Customer Reviews

Symphony No. 9; Slavonic Dances

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
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Definitely the best performance of Dvorak's 9th I have ever heard. Besides mere technical expertise (flawless!), it has an emotional element that is lacking in many other renditions. Much stronger in the tenor and bass ranges than other performances of his 9th, this album is incredibly powerful.

Of the 100 or so recordings of Dvorak's last and best known symphony, this one goes to the top of the list. Maestro Masur and his superb orchestra play with precision and passion, breathing both drama and poetry into this great work. The opening movement begins slowly but then sweeps the listener along with rich string playing and exquisite flute solos, culminating in a truly awesome trombone entrance at the end. Thomas Stacy's playing of the famous "going home" theme in the Largo will melt your heart, and again the brass choirs open the gates of heaven in awesome fashion near the end, followed by a magical transition to the serene coda. The third movement is taken at a leisurely pace, allowing the woodwind solos to breathe and sing, but the drama returns with a powerfully played finale. The three lively Slavonic Dances are also well-played but anticlimactic after the magnificent performance of the symphony. Taken from a live performance, the recording has a few unobtrusive noises and a couple of overly loud horn entrances, but the sense of almost "being there" and participating in the grand sweep, power, and beauty of a special occasion, along with the near-perfection of the playing, completely overcome any reservations. The Teldec engineers have captured it in rich and spacious sound, which displays Dvorak's Slavic sound and wonderful orchestral effects in marvelous detail. This recording is a must for all those who appreciate great music and great orchestral playing.

Kurt Masur is often criticized for being a gifted technician, but emotionally uninspiring, at the podium. Such criticism isn't valid here. This is one of the most emotionally stirring performances I have heard of Dvorak's "New World" 9th Symphony, ably recorded by Teldec's sound engineers. Masur pours his heart and soul into his conducting, and the result is a splendid, technically superb, yet vibrant, performance by the New York Philharmonic. The winds, brass and string sections play with much exuberant warmth, without missing Masur's cues for technical perfection. As usual, Teldec's engineers have produced a well-balanced recording which captures all the subtle textures in this monumental work of late 19th Century classical music. When Kurt Masur finally leaves the podium as the New York Philharmonic's music director next spring, this recording will be long remembered as one of his finest artistic triumphs.

I just received this cd for Christmas, and I can tell you it is marvellous. It far surpasses the other three versions I own of this piece. I was also shocked to see the respected "Penguin Guide to Classical CD's" not include this in their recommended list of Dvorak nines. I fail to find any fault with this performance, and indeed the sound and energy are absolutely invigorating while at the same time lyrical and poetic. This is just a great disc.

Wow! Where the heck did this come from? There isn't one note here without energy, direction, and passion. The New York Phil sounds great as always but with an added layer of warmth especially in the strings and brass. For a long time, Solti's recording with Chicago was by far my favorite but I think this has overtaken it. The major difference between the two is the largo. Simply put, it has never been played better than on this recording. Thomas Stacy's english horn solo is beautifully phrased with a huge and warm timbre. The finale rips through with great vigor and intensity but is never out of balance. I could literally exhaust my vocabulary of hyperbole but I will end it here. Best recording of this great work!

I'm surprised this CD doesn't get more recognition. I was looking for a more-recently recorded "New World" (1990's to present) and I have found it in Kurt Masur and the NY Philharmonic. I did a little bit of research on this CD by going to various bookstores and searching on the internet for reviews and recommendations on Dvorak's "New World" Symph. Gramophone picked this recording as the best "New World".
After listening to many sample tracks I chose this recording because of Masur's interpretation, great dynamics, precise playing, and wonderful recording. The Slavonic dances sound good too. If you're in the market for another version of Dvorak's "New World" or just an amateur listener like myself who is looking for a wonderful CD to listen to then look no further than Kurt Masur.

'...Among the elite of available New Worlds...The ideal fusion of technical excellence with fervent energy...'

My best, though uninformed guess for the second most famous symphony is Dvorak's Ninth - From the New World. If I'm not mistaken, Beethoven's Fifth is #1, if only for the opening "fate knocking at the door" theme. There is positively no doubt however, that Dvorak's Ninth is the most familiar to me personally. From childhood, it was the first symphony to seize my affection. While acutely fond of most kinds of music, several years ago, I began re-stoking a lifelong love of classical, thus discovering a new, if latent level of passion AND preference for the genre, especially orchestral/symphonic. My vastly widened horizons have naturally resulted in a fresh though deliberately somewhat vague list of favorite composers and symphonies. Nonetheless, despite the competing heat--with this or that one occasionally edging ahead--the New World for me handily retains the top position.

To me it is the quintessential symphony, in an exemplary regard, so this is not a claim for it being the greatest, technically or otherwise. As Dvorak goes, critical consensus seems to favor the Seventh with the highest accolades. Fine. I love them all. But for personally floating my boat, this symphony is sheer perfection. Thus if an uninitiated person asks to hear what a symphony is, the New World is my immediate first choice. Now it surely is not the most sophisticated of symphonies. Contrapuntally, Dvorak is no Mahler, but why expect him to be (and vise-versa). Complexity alone is hardly tantamount to superiority. After all, it's art we're talking about. Besides, there's no question of Dvorak's talent and innovative genius, so if he'd intended greater intricacy, there would be no stopping him. While there's a classic simplicity to this music, it should by no means be mistaken for being simplistic. It is what it is and as such, just as altogether right as the composer meant it to be--taken at face value. Extending far beneath the surface though, clearly its accessible arete is priceless.

By a far cry, I'm no expert, however, if there is such a thing as correct symphonic construction (in the academic sense), my perception is that this work could well qualify as a teaching model (a hunch also consistent with Dvorak's role as a professor of composition). If discernment serves, all the essential elements shine. Several are of crucial note, above all, Dvorak's marvelously effective use of cyclical form, i.e. the development of themes by recalling and interweaving them through every movement. To my mind, this unifying feature is among the best, if not essential characteristics of the symphonic concept. Furthermore, it serves to kick up the compelling power of this splendid masterpiece. It is analogous to a fine painting, of necessity, having a harmoniously distributed color scheme (as opposed to a disjointed or incongruous one). (Note: paint color in this case is not meant to equate to timbral color in music). Still and all, is the cyclical idea more the exception than the rule in symphonic music? If so, it beats me as to why.

What an awesome tunesmith we have in the great Dvorak! A seemingly infinite wellspring of mellifluous lyricism, always refreshing, free of vulgarity, loaded with character and seldom if ever short on passion! Undeniably, the composer's mature melodic inventiveness and orchestrative finesse were in full flower here. When one looks at how remarkably he progressed from his first symphony to his last, one can't help but ponder how he might have topped the Ninth had he survived long enough and become inclined to resume composing numbered symphonies.

The first movement reveals the principal themes that are developed, reiterated and varied upon through the entire work. What makes these particular tunes so delightful is first, their broadly relatable, folkish character. Remember, the New World was Dvorak's conception of a uniquely American symphony. Certainly he succeeded, I believe, yet his inexorably Bohemian nature inevitably enriches the manifold flavor, albeit subtly.* Secondly, observe the unadulteratedly simple yet savvy way the melodies are variously unfurled in query and reply fashion, mirrored and even turned upside down. This interaction (along with the cyclical component) adds weight to the unity of the work as well. More to the point, there's a novel air of unpompous regality to the music that evokes the nobility of intrepid pioneers willing to face down any adversity to 'breathe free' in the land of opportunity. Likewise the music alternately suggests the idyllic splendor of fruited plains and majestic mountains that distinctively identify America. Catching my ear in a separate vein (in this recording expressly): in the development of this movement's introduction, the first most dynamic pounding of the tympani, in unusual fashion, aptly heralds a palpable indication of presiding over the musical proceedings.

The second movement Largo, hands down, depicts the ultimate balm-to-the-soul scene of pastoral serenity, so much so, it is ironically energizing. The most renowned solo ever penned for English horn, peerlessly performed by Thomas Stacy, is gently powerful in its caressive delivery. Indeed it does seem to lovingly say, `welcome home where you belong' (NOT to be taken literally as a suggested lyric to the tune!) It simply defines the word classic (but candidly, only recently have I begun to recognize its African American spiritual flavor. No, Dvorak didn't 'lift' it. It's totally original).

Springboarding from the vivacious scherzo, the exciting finale develops by reviewing the main tunes from all three prior movements, thus tying them together as a whole. The resulting effect is not only one of supercharging the complete work as it mounts toward the electrifying climax, but of finishing indefectibly, a symphony of singular grandeur.

But hold it! Descriptions and explanations, in the end, are mere words--that utterly fail to convey the heart pounding, enthralling magnificence and charm of this symphonic tour de force. The proof as they say, is in the pudding, to wit, the active listening experience of the music itself. Naturally.

This release is an outstanding offering in an amply populated catalog of Dvorak Ninths, but truth be told, I have yet to hear a less than fine rendition. In that respect thus far, the field for me seems fairly level. By the same token, differences in interpretation from one recording to the next seem generally unremarkable. First impression of Bernstein's New York Philharmonic reading however, seems a bit frenetic (but to be forthright, if a fuller, fairer hearing alters my opinion, I'll be sure to log it).

Even the bargain basement issue by the Philharmonia Slavonica under Henry Adolph's aegis is excellent, although curiously, the opening movement suffers a roughly three minute chop. If the exposition repeat was eliminated, this is hardly an overly long movement or symphony in total time, nor is it redundant in any sense of mitigating the artistic impact, so there is no just cause for a cut.

Back to our disc: let not the above comments diminish its many sterling virtues, well noted among the other reviewers here. Authentically and vibrantly, it does indeed rank with the elite of available New Worlds. Matching Maestro Masur's mettle, the NYPO performs phenomenally, in keeping with the transcendent distinction that has established their legend. The ideal fusion of technical excellence with fervent energy makes this exceptional recording a distinguished exemplar for the merits of capturing the live performance. A top pick.

*"...the music's sheer beauty and lovability makes it easy to forget just how emotionally expressive it really is." --David Hurwitz, Author - "Dvorak: Romantic Music's Most Versatile Genius" p. 54. (Note: Quote refers to the composition only. See Mr. Hurwitz's Amazon Editorial Review of this specific recording posted above).