Smetana: Má Vlast

“The CPO brass lunge towards the main melody with unconstrained eagerness, their impact much aided by smiling glissandos. And as Talich and his players climb aboard Smetana's home-spun melody, everything assumes a sunny glow: it's almost as if the entire work thus far had prepared for that one magical moment. But there are of course countless additional splendours … expect a Ma vlast that's way above average, an inspired affirmation of national pride by a wonderful people who had only recently escaped one form of tyranny, and would subsequently fall prey to another.”