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NEOTRAD CD release in my black industrial hometown of KLADNO

I am looking forward to the second Neotrad CD release and a concert in my hometown of Kladno tomorrow!

It is always exciting to play for people who know me well and some of them for quite a long time…

Kladno is a town 30km from Prague, called “The black Kladno”  thanks to its coal mining past.

Kladno is full of monumental Industrial Trails and industrial sights!

When I was a child we often went to the famous Sítná bridge to enjoy the sight of the huge fire in the steel factory Poldi, also later when we were coming back from night trips…the fire was magic!

This enormous steel work was built in 1889 by the “steel king” Karl Wittgenstein.

The beautiful face of his wife Leopoldina became the logo of the company “Poldi Kladno”

She was also a good pianist.

Karl Wittgenstein had a dramatic life and was a tough father.

All  the nine children were gifted and some became great artists.

Ludwig Wittgenstein was the famous philosopher.

Paul Wittgenstein became a famous pianist. In the WW1 he had lost his right hand. After his exile in Siberia he decided to continue his career. He created a special pedal system and a way of playing and fingering to deal with more complicated chords with only one single hand.

Maurice Ravel, the impressionist of music, wrote for Wittgenstein Piano Concerto in G for left hand.

The second movement is like music from heaven! I particularly love the interpretation of Martha Argerich…

However, for the premiere Wittgenstein made some “corrections” in the scores and Ravel never forgave him!

Four of the Wittgenstein children commited a suicide.

Now the industrial area became the pulsing center of art and a paradise for photographers.

There are more outstanding artists who come from Kladno.

Jiří Hanke-photographer

Věra Čermáková-contemporary composer

Pavel Holeček-painter and sculptor

We have done together some modern projects of his playing sculptures and violin improvisation…

He is also the one who did the art work of the new Neotrad CD that we are releasing tomorrow!

The local popular Dundee Jam music club has been sold out completely so we are looking forward to the concert and party with all the fans and friends!

Photo of Poldi music reporter and photographer Daniel Vojtíšek