Dvorak's Symphonies

[sound67]

Since I am not a big fan of any of these...

Why?

[PerfectWagnerite]

Since I am not a big fan of any of these, I may feel obliged to check out Neumann now 

You are not a big fan of these what? These works? These conductors? You have heard all of them?

[Brian]

(while Brian is waitng restlessly for the rest ):

(*Brian makes discreet coughing noises*) 

[karlhenning]

(*Brian makes discreet coughing noises*) 

♫  Just like the . . . old man in . . . that book by Nabokov.

[Brian]

♫  Just like the . . . old man in . . . that book by Nabokov.

Not necessarily for the same purpose.

[Keemun]

Brian, how is your comparative review of the major Dvorak symphony cycles (Kubelik, Kertesz, Rowicki, Suitner, Neumann [digital], Anguelov, Gunzenhauser, Pesek, and Jarvi) coming along?  If/when you finish it, would you be so kind as to share it with us?   

[karlhenning]

Not necessarily for the same purpose.

Sustained, though the court notes the speed with which a denial was issued . . . .

[Brian]

Brian, how is your comparative review of the major Dvorak symphony cycles (Kubelik, Kertesz, Rowicki, Suitner, Neumann [digital], Anguelov, Gunzenhauser, Pesek, and Jarvi) coming along?  If/when you finish it, would you be so kind as to share it with us?   

It's going to have a hard time during the school year (4 300-level classes...) but my apartment doesn't have Internet* so I will have plenty of listening time. I've got all but one of those cycles with me (Rowicki, left it at home) and actually have listened to ... 25-30 of the 81 performances already. 


*I'm stealing the neighbor's annoyingly intermittent wireless 

[Keemun]

It's going to have a hard time during the school year (4 300-level classes...) but my apartment doesn't have Internet* so I will have plenty of listening time. I've got all but one of those cycles with me (Rowicki, left it at home) and actually have listened to ... 25-30 of the 81 performances already. 


*I'm stealing the neighbor's annoyingly intermittent wireless 

I'm glad to hear that it's still in the works.

[eyeresist]

You are not a big fan of these what? These works? These conductors? You have heard all of them?

Obviously I'm a fan of the works or I wouldn't be here. I have the Kertesz, Suitner and Anguelov sets, I may pick up the Kubelik if it's going cheap, and I won't bother with Jarvi.

Kertesz is lively and sounds Czech, but his interpretations sometimes seem bland and superficial to me. Also, the old London recordings are bright and bass-shy, and make for uncomfortable listening.
Suitner I haven't listened to for a while. I recall enjoying a couple of the performances, but finding most of them rather square and unexciting, lacking the Czech lilt.
Anguelov, as I've said above, has small orchestra, some weak strings and slightly odd sound. His early symphonies aren't lyrical enough for my taste.
Kubelik is a bit of a frustration for me - he's obviously a talent, but his interpretations aren't to my taste. From the samples I've heard of his Dvorak he often chooses tempos I find too slow.
Jarvi, as usual, will be servicable but nobody's first choice.

Flame on!

[M forever]

Kubelik is a bit of a frustration for me - he's obviously a talent

That's very generous of you.

[M forever]

M has a nice video of the Česka filharmonie playing the 9th symphony under the direction of Vaclav Neumann in 1993, to mark the 100th anniversary of the work's premiere (which was played by the New York Philharmonic under Anton Seidl, of course):

[Brian]

Kubelik is a bit of a frustration for me - he's obviously a talent, but his interpretations aren't to my taste. From the samples I've heard of his Dvorak he often chooses tempos I find too slow.

You may like Rowicki. His interpretations are fast. They make me motion-sick.

M, I bet that's a great video. 

[eyeresist]

That's very generous of you.

Those Czechs need all the help they can get 

You may like Rowicki. His interpretations are fast. They make me motion-sick.

I've heard him in 7-9, and his speeds seemed conventional. As for the earlier ones, I guess I'll see when I see...

[sound67]

...lacking the Czech lilt.

Kindly explain what this means. 

Anguelov, as I've said above, has small orchestra, some weak strings and slightly odd sound.

Did you by any chance read the liner notes? Then you'd know why it's supposed to sound different.

Thomas

[mahler10th]

Istvan Kertesz and the LSO.
I think these recordings are fabulous, not held back, no restrain, a real tonic for anyone who wants to hear Dvorak with a bit of punch.


EYERESIST:  "Kertesz is lively and sounds Czech, but his interpretations sometimes seem bland and superficial to me. Also, the old London recordings are bright and bass-shy, and make for uncomfortable listening."

I disagree with eyeresist completely.  Kertesz seems to raise Dvorak from the dead on these London recordings, bass shy or not - that being more a sound engineering problem rather than conductor / orchestra.

[Sergeant Rock]

Kertesz is lively and sounds Czech, but his interpretations sometimes seem bland and superficial to me. Also, the old London recordings are bright and bass-shy, and make for uncomfortable listening.

Kubelik is a bit of a frustration for me - he's obviously a talent, but his interpretations aren't to my taste. From the samples I've heard of his Dvorak he often chooses tempos I find too slow.

Then you really should sample Rowicki whose tempos are often on the swift side without, IMO, making the music sound superficial. Rhythmically he's incredibly strong and lively and he punches home the climaxes with considerable power. I much prefer the more natural sound of the London Symphony as captured by Philips to the Decca (Kertész) recording with the same orchestra. You're right: the Decca is too bright, at least to my ears. I prefer Kertész's Fifth though (Rowicki is too fast in the first movement).

Sarge

[ChamberNut]

I must be the only one with the Virgin Classics set with Libor Pesek (Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra).

[karlhenning]

I must be the only one with the Virgin Classics set with Libor Pesek (Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra).

I don't have the entire set, but what I've got is very good.

[sound67]

I don't have the entire set, but what I've got is very good.

Pesek's 5th certainly is.

Thomas