Prager Burg

"Around the Prague Castle" (Okolo Vyšehradu) is one of those typically Czech marches that are unmistakably embedded in the colorful folklore tradition of their home country. It boasts a clear melodic line as well as colorful figurations in the woodwinds. The march is an ideal example of the musical spirit that was also shaped by František Kovářík's contemporaries like František Kmoch.

František Kovářík was born on June 26, 1858 in the vicinity of Prague, in a small place called Čelákovice. In the music of the Hungarian Infantry Regiment Great Prince Michael of Russia No. 26 he played both violin and clarinet under the baton of Military Band Director Karel Černý. In 1885 Kovářík moved to Prague, where he became director of the Imperial and Royal Privileged Civil Corps of Sharpshooters and later he took over the band of the Imperial and Royal Privileged Civil Corps of Grenadiers. As Kovářík stressed discipline and orderliness in this organization, he succeeded in achieving a high level of artistry with the band. He had been a fervent advocate for the sake of Czech musicians and made his works accessible also to rural bands at a lower rate.