Czech Republic, West of Prague

Factory of the Supraphon recording company (in a former textile mill) with classical music as its core business. The well known trade mark was designed in 1932. In 1946, the firm absorbed the German based brands Esta and Ultraphon.

Museum of local history in a building from 1612 with a room with memorabilia of the legendary conductor Václav Talich (1883-1961).

Grave of Václav Talich, † 1961.

House of Václav Talich.

Birthplace of Josef Fiala, born in 1748 as son of a schoolmaster; because of fire, the school was temporarily sheltered in the castle. Fiala played cello and oboe in the court chapel until 1774. He died in Donaueschingen in 1816.

The 'Czech Paganini' Josef Slavík, a friend of Chopin, was born here in 1806. He died in Budapest during a concert tour in 1833.

Collection of mechanic musical instruments and a room in honour of the violinist Josef Slavík (1806-33). The village had a reputation of harmonium making.

The brothers Vincenc (°1755) and Pavel Lambert (°1761) Mašek, both composers, were born here. Vincenc was a prolific composer for wind ensembles. He died in Prague in 1831.

Fine organ from 1690 by an unknown maker (Mundt?); 1 manual, pedal, 12 stops and painted case.

The former Cistercian abbey had a concert tradition in the 19^th century, when it was occupied by the Metternich family. Smetana appeared here in 1842 and Suk (with the Czech Quartet) in 1893.

Joh. Caspar Ferdinand Fischer was born here c. 1670. He studied at the Piarist gymnasium on the premises of the castle, called 'Burg Schlackenwerth' at the time, and worked in the service of the margrave of Baden, who lived here temporarily; later Fischer followed the court to Rastatt in Baden. There he died in 1746.

Karlovy Váry, the former Karlsbad, is since centuries one of the most famous spa resorts of Europe. Bach stayed here in 1718, in the retinue of his Köthen patron – during his absence, his wife Maria Barbara died. Schumann heard Moscheles playing here in 1819 and Chopin and his parents stayed in August 1835 in 'Zur goldenen Rose' in Vřídelní street, čp. 141; demolished in the 1980s. These events left no traces behind.

The largest hotel in town, in communist times called 'Moskva', was built on the spot of a hotel where Beethoven has stayed, as a plaque mentions. Today a favorite address of rich Russians.

Monuments of Beethoven (1929) and Smetana (1949).

Dvořák's ninth symphony from the New World had its first performance in 1894 in this building.

Dvořák monument (1974).

Dvořák stayed in 1879 in the previous building at this address. The plaque is from 1974.

Monument of the military bandmaster Julius Fučík (1872-1916), creator of the famous march Einzug der Gladiatoren.

Johannes Brahms stayed here in 1896 (plaque).

Grave of Mozart's youngest son Franz Xaver (1791-1844), who took the name Wolfgang Amadeus and worked as a musician in various countries, including the present Ukraine (plaque in Lviv).

Former 'Graslitz' , since the 19th century an important centre of wind instruments making. After 1945, the mostly German makers were forced to leave and the state company Amati was established.

Tradition of string instrument making since 17th century. As in Kraslice after 1945, the Germans were dispelled and the state firm Cremona was established. In the former music school a collection of string instruments is exhibited.

Schumann visited in 1834 the parental home of his then sweetheart Ernestine von Fricken in Asch – the former village name. In his piano cycle Carnaval , the motive a-e^b-c-b, German a-es-c-h (= Asch), plays a key roll. Unfortunately, in the village of today nothing refers to Schumann.

Two plaques and a medallion for Beethoven, who stayed here in 1812.

This oldest spa hotel of the town was built in 1794 and visited by Beethoven.

Busts of Beethoven and Mozart in the park.

Goethe and Beethoven exhibition in the town museum.

Mariánské Lázně, the former Marienbad, was and is the most popular spa after Karlsbad. Mahler stayed in the summer of 1889 in the former ‘Bayrischer Hof’.

Chopin stayed in 1836 in the former 'Weisser Schwan'. It still stands and houses a Chopin exhibition. A monument was erected in the park Sady V. Skalnika.

Chopin plaque on the music school.

Wagner stayed here in 1845 and met with his opponent, the Viennese critic Eduard Hanslick.

Imre Kálmán composed Czardasfürstin, 1914-15, in the former villa ‘Luginsland’.

Johann Strauß jr. stayed here in 1890 and 1891.

Organ by A. Gartner (?); III/p/34 (originally 35 stops; pedal mixture removed in 1892)

Organ by Leopold Burkart, 1726; II/p/24 - the choir organ of the same maker and year disappeared.

The composer Emil František Burian (1904-1959) was born here. Jazz is an ingredient in many of his compositions.

Opera, operetta and ballet theatre, built in 1898-1902.

Smetana studied from 1840 to 1843 in the former Jesuit gymnasium, the first year as a resident. Now a library. Diagonally across from here is a Smetana monument.

Pilsen conservatory with an international music academy in the summer months (chamber music, strings).

Former butcher's shops from the 14th c. were converted into an art gallery and concert hall.

Joh. Friedrich Fasch (1721-22) and Josef Haydn (1759-60) have worked in the Morzin castle, resp. in 1721-22 and 1759-60. The latter composed the first of his 112 symphonies here. Vivaldi's Four Seasons were dedicated to the Morzin family.

Jakub Jan Ryba (1765-1815), the composer of a still popular Christmas mass, was born here.

House of Josef Hlavka, friend and benefactor of Dvořák, who often stayed and worked here. The fine little castle holds several Dvořák memorabilia.

The brothers Hurka were born here: Josef Martin (°1756) was a singer and cellist; he became a Franciscan monk in Spain and died after 1800. Friedrich Franz (°1762) was a song composer; he died in Berlin in 1805.

Birthplace of the cello virtuoso Josef Reicha, °1752. He was a nephew of the composer Antonín Reicha.

Ruin of the castle in which the nobleman and composer Kryštof Harant z Polžic a Bezdružic was born in 1564. He initially worked at the imperial court, but as a rebellious protestant since 1618, he was beheaded in Prague in 1621.

Smetana worked here in the service of the Thun family in 1845-46.

The village is noted for Chodská folklore and sustains a folk music group; on their website one can find images and sound samples.

Birthplace of the composer and folklorist Jindřich Jindřich (1876-1967). The post office of today replaced the original school house.

Grave of Jindřich Jindřich, †1967.

Jindřich lived on the second store of this former school building, today a museum of Chodská culture. His packed living rooms are kept in original state.