Dvorak's Den

[Madiel]

I've attached a scan of the first two pages of these notes.

Maybe it's just me, but as uploaded the scan is too small to be legible. When I try to increase the size it's all pixellated.

[Roasted Swan]

Apologies the original scan was too big for the site to accept and obviously the resized scan was not legible.  Here's just the relevant paragraph......

[Maestro267]

So I have the Stamitz complete string quartets set now. As I posted in CL, I've decided to get the super-long Third Quartet out of the way now. It's pleasant enough music but I'm not sure it justifies the length.

[Mandryka]

This is about the op 85 Poetic Tone Pictures

The Andsnes is next-level. If Kahanek presents the Poetic Tone Pictures as great salon music, Andsnes presents it as great music, period. It's one of those performances that makes you think a B-tier piece was an A-lister all along.

 Andsnes puts his virtuosity very much too much in the fore. Even in the more poetic, slower and longer pieces, Andsnes ends up being showy offy and flash (listen to what he starts to do half way through the third, when it becomes louder, In The Old Castle. That piece, especially how the dynamic changes are handled, may well be a good litmus test.)

At the level of tone there's a difference too, Andsnes is hard toned at times.

I don't think not fair to say that Krahenek makes them sound B list or like salon music. What he does is make them sound more as if they're coming from something being expressed from the soul of the pianist, rather than from the pianist trying to impress the audience by  following a score with jaw dropping  technique.

[Todd]

I waited long enough.  This recording has received plaudits here, there, and everywhere, so it had to be good.  And it is.  Now, the estimable Mr Andsnes has laid down at least two definitive recordings in his career: his second recording of Grieg's PC (though he may be dethroned in my ongoing survey) and Bartok's Violin Sonatas with Christian Tetzlaff.  I've never heard a bad recording from him.  This recording of Dvorak's Poetic Tone Pictures most definitely continues that trend, but it does not set a new standard.  To be sure, aided by glorious sound, he makes each piece stand out - until the next one arrives.  Beauty, vibrance, rhythmic brio, each piece has it all.  But here Ivo Kahanek looms very large. 

I did not have time to do a full A/B, but two pieces immediately stuck out upon first listen as illustrating the reasons why I prefer Kahanek.  The two pieces are Žertem and Bacchanalia.  Under Andsnes' fingers, one hears playing perhaps informed by Grieg.  That is not so with Kahanek.  In Žertem, the playing sounds more identifiably Czech and otherwise Central European as the name Schumann pops into mind.  Kahanek, more spaciously recorded, offers starker dynamic contrasts and more halting rhythm.  It's mischievous and occasionally hard-hitting, but not heavy.  In Bacchanalia, the names Brahms and Smetana come to mind.  The weighty and propulsive left hand playing smacks of Johannes in a blend of his Hungarian inflected writing and his early sonata writing.  (Relistening to his Second Sonata just a couple days ago probably helped instill that in my aural memory.)  And though there is a proper Furiant in the collection prior to this piece, once the listener moves beyond the weighty playing, one hears writing similar to Smetana's more propulsive dance writing.  And in both these pieces, the writing sounds more immediately Dvorakian.  Now, if this reads like criticism of the Andsnes recording, it really is not.  Had Kahanek not recorded this work, Andsnes would emerge as my clear favorite.  Interpretive differences are minor, but they're there, and those are what make the difference.  It's certainly impossible to fault Andsnes' playing as playing, or even his interpretations.  I just prefer Kahanek.

It's clear, to me at least, that Dvorak's piano music deserves more attention and more recordings.  Here, I just can't help but think that Herbert Schuch's the guy who should record the music.  Alessio Bax and Claire Huangci also seem like they could add a little something special, and David Greilsammer should pluck at least a few pieces out and drop them in another concept disc.  Zlata Chochieva, too, though she should record everything.

[Brahmsian]

Now listening to one of my favourite Dvořák works, the Serenade for Winds and double bass in D minor, Op. 44.

Performed very well here by the Nash Ensemble, from this set:

[Brahmsian]

Now enjoying another fabulous disc from this set:

String Quintet in G major, Op. 77
String Quintet in E flat major, Op. 97

Stamitz Quartet
Jiri Hudec - double bass Op. 77
Jan Talich - viola Op. 97

Both works are tremendously enjoyable, though I hold a slight preference to the Op. 77 quintet that includes the double bass.

[Roasted Swan]

Now enjoying another fabulous disc from this set:

String Quintet in G major, Op. 77
String Quintet in E flat major, Op. 97

Stamitz Quartet
Jiri Hudec - double bass Op. 77
Jan Talich - viola Op. 97

Both works are tremendously enjoyable, though I hold a slight preference to the Op. 77 quintet that includes the double bass.

Brilliant briefly did single composer "big boxes" of 40 CD's which when they were first released were stupidly cheap - as I recall around £25-30 for the 40 discs.  No notes just a chunky box and each disc in an individual cardboard sleeve.  I picked up a few of the sets to plug gaps and one of the best was the Dvorak from which the 8 disc "Chamber Music" box you've mentioned was filleted out.  The big box included the Kosler/Slovak PO symphnies (very good), the Stamitz quartets complete, the Slatkin St. Louis concerti, The Kuchar/Janacek PO overtures & tone poems, the complete piano music with Poroshina and the piano 4 hands.  About the only duff thing was a mediocre Russalka.....

[vandermolen]

I really enjoyed the 8th Symphony performed by the Sidcup SO on Saturday night. It is my favourite Dvorak symphony.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I really enjoyed the 8th Symphony performed by the Sidcup SO on Saturday night. It is my favourite Dvorak symphony.

Pleased to hear that you had a nice evening Jeffrey!

PD

[vandermolen]

Pleased to hear that you had a nice evening Jeffrey!

PD

Thanks PD 

[Madiel]

Brilliant briefly did single composer "big boxes" of 40 CD's which when they were first released were stupidly cheap - as I recall around £25-30 for the 40 discs.  No notes just a chunky box and each disc in an individual cardboard sleeve.  I picked up a few of the sets to plug gaps and one of the best was the Dvorak from which the 8 disc "Chamber Music" box you've mentioned was filleted out.  The big box included the Kosler/Slovak PO symphnies (very good), the Stamitz quartets complete, the Slatkin St. Louis concerti, The Kuchar/Janacek PO overtures & tone poems, the complete piano music with Poroshina and the piano 4 hands.  About the only duff thing was a mediocre Russalka.....

Poroshina is my preferred choice for the piano music. But it looks like they only gave you a single disc of it.

[Roasted Swan]

Poroshina is my preferred choice for the piano music. But it looks like they only gave you a single disc of it.

Yes - my mistake as regards that set.  In fact the single disc of piano music is played here by Kai Adomeit - still a nice 75 minutes overview.  I had bought Poroshina's 5 disc collection separately.

[W.A. Mozart]

What do you think about the sixth symphony?

[Franco_Manitobain]

What do you think about the sixth symphony?

Marvelous, and it has grown on me immensely in recent years.  To the point where it is my favourite symphony or his alonside the 8th.

[DavidW]

Dvorak's 6th is imo one of the greatest symphonies ever written!

[Franco_Manitobain]

Dvorak's 6th is imo one of the greatest symphonies ever written!

Yes, I'm starting to definitely feel that way.

[W.A. Mozart]

Marvelous, and it has grown on me immensely in recent years.  To the point where it is my favourite symphony or his alonside the 8th.

I agree, this is a nice symphony. I still think that the best symphony of Dvorak is the ninth symphony, especially for the fourth movement, which contains one of the most memorable themes of classical music and one of the most memorable overtures of a symphonic movement.

[Jo498]

My favorite Dvorak symphony is the 7th but the 8th seems to be the most original and "Dvorakian". The 9th is overrated (as it is so much more famous and popular than the rest) but still very good. The 6th is still a bit underrated and very good but I don't think it is quite as good as the later ones. The 5th is worthwhile but the first 4 are IMO skippable unless you are a fan (although #3 is formally quite original). It's not quite as extreme as with the string quartets where the first half or more can safely be skipped.

[Madiel]

The 6th is the first fully mature work. And it's a very good symphony... until I listen to the 7th, 8th and 9th.