Rick Steves' Europe: A Symphonic Journey: Czech Republic

The Moldau (1875) by Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) This clip of "The Moldau" from the one-hour special Rick Steves' Europe: A Symphonic Journey, celebrates The Moldau River — called the Vltava in Czech — which runs through a diverse landscape, like a thread connecting the Czech people. As with so many small European nations, the Czechs have struggled heroically to carve out their identity while surrounded by mightier neighbors — Austrians, Germans, and Russians. At its premiere in 1882, "The Moldau" struck a chord immediately with the Czech people, and it continues today as a kind of unofficial national anthem. In "Rick Steves' Europe: A Symphonic Journey" Rick teams up with the Cascade Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Michael Miropolsky, on a musical tour that begins in the USA, then touches down in seven different European countries. The result is a performance that combines Europe's most stirring Romantic-era anthems with beautiful high-definition cinematography and Rick's insights into European history. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit http://www.ricksteves.com. #symphony #classicalmusic #smetana