Customer Reviews

Dvorak in Prague - A Celebration ~ Ozawa

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Antonin Dvorak is a composer of many different ideas, who is usually known only for his "Slavonic Dances" and "New World" Symphony. Young piano students may have been exposed to his "Humoresque", and an aria from the opera "Rusalka" made its way to the soundtrack of "Driving Miss Daisy". This CD should be a prototype for introducing the music of more composers. This is basically a sampler designed to provide listeners with a large slice of the many interesting compositions by this Czech composer. As a former retail buyer of classical music, I would recommend this disc to someone just getting their toes wet in classical music, a person who wants to discover more about Dvorak, using the disc to delve into more of his variety, and for someone taking a long trip that loves classical music but can't manage a lengthy work of one style. This has always been one of my favorite CDs. The artists appearing are tops in the performance spotlight, the selections are varied, and the composer is celebrated....Madge Bruner Hazen...

This is a beautifully recorded, beautifully performed album which demonstrates the breadth and genius of Dvorak. Many people might know this Czech composer only for his famous "New World Symphony" but Dvorak deserves recognition for leaving us so much more. On this album you will hear Dvorak's great gift for melodies, appreciate his incredible use of a wide variety of musical instruments, and treasure his talent for choral and solo voices. You will never tire of listening to this album.

It is difficult to find a beautiful interpretation of Rusalka's Song to the Moon, but here is the best. Von Stade's liquid, exquisite phrasing conveys the beauty of longing that this water sprite feels as she pleads to the moon to reflect from it's light the love she means to send to her human love as he sleeps. This aria alone is reason enough to listen to this album.

This is an excellent Cd recorded in Prague, it's an hommage to Antonin Dvórak with an excellent interpretation of segments of the most important masterpieces composed by this Czech artist, the recording is excellent, if you are some audiophile this recording sounds great with excellent soundstage and acoustic atmosphere, also if you like Czech culture you will be surrounded by a feeling like if you were in Prague walking through Malá Strana, St.Wenceslao Square or Karl's bridge. I recommend this Cd very much.

I can't deny that the BSO lost its luster under Ozawa's sadly protracted tenure in Boston, but you'd never know it from the glowing performances here--the opening Carnival Over. is a knockout. Orchestra nad soloist Itzhak Perlman are equally lovely in the F minor Violin Romance. There's only one other items here longer than 6 min., the 9-min. choral setting of Psalm 149.

I don't find bits-and-pieces collecitons very appealing, but this is a buoyant, heartfelt concert form beginning to end, featuring a dab of chamber music, an aria, two Salvonic dances, etc. Apparently there's an accompanying video of this celebration from Prauge in 1993, which accounts for why major artists like Frederica von Stade and Yo-Yo Ma were willing to appear for four min. If you are in a celebratory mood and don't mind the absence of a major work, it would be hard to better this joyous evening.

Exquisite scale representation and great recoding of the performers that captures the ambience and realism of a live concert on an extremely refined audio system. An audiophile must.

I totally agree with the rest of reviewers here about the solid five-star quality of this CONCERT. However, for the reasons I do not understand, the recording quality of this CD is exeedingly low. The very same concert is also available on DVD, and for the reasons that I, again, cannot understand, it features far more agreeable sound. So I suggest you give this CD a pass and buy the DVD. After all, you can rip it and make a CD for your personal use, if you want a CD.

Music-wise, I have nothing to add to what has already been said: this is a lovely collection of music perfectly performed. It is about twenty years old, so you cannot expect the video and sound quality you'd get today, but it's not bad at all. Lovely, lovely, lovely. Beautiful music. A perfect concert for someone who doesn't know Dvorak yet: it's very "accessible" (I detest this word, but here it literally fits and suggests no inferiority). Start with this concert and you'll be a fan for the rest of your life. But once again: get the DVD, not the CD, unless you like tinny sound.

Wow,,Frederica's performance is astounding!
Nobody, will ever top "The Song To The Moon"
I will cherish that recording forever!
Prague has heard the voice of a queen!
PR forever

Here we can see what an incredible artist is capable to do. Mrs. Stade sings the Rusalka's aria as any soprano sang yet. Not even Mrs. Fleming, that seems to be made up by Mr. Solti. Simply unforgettable!!!!!

No word can express the genius of this bunch of musicians - and with Ozawa it is pure delight. A must from Prague, 1993.