William Walton écrivit à Walter Legge, lorsque Kubelík choisit Chicago plutôt que de succéder à Adrian Boult à la tête du BBC symphony : "Je suis vraiment désolé à propos du départ de Kubelík, cela aurait pu aider d'avoir de façon permanente un chef d'orchestre décent dans le pays". Il s'agit d'une œuvre splendidement écrite pour chœur et grand orchestre (interdite pendant 20 d'exécution à l'église à cause de son orchestration vaguement (très) exotique et de quelques rythmes un peu jazzy...). Ce concert a été enregistré par l'Université d'Illinois : de vrais pros car le son est splendide pour 1952. Une œuvre certes extérieure, mais très réjouissante et conduite avec tout le dynamisme du chef à cette époque.

Who would have thought of Kubelík in this répertoire? This concert has been recorded in 52 at the University of Illinois and Kubelík makes a real success in this rather "exterior" piece.

From the Independent a testimony by Nelson J. Leonard : "At Urbana, he resumed his singing career. In his memoir, Leonard recalls the occasion (in 1952) when he sang the baritone part in Walton's Belshazzar's Feast with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the charismatic Czech conductor Rafael Kubelik. At the dress rehearsal, Nelson Leonard sang the famous aria: Babylon was a great city. Her merchandise was of gold and silver, of precious stones, of pearls . . . wine and oil, fine flour, wheat and beasts, sheep, horses, chariots, slaves and the souls of men. After he had finished this unaccompanied solo, Kubelik called a halt to the rehearsal and asked Leonard what he was thinking about when he sang the long list of wonders. Leonard replied that he started the list very slowly to indicate what was considered important to the Babylonians. Then he gradually accelerated and finished the phrasing so rapidly that "and the souls of men" became almost a throwaway line. Kubelik said, Why not try it differently? Start with a faster listing of the merchandise and retard gradually, slower and slower until you end most slowly - and sarcastically - with "and the souls of men". Then the audience will appreciate the contrast. At the actual performance, that is how Leonard did it. "I knew immediately that it had been much more effective. Kubelik winked at me."