Customer Reviews

Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 / Smetana: The Moldau ~ Karajan

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What is going on here? What's that rumble I hear on the highway? Is Karajan leading a motorcycle gang into town? Some might say that it was only a matter of time until he joined Hell's Angels . . . . I am not quite sure what connection it has with Dvorak.

While we are on the subject, many of the other covers in the 2003 Karajan collection are equally as comic: Herbie looks like he is trying to spot the HMS Hood from the deck of the Bismarck in Karajan Conducts Grieg & Sibelius. Is he sitting in the cockpit of an ME 262 in R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra / Alpine Symphony / Don Juan / Til Eulenspiegel / 4 Last Songs ~ Karajan? The Blue Safari Suit has already been mentioned elsewhere Ravel, Debussy, Saint-Saëns: Orchestral Works. And Karajan stares longingly at the the Kremlin as if from the turret of a tank in Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4, 5, 6.

What's next? A Cathedral of Light? Someone needs to tell the DG marketing department to ditch the hagiolatry.

To the music itself. The famous German publisher Simrock once enraged Dvorak by attempting to pass him off as a fellow Teuton to the music-buying public. While all of these performances are first rate, they're ultimately lacking in that idiomatic finish that only Czechs can impart to this repertoire; after all, the composer's roots in the folk-music of his people ran deep. Provided one is comfortable with thoroughly Germanised-performances - Dvorak as Brahms with less thick textures - there is much to appreciate here.

The best of the collection is clearly the 1985 performance of the Dvorak 8th, which thankfully is more meditative than torque-driven (cf Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 "New World"). There is also a lot to be said for the March 1964 performance of the Ninth. Unlike the earlier chrome-plated performance with the Berliners (EMI 1958), it is not slickly breathless; it genuinely imbues a valediction in the last movement and the cor anglais in the Largo is evocative indeed. Nor is it overblown like his Berlioz could be with the Berliners. The Slavonic Dances have more 'kick' in Kubelik's hands Dvorak: Slavonic Dances,Opp. 46 & 72 ~ Kubelik / Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Much the same could be said of the Smetana.

Don't forget that you can pick up this particular performance of the Eighth (and a sister Ninth) on Sony DVD and cheaply at that Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 [DVD Video]. To be honest, that's a better investment. Sixpence and much the wiser.

In his last, rocky years with the Berlin Phil., which were full of contentiousness and bad feeling, Karajan became more associated with the Vienna Phil. They made a good match throughout his career, beginning in the rubble of WW II when both orchestra and conductor struggled to regain their prominence. Whether it was the Austrian link of a native-born musician or simply the inescapable Viennese tradition, Karajan relaxed with the VPO. Here we have a lovely Dvorak 8th from 1985, as golden and sunny as you could ever want. The slow movement is unusually slow and touching. You can't help but hear a valedictory in it, which holds true for the Bruckner and Tchaikovsky that Karajan recorded at this time. There is also a late "New World" from Vienna, but DG has singled it out for release in their Karajan Gold series.

The "New World" on this bargain two-fer dates from 1964 with the Berliners. It's strong, a bit over-polished, and not really up Karajan's alley. Never one to be devoted to folkloric music, he has no special affinity for the Czech idiom. That's not to gainsay what we hear on these two CDs, nicely remastered and very well filled out (78 min. each). The Slavonic Dances and bits from Smetana's Ma Vlast and Bartered Bride are done with virtuosity and elan. Just dodn't expect anuything close to rusticity.

Even without such a marvelous Eighth, this would be a good buy, but for lovers of Karajan's artistry, that's the gem of the collection. For what it's worth, Karajan recorded the 8th and "New World" three times in the modern era, and critics seem to favor either the earliest versions from Berlin (1961-64) or the last ones from Vienna (mid-80s), both on DG. The middle set, from 1979 on EMI, are generally passed over as wrong-headed and badly recorded.

Dvorak's last two symphonies and Smetana's The Moldau were among favorite works of Karajan's wide repertoire. He recorded these works several times:
No.8: in 1960's with WP for DECCA; in 1979 with BP for EMI; in 1985 with WP for DG.
No.9: in 1964 with BP, in 1985 with WP for DG; and in 1977 with BP for EMI.
The Moldau: in 1967 and 1980's with BP, in 1985 with WP for DG, in 1958 with BP for EMI.

This two CD consists of his DG recordings: DVORAK: No.8(1985-with WP), No.9(1964-with BP), selected parts from Slavonic Dances(1959-BP); SMETANA: The Moldau, and Vysehrad (1967-BP),etc.
I have almost all important recordings of these work: Kubelik, Giulini, Munch, Keilberth, Klemperer, B.Walter, A.Fiedler, Szell, Solti, Ormandy, Kertesz, Maazel, Mackerras, Neumann, Sawallisch, Ancerl, Bernstein, Kondrashin, Dohnanyi, Jansons...

Especially No.8 is among my favorite interpretations/recordings by far(Others are: KARAJAN-1979-BP-EMI; GIULINI-Cgb-1992-Sony and CSO-1976-DG; KUBELIK-BP-1966-DG; MUNCH-BSO-1958-RCA; and SZELL-Cleveland-1958-Sony). Well- balanced rythmic figures, powerful string parts and blazing trumpets.

No.9(1964)is good (particularly Largo).If you are lover of 'From the New World',this is a must for your collection,if not,you can find better recordings. My favorites are: KARAJAN-1977 and 1985; GIULINI-Concertgebouw-1992-Sony; KEILBERTH-1960's-Bamberg Symphony-Teldec; KUBELIK-1972-BP-DG, SZELL-Cleveland Orchestra-1958-Sony.

Some listeners don't like Karajan's performings because of more powerful than usual readings. They says:'Dvorak is not Bruckner or Wagner'. This may be true but not exactly. Dvorak's works(particularly Symphonies Nos.7,8,9) contains structural and orchestral inspirations from Wagner and Bruckner.

In short Karajan is always true conductor for Dvorak and Smetana lovers. All his performings in this set are powerful, authoritative, essential and undoubtly romantic! Very good price for two CD. Do not miss.