Press Releases

25. 9. 2008 12:39

September 25, 2008: Joint Memorandum on the New Recording of the National Anthem of the Czech republic

On the occasion of the national holiday - the Czech Statehood Day - on September 28 we are taking part in a joint project called “Where Is My Home? The National Anthem of the Czech Republic in the Changes of Time“.
The reason for this cooperation between the Czech Radio, National Museum, National Theatre and the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, the institutions co-participating in the production of the new recordings of this country’s national anthem, the accompanying publication and the preparation of the evening ceremony in the Pantheon of Prague´s National Museum, is the fact that we all share respect for the state symbols and national traditions. Involvement in the project, which was initiated by Premier Mirek Topolánek and which is participated in by Deputy Premier for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra and Minister of Culture Václav Jehlička, was for us both a great pleasure and honour. 

We cannot agree with the incorrect interpretations which have appeared in some of the media. On Thursday, September 25, 2008, Lidové noviny published an article by Martin Zvěřina which - in our opinion - manipulates with the Czech public perception of the state symbols. Furthermore, the article falsely accuses us, who are engaged in the project, of disparaging the meaning of a state symbol.
The national anthem, which is a living symbol, has been recorded many times in the past. The words of the conductor Jiří Bělohlávek (recording is available at the Internet address www.vlada.cz) imply that the new recordings have been made with a good deal of musical feeling, maximum respect for the national anthem, and definitely contain nothing that could be dismissed with pejorative overtones as a kind of “remix“.
These recordings are also an integral part of the publication destined for the broad public. We believe that the general public will like both the recording and the book about the Czech national anthem.
You are cordially invited to tune in to the live broadcast of the evening ceremony in the Pantheon of the National Museum at 8:00 p.m. on September 28, 2008 on Czech Television’s second channel ČT2 and on the Czech Radio. 

Chief of the Office of the Government of the Czech republic Jan Novák
General Director of the Czech Radio Václav Kasík
Director of the National Theatre Ondřej Černý
General Director of the National Museum Michal Lukeš

print article   email   facebook   twitter