Customer Reviews

Dvorák: The Masterworks (40CD Box Set)

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4 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

First, the good news: This isn't quite the complete works of Dvorak, but it's close enough to give you an in-depth look at one of the greatest of all composers. If you know no Dvorak, or only a little, be advised that he ranks just short of the likes of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. His music rarely plumbs emotional depths, but it's melodic, technically sound, beautifully orchestrated (in the pieces for orchestra, obviously), and in general a joy to listen to. If I were to start listing favorites, I'd probably wind up simply reproducing the table of contents. His earliest works, like the first four symphonies, lack the dramatic profile of the later ones, but they're enjoyable in their own right. His later ones can make you smile (like the Eighth Symphony) or scare you half to death (like the four late symphonic poems). You can play this set from one end to the other and not regret a single minute of it.

The bad news? Well, it really isn't that bad. But you can't expect to get this quantity of great music at such a low price and find yourself listening to the finest performances as well. Also, some of these recordings date back to the Fifties and Sixties. There's nothing wrong with the performers, and occasionally you do get close to the best of the bunch (no one ever surpassed Firkusny in the Piano Concerto, although he himself made a later recording than the one offered here, and it's better). These aren't bad performances, just less than ideal. And the sound on some of them is also less than ideal. Hey, what do you want for four dollars a CD?

If you're relatively new to classical music or to Dvorak, and if you're looking to CDs as a medium for listening, and if you can afford this set (40 CDs for the price of about a dozen), you owe it to yourself to get this. If I hadn't been collecting Dvorak since my first purchase of the New World Symphony on mono LP in 1953, I'd buy it myself.

This is a great collection of recordings by famous performers and licensed from a number of great classical record companies. And all housed in a convenient box that's only about as big as 11 or 12 standard CDs. It's a great way to explore beyond the "standard" Dvorak works, and he wrote so much great music it's a shame that only a little of his output is standard. I have no complaints about either the sound or the performances, and I feel this is a great overview of Dvorak's music and performances, both famous and less well known, through recorded history.

Very good recordings of the chamber music, plus a good set of the symphonies. There are other bits and pieces, generally in good recordings, to get a sampler of the rest of Dvorak's music. What makes the box worthwhile though are the quartets, in a very good cycle.

I don't know too much about music. I own over 700 cds, but I don't play music and I don't have much experience with this music. My only point of reference was the ninth symphony, seeing as every other piece in this box set was new to me. It sounds fine, nothing wrong with it as far as I can see.

Now, here's what you'll get in this box set, seeing as Amazon does not give it a description. 40 cds! no joke, you get 40 cds in this box set. It features:
1. Complete symphonies
2. Complete symphonic poems
3. Cello concerto
4. Piano concerto
5. Violin concerto
6. Requiem
7. Stabat Mater
8. Slavonic Dances
9. Complete String quartets
10. Chamber music
11. Piano Works (solo and duet)
12. Rusalka

As far as I can tell, the only things missing are The Spectre's Bride and Jacobin. Seeing as it is 40 cds, i have not had an opportunity to listen to it, however what i have heard i have been quite satisfied with.

Some of the pieces have poor sound quality!

Such as Rondo for Cello & Orchestra in G minor Op.94 (B.181), Disc 8.

This is compilation, no collection! Be aware!