Dvorak: Slavonic Dances
Product Details
Customer Reviews
not for your car
The music is lively and great, but I could not play this CD in my car. I tried two other CD's, one burned and one other regular CD, and they both played! This CD did however play on my home boombox. Sad! The Borders store does give refunds on opened CD's either. They will only exchange it for the same CD, with a receipt! The manager told me to burn the CD and try to play the burned version. You would think the original is better than a burned version. Anyways, if you have a CD burner, you should be very happy with the CD in your car.
A little perspective
Reading the quibbles about this CD's sonic imperfections shouldn't lead anyone to think this disk features the dismal sound Szell usually got from Columbia. Sony somehow raised the sound quality miles above that. No, it's not quite state of the art, but Sony will do music a huge service if they remaster more of Szell's great recordings to this standard!
Szell opts for wide contrasts in tempo--so once in awhile, fast sections may seem a trifle rushed and slow passages a bit labored. On the whole, though, this just adds to the color of the performance.
Aside from the above, I agree wholeheartedly with the consensus of other reviews.
Finest recording of the complete Dvorak Slavonic Dances.
To iron-out Shota's review, this is not an all-American ensemblage: this by definition does not "rival European maestros" as Szell WAS an European maestro, being Hungarian. Importantly, his long-standing collaboration with probably the best US orchestra of that generation/crop, is the most wonderful reading of Dvorak's Complete Slavonic Dances. And importantly, for sensibilities of origins and extractions and nationalities, Szell is quite a mirror of Dvorak, having visited, moved to, sampled life in the US. That combination, European-extraction maestro and US master-orchestra, serves up the finest recording of the dances.
For a Czech reading of Czech Slavonics, to which the Shota's review alludes, one would need Rafael Kubelik's fine complete set on DG. This is available in a DG Trio 3cd box-set at very moderate price, coupling the complete two sets of Slavonic Dances with other important tone poems by Dvorak (although the best recording of the principal tone poems alone is that by Harnoncourt on Teldec). The Penguin Guide rates Kubelik's recording of the Slavonic Dances as 3*, but included in the DG Trio boxset as Key 3*.
However, Kubelik should only be sought after first acquiring this field-leading Szell recording. Note, this recording has been issued on pure (non-hybrid) SACD, but has not been incorporated into any "packages" of Szell (such as the grouping of his Dvorak symphonies 7,8,9) - so one can get this without fear of duplication, if after more Szell Dvorak (which will most likely be the case after hearing these). Further Szell Dvorak is recommended, starting with the 9th and following this with the 8th; the 7th under Szell is more rare on disc, and the weakest of the three last symphonies IMOH.
In conclusion, any collection of Dvorak should not be without this recording. Any collection of the Slavonic Dances should not be without this recording, whatever competitors may offer. And any beginner interested in Dvorak's music beyond the New World Symphony 9, should turn here for an exhilirating ride, with glittering expansive sound, and crisp, accurate execution. I purchased this on a visit to the USA as quickly as I could find it, for it's reputation preceded it, though Szell's excellence is wholly under-valued and under the radar in the UK - I've not stopped playing it since, and all those who have heard it in the UK have been very impressed. Buy without delay, and try sitting still, I defy you!
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