Václav Talich

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Václav Talich (May 28, 1883 - March 16, 1961) was a Czech conductor and violinist.

Born in Kroměříž, Czech Republic, he studied at the conservatory in Prague. For a short period he was the principal violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1919 to 1941 he became chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, raising them to internationally respected levels and touring widely with them.

In 1935 he became chief opera administrator at the Czech National Theatre. He was forced to leave when it was closed by the Germans during World War II, took up the post again after the end of the war, was fired following disagreements with the government, took the post up again shortly thereafter, and was then fired once again after the Communist party took over the country. Subsequently, he became conductor of the newly formed Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra in Bratislava; and at least the Communists permitted him to record under his own name, unlike Rafael Kubelik, whose own recordings were frequently repackaged so as to contain the words "without conductor". Talich also taught a good deal, with Charles Mackerras among his pupils. He died in Beroun.

Particularly noted for his interpretations of Czech composers such as Antonín Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana and Josef Suk, Talich also did much to bring the operas of Leos Janacek into the standard repertoire.

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