For almost forty years the name of Václav Talich was synonymous with the great orchestra he conducted, the Czech Philharmonic. His conducting embodied unerring technical control, an uncanny rhythmic sense and subtle flexibility, allied with a willingness to rethink interpretations and humility towards the music. His legendary 1930s Abbey Road Dvořák recordings include a heartfelt Symphony No. 8, with flawless pacing of each movement and, in its ideal amalgam of lyricism and strength, one of the greatest recordings ever of Symphony No. 7.