Supraphon is the most significant Czech record label, and has a distinguished history. The Supraphon name, (originally used for an electric record player, a technical marvel of its day), was first registered as a trademark in 1932. In the post-war years it was the label of domestic albums produced for export, playing a significant role in helping to spread the fame of Czech classical music recordings during the 1930´s and 40´s. The artistic direction of the firm gave rise to a broad catalog of titles which systematically mapped out the works of Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, and Leos Janáček, as well as other giants of both the Czech and the international music worlds. Significant domestic and foreign soloists, chamber ensembles, orchestras and conductors all contributed to its remarkable collection of recordings. The Supraphon catalogue is continually expanding, adding new recordings by the best Czech artists as well as digitally remastered re-editions of historic recordings, primarily in the popular SUPRAPHON ARCHIVE series. The Ančerl Gold series (42 CD´s) has been extraordinarily well received worldwide, and the first albums of a further series, the Talich Special Edition (17 CD´s planned for 2005-07), were released in June of 2005. The spoken word also forms an integral part of Supraphon´s production. In the last few years Supraphon has been the unchallenged domestic leader in this field, thanks in particular to its outstanding children´s albums (including fairytales and the Spejbl and Hurvínek Theater) and its rereleases of classic Czech titles from the archive (including Voskovec and Werich). Today, Supraphon is the only former Eastern Bloc music publisher which has maintained its number one position in its domestic market as well as measured up successfully to the ever more competitive international environment. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
