local string orchestra Základní will perform.
the art schools of Karel Malich from Holic and the Precordi Quartet.

This year is a significant jubilee for our string quartets. The Smetana Quartet was formed 70 years ago. There will also be a unique event marking forty years since the creation of the first digital recording of classical music by Nippon Columbia and Supraphon in collaboration with the Smetana Quartet. The recording was made in June 1975 in the church in Lučany nad Nisou. You can learn more on this website in the Recordings/Spoken Word section in an archival interview with the then sound engineer.Miloslavem Kulhanem.

In 2015, the Wihan Quartet also celebrated the anniversary of their thirty years of activity. They performed on 21st April at the Wigmore Hall with a program featuring Smetana’s 1st quartet, Janáček’s 2nd quartet, and Beethoven’s op. 59 no. 1, and in May they could also be heard at the Dvořák Festival in Olomouc.

On May 21, 2015, a concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Škampa Quartet will take place at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague. Former members of this quartet will also perform at the concert. This special evening will be attended byMilan Škampa. Škampa Quartet, which gradually expands to a sextet and even an octet thanks to guests. On the program will be Beethoven’s String Quartet in F minor op. 95 “Serioso”, Dvořák’s String Sextet in A major op. 48, and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s String Octet in E-flat major Op. 20.

For the 90th anniversary of the birth of the primary Smetana Quartet Jiří Novák, a native of
Horní Jelení, on Saturday, 6th September 2014 at 6:00 PM, will take place in the church.
The Holy Trinity chamber concert violinist Dagmar Virtová-Nováková and
violist Dagmar Mašková from Prague. There will also be a small exhibition
photographs and documents. On this occasion, a memorial plaque was placed on the birthplace of the primarius.

On the 6th of July 2014, the twelfth annual Cyril and Methodius Concerts took place in Lučany nad Nisou. This time it was dedicated to the anniversary of the birth of the Smetana Quartet’s first violinist Jiří Novák, pianist Josef Páleníček, and violinist Alexandr Plocek. All the mentioned individuals are connected to Lučany nad Nisou as a place where they spent their leisure time and prepared for concerts. Every year, they perform together with Dagmar Virtova and her guests, this time also thanks to the Life of an Artist Foundation, the chamber orchestra Praga Camerata was invited. The concert also featured a small exhibition of photographs from the family archives of the jubilant descendants.

On February 26, it will be a hundred years since the birth of violinist Alexander Plocek. In 1946, he became one of the first mentors at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts. Among his students was also Josef Suk. Professor Alexander Plocek was a member of the Czech Trio together with pianist Josef Páleníček, who is also celebrating his centenary in 2014. What connects them both is the same chamber ensemble, as well as Smržovka and Lučany nad Nisou, where they spent their free time at their cottages.

The leader of the Prague Quartet, Professor Břetislav Novotný, was born on January 10, 1924 in Vsetín. This significant milestone in his life on this day includes not only his name day, but primarily his ninetieth birthday. We extend our congratulations and provide a link to our websitehttp://novotny-bretislav.com. There you will learn not only about the history of the quartet and personal life, but also about its current activities.

This morning in Prague, cellist and founder of the Smetana Quartet, Professor Antonín Kohout, passed away in his sleep at the age of 93. The funeral will take place on Wednesday, February 27, 2013, at 11 o’clock in the Grand Ceremony Hall of the Strašnice Crematorium.

Kociánovo quartet will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its existence with a celebratory concert at the church of Šimon and Judy on December 4, 2012. The program will include Dvořák’s “American”, two waltzes, and a quintet in E flat major. More at www.fok.cz.

On June 5th, we commemorate the 90th anniversary of Mr. Lubomír Kostecký, the second violinist of the Smetana Quartet and the founder of the Mladá Praha festival.

Dear friends,

During May, I introduced onto the websiteanother interview, který se uskutečnil s Marií Kohoutovou (dcerou Antonína Kohouta) v autentickém prostředí zkušebny Smetanova kvarteta. Obsahuje zajímavé podrobnosti doplňující život jejího otce, ze zkoušek Smetanovců a několik zajímavostí týkajících se státních nástrojů, které tehdejší Českoslovenko pro ně zakoupilo k zapůjčení.

The Academy of Classical Music announced on March 31, 2012 during a donor evening for the International Music Festival DVOŘÁKOVA PRAHA 2012 the Antonín Dvořák Award. Among the four nominated artists was violist of the Smetana Quartet, Milan Škampa, who also played the viola of Ferdinand Augusty Homolka. This instrument was also owned by Antonín Dvořák. The award was ultimately received by the world-renowned singer Ludmila Dvořáková.

In January 2012, Ing. Milan Kulhan passed away. He was involved as a sound engineer in most recordings of Smetanovo Kvarteto. More about this collaboration can be found in a personal profile with an audio recording of his narration from 2010…

1. September 10th will mark the first sad anniversary since the death of Jiří Novák, the first violinist of the Smetana Quartet.

On September 10 at 6 p.m., a concert will take place as part of the Young Prague Festival in the church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary in Lučany. The Japanese-Czech quartet Young Prague Quartet will perform with the following lineup:
Roman Hranička – 1st violin
Yu Kurokawa – 2nd violin (J)
Hironori Nakamura – viola
Tomáš Jamník – violoncello (CZ)
Program: Janáček, Kawasaki, Martinů
On this occasion, we remember the personality of Mr. Lubomír Kostecký, the second violinist of the Smetana Quartet, to whom this concert is dedicated and who was instrumental in the founding of this festival.
Links: www.mladapraha.cz  www.lucany.cz

Thank you to the esteemed family of Mr. ProfessorJindřich FeldaWe have obtained unique materials related to this significant personality. His granddaughter Pavlína Feldová graciously provided us with her thesis about her grandfather. Mrs. Dagmar Kašparová, who is the daughter of Professor Feld, also allowed us to present photos of his students, friends, and other very interesting documents. You will find photos from Professor’s youth, his birthday gathering with his students in front of his house in Karlín in 1953, as well as photos of Jan and Rafael Kubelík, Jaroslav Kocian, Otakar Ševčík from 1903. “There used to be amazing gatherings here in the apartment where even your father went for violin lessons at the age of fourteen.” Mrs. Kašparová also recalled other memories of the atmosphere associated with that time (the sound recording will surely be featured on the website). This allows us to remember the anniversary of the birth of Professor Jindřich Feld, which relates to May 23, 1883.
The next new feature is the introduction.list of concerts in the Czech Republicaccording to cities, dates, and numbers. This material was processed and provided by Mr. Kadlec.

Dear friends of the Smetana Quartet,
Finally, we are opening the video section. Thanks to Mr. Jiří Hubač from the recording company.BVA International Ltd.You can watch excerpts from the DVD about the activities of the Smetana Quartet. The recording took place at the Anežský klášter and at the Libochovice Castle. I have selected 1st movement from Bedřich Smetana’s From My Life, 2nd movement from the d minor quartet, and 4th movement from Antonín Dvořák’s Sextet in A major. Also included is a documentary section about the individual members. The original DVD also includes a film by Jaromil Jireš about the Smetanovci, as well as several older films and photos, authentic interviews, and private films shot by Lubomír Kostecký’s camera. I have also managed to find the cover of the 1961 LP record, which is used in the section musical example.
I believe that you will recall this unique atmosphere again.
Dagmar Virtová is your.

At the end of December 2010, we are expanding the “press” section with newly discovered reviews of the solo performance of Igor Stravinsky’s violin concerto by Jiří Novák in 1977.

In the section “spoken word“I am conducting an interview with Miloslav Kulhan. He is a sound engineer who collaborated with the Smetana Quartet on most of the recordings for Supraphon and the Japanese company Nippon Columbia. The interview contains memories of his initial collaboration with the Smetana Quartet, the recording in 1975 of the first digital recordings in Lučany nad Nisou, and the post-war development of sound recording technology. He is a person who was not only professionally connected to the quartet but also their friend.”

On these pages, you will finally hear a short musical excerpt from the work of Bedřich Smetana, String Quartet No. 1 in E minor “From My Life,” 2nd movement Allegro moderato alla Polka. The recording was made in the Domovina studio in 1962. I am presenting it with the kind permission of Supraphon company.
New photos have been added to the gallery.

Today marks sixty-five years since the first concert under the name Smetanovo Quartet, organized by the County Council of Trade Unions in the large hall of the Central Library in Prague. The concert took place on Tuesday, November 6, 1945 at half past seven in the evening. The program featured both of Smetana’s quartets and the quartet by Vítězslav Novák. The ensemble consisted of: first violin Jaroslav Rybenský (22 years old), second violin Lubomír Kostecký (23 years old), cello Antonín Kohout (26 years old), viola Václav Neumann (25 years old).