Conducts Dvorak & Franck

On this CD:

1. Cello Concerto in B minor, B. 191 (Op. 104)
Composed by Antonin Dvorak
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Leonard Rose
Conducted by Artur Rodzinski

2. Symphony, in D minor, Op. 48
Composed by Cesar Franck
Performed by New York Philharmonic
Conducted by Artur Rodzinski

Tracks:

I. Adagio-Allegro
II. Andante
III. Presto
I. Adagio-Allegro Molto
II. Largo
III. Scherzo: Molto Vivace
IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

The High Castle
The Moldau
Sarka
From Bohemia's Meadows And Forests
Tabor
Blanik

Tracks:

Promenade
Gnomus
Promenade
Il Vecchio Castello
Promenade
Tuileries
Bydlo
Promenade
Ballet Des Poussins Dans Leurs Coques
Samuel Goldenberg Und Schmuyle
Limoges-Le Marche
Catacombae (Sepulchrum Romanum)
Cum Mortuis In Lingua Mortua
La Cabane Sur Des Pattes De Poule
La Grande Porte De Kiev
I. Andante Tranquillo - Irwin Fischer
II. Allegro - Irwin Fischer
III. Adagio - Irwin Fischer
IV. Allegro Molto - Irwin Fischer

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Turandot: Scherzo
III. Andantino
IV. Marsch
I. Premonitions
II. Yesteryears
III. Summer Morning By A Lake
IV. Peripetia
V. The Obbligato Recitative
Variations On A Hungarian Folksong 'The Peacock' - Antal Dorati
Suite From 'The Miraculous Mandarin' - Antal Dorati

Customer Reviews:

The Mussorgsky is a Delight .......2006-10-26

I am not an "audio expert", but I do know what I like. And I love this CD. I heard this recording of Mussorgksy's "Pictures From an Exhibition" on an NPR program from The Chicago Symphony. I was very taken with the clarity of sound. I searched for the recording through Amazon and I am absolutely delighted. It is a four dsic set, but I haven't gone on to the other recordings (yet) becasue I keep re-playing this lovely piece. I hope you enjoy it.

A nice collection of performances, but mixed sonics from 50 years ago.......2006-06-01

Audiophiles adore the Mercury Living Presence series issued throughout the early Fifties and Sixties, but for those of us who aren't specialty collectors, it's pretty clear that not evreything on MLP is a gem. This valuable colleciton (mono only) from the doomed tenure of Rafael Kubelik with the Chicago Sym.--he lasted only a few years before the local critic's stinging rebukes sent Kubelik packing in favor of Fritz Reiner--deserves detailed appraisal.

CD 1: Kubelik was a lively, stylish Mozartean, and this 1953 Sym. #38 is quite lovely. It's more streamlined than Walter's recordings of the "Prague," but cut form the same affectionate cloth. The recording, however, is thin and shrill. I found it uncomfortable to listen to except at low volume.

Kubelik recorded Dvorak's "New World" musltiple times; this Chicago reading dates from 1951 and is caught in sharp mono sonics with a bit too much stinging treble for my ears. Even so, there are those who think this lively, rather lean performance is one of Kubelik's best. I'm not sure that it's so special that one should do without stereo, but the choice is personal. The CSO plays superbly, and the general contour of the interpretation is straightforward.

CD 2 is entirely given over to Smetana's Ma Vlast, another Kubelik specialty that he recorded multiple times. This 1952 recording sounds identical to the Dvorak on CD 1--a deep soundstage with lots of dynamic range. The interpretation is essentially moderate and unexaggerated. It's certainly stylish and has real sweep, too. In terms of dramatic impact CD 2 is far ahead of CD 1.

CD 3: Curiously, there are audiophile purists who insist that the Golden Age of 50's mono produced better sound than any current digital recording. If that's a viable position (few outside the cult agree), the works on this CD are prime evidence. Kubelik's Pictures at an Exhibition and Bartok Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta were recorded in the spring of 1951. They are vivid and colorful, with tangy wind choirs and plenty of dynamic impact. Kubelik proves a restless, almost nervous interpreter of the Mussorgsky, which refreshes this warhose. Neither the recording nor the CSO's playing really matches the later, legendary RCA performance under Reiner, but Kubelik's reading has more sinew and rhythmic spring to it. He brings the same qualities to the Bartok, which gets a wiry "modernist" interpretation that's very appealing, less offical-sounding than the famous Reiner account.

CD 4: At the start of this CD we are back to the thin sound of CD 1 (both were recorded in 1953 with the same Telefunken 201 micropone). For some reason, however, this disc can be played at louder volume without treble sting. Kubelik's Hindemith Symphonic Meatmorphoses is lean and propulsive. This is a refreshing take, but without gorgeous stereo sound the coloristic aspects of this showpiece can't be fully apreciated.

Being too much of a modernist was a prime factor in getting Kubelik fired, which is all the more unfair because his Schoenberg Five Pieces for Orchestra is a standout, almost the performance of a lifetime. I hope somebody in the conservative Chicago audience appreciated how seductive and witty this performance was; if Schoenerg's masterpiece has ever sounded more like Daphnis and Chloe, I don't know when.

The last two works were recorded in 1954, at the tail end of Kubelik's stay, and the sound remains a bit shrieky. But his itnerpretations of Kodaly's Peacock Variations and Bartok's Miraculous Mandarin Suite are excellent, full of energy and fierceness in the Bartok, making it as scary as the composer intended. Playing the shrill mono recording at full volume is impossibly masochistic on the ears, but the reading is terrific.

Chicago was lucky--they exchanged a near-great conductor for a great one. Mercury, however, lost the best conductor it would ever have, moving on to Dorati and Paray and even more audiophile cult delights.

Kubelik's Classic MLP Recordings Are Back!.......2005-09-14

Those familiar with my reviews on Amazon know of my great love for the Mercury Living Presence series. Equally great is my disgust that so many of these brilliant recordings have been deleted in the last few years! Thankfully, some of these legendary performances are resurfacing, and while the single disc titles are unfortunately listed at full-price, it is wonderful to see the various multi-disc sets basically being sold at budget line. With this 4CD reissue, Rafael Kubelik's legendary recordings with the Chicago Symphony are restored to the catalog, as only his 1952 rendition of Smetana's "Ma Vlast" was currently in print. (Please note that the performances of Kodaly's "Peacock Variations" and Bartok's "Miraculous Mandarin" Suite are with Antal Dorati leading the same orchestra.) To illustrate how prized these recordings are by collectors, the extremely rare original CD issue coupling the Moussorgsky/Ravel "Pictures at an Exhibition" with Bartok's "Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta" has been known to fetch twice the price of this new set in the Amazon Marketplace! Buying this collection for the Pictures performance alone is worthwhile, as it was the recording that led a critic to coin the phrase "Living Presence," from which the Mercury named its series. Of course getting memorable accounts of Dvorak's 9th and Mozart's 38th Symphonies, Hindemith's "Symphonic Metamorphosis" and Schoenberg's Five Pieces, Op. 16 is just icing on the cake. Once again, Mercury Living Presence lives!

Average customer rating:

Otto Ackermann Conducts
Dvorak , Ackermann , Tortelier , and Zurich Tonhalle
Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Allegro
Adagio Non Troppo
Finale: Allegro Moderato
Adagio - Allegro Molto
Largo
Scherzo: Molto Vivace
Allegro Con Fuoco

Victor de Sabato Conducts Franck & Dvorak

Average customer rating:

Victor de Sabato Conducts Franck & Dvorak

Manufacturer: Idi [Ital Disc Inst]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004S936
Release Date: 2000-03-15

Bruno Walter Conducts Tchaikovsy, Dvorak, Smetana

Average customer rating:

Bruno Walter Conducts Tchaikovsy, Dvorak, Smetana

Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000024OYQ
Release Date: 1995-01-31

Tracks:

Symphony No.9 In E, Op.95 (From The New World): I. Adagio-Allegro molto
Symphony No.9 In E, Op.95 (From The New World): II. Largo
Symphony No.9 In E, Op.95 (From The New World): III. Scherzo (Molto vivace)
Symphony No.9 In E, Op.95 (From The New World): IV. Allegro con fuoco
Ma Vlast: Moldau
The Barthered Bride: Overture
Romeo And Juliet: Overture-fantasy

Average customer rating:

Kempe Conducts Beethoven & Prokofiev

Manufacturer: BBC Legends
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000056P0M
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Leonore Ov No.3, Op.72a: Adagio - Allegro
The Love For Three Oranges - Sym Ste, Op.33bis: I. Les Ridicules. Vivo
The Love For Three Oranges - Sym Ste, Op.33bis: II. Le Magicien Tchelio Et Fata Morgana Jouent...
The Love For Three Oranges - Sym Ste, Op.33bis: III. Marche. Tempo Di Marcia
The Love For Three Oranges - Sym Ste, Op.33bis: IV. Scherzo. Allegro Con Brio
The Love For Three Oranges - Sym Ste, Op.33bis: V. Le Prince Dt La Princesse. Andantino
The Love For Three Oranges - Sym Ste, Op.33bis: VI. La Fuite. Allegro - Andante Assai - Allegro...
Sym No.9 in e, Op.95 'From The New World': I. Adagio - Allegro Molto
Sym No.9 in e, Op.95 'From The New World': II. Largo
Sym No.9 in e, Op.95 'From The New World': III. Scherzo. Molto Vivace
Sym No.9 in e, Op.95 'From The New World': IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Stokowski conducts Vaughan Williams/Dvorak/Purcell

Average customer rating:

Truly essential listening at mid-price !
An essential listening experience at mid-price !

Stokowski conducts Vaughan Williams/Dvorak/Purcell

Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis - Erich Gruenberg & Jeremy Painter/Frederick Riddle/David Strange
Dido's Lament (From Dido And Aeneas)
Serenade in E, Op.22: I. Moderato
Serenade in E, Op.22: II. Tempo Di Valse
Serenade in E, Op.22: III. Scherzo (Vivace)
Serenade in E, Op.22: IV. Larghetto
Serenade in E, Op.22: V. Finale (Allegro Vivace)

Customer Reviews:

Truly essential listening at mid-price !.......2001-05-09

This is one of the two legendary recordings Stokowski made in1975 (aged 93!) with the obscure indie label Desmar. They've neverbeen available on cd, I guess for [certain] problems (Desmar folded shortly afterwards), and EMI has done a wonderful job in re-issueing them . Nowadays every performance from the past is billed as "legendary" , but this word can be properly used about these two releases. While the other disc is, in my opinion, the definitive recording of the Rachmaninov 3rd sym., from the conductor who premiered it and worked closer than any other with the composer, this one is, quite simply, the most amazing rendition of the RVW Fantasia I've ever encountered. Sometimes mistakenly intended as a "simple" string showpiece, the Fantasia is a most difficult piece, that requires a balance of totale dedication and unerring control, otherwise it can easily sound static, or too syrupy, or too mystic , which was not intended to be (not in the strictly religious sense, at least ). Thankfully there are some great performances around, like Previn's, Haitink's or Boult's, but I think no one like Stokowski strikes such a perfect blend of concentration, heartfelt dedication and forward momentum. Only Barbirolli matches him, but here the playing is even more refined, and the sound is altogether superior. Stokowski's performance is, at the same time, somber and poignantly passionate , majestic and most finely nuanced. The string "layers" are splendidly balanced, the antiphonal interaction between the two orchestras achieves an unprecedented clarity. No gloss at the expense of depth, though: the hushed beginning is ethereal, while the ecstatic climax is glorious. The Old Magician also extracts the most ravishing sounds from the RPO, that here truly boasts that blend of unity, precision and warmth normally associated with the Concertgebouw or the golden age Philadelphia. This alone is worth the price, but we also get a most charming, even though idiosyncratic in tempi, performance of the Dvorak, and a real gem, the Stokowski "transfiguration" of the Purcell. I usually like my ancient music "authentic" but no one like Stokowski ( neither Schonberg nor Respighi or Elgar in their transcriptions) knew how to make the old masters shine like he did with Bach, and this Purcell transcription is absolutely marvelous. A guilty pleasure, maybe, but who cares, when the music making is so glorious? The Desmar releases were also famous for their sound, and deservedly so. The careful digital remastering has preserved the splendidly three-dimensional soundstage and, above all, the uncanny realism of the strings tone rendition. I'm not usually inclined to "analogue nostalgia", but this is really superior to many chilly DDD recordings. The presentation is overall first class: there's even a picture of the (splendid) original LP covers.

An essential listening experience at mid-price !.......2000-02-18

This is one of the two legendary recordings Stokowski made at 93 with the obscure independent label Desmar, available for the first time in cd. Nowadays every performance from the past seems to be "legendary" , but this word is not improperly used here. While the other disc is,in my opinion, the definitive recording of the Rachmaninov 3rd symphony, from the conductor who premiered it and worked closer than any other with the composer, this one is, very simply, the final account of the RVW fantasia. This is a most difficult piece, because it can sound too syrupy, or too austere, or too religious, which was not intended to be. There are notable achievements like Previn's, Haitink's or Barbirolli's, but I think no one like Stokowski strikes the perfect balance of concentration, heartfelt dedication and forward momentum, giving us a performance which is at the same time somber and poignant, majestic and most finely nuanced (never I heard in a so clearly the antiphonal action between the two orchestras !) He also coaxes the most ravishing sounds from the RPO strings, here displaying the blend of unity, precision and warmth normally associated with the Concertgebouw or the golden age Philadelphia. This alone is worth the price, but we also get a most charming, even though idiosyncratic, performance of the Dvorak, and a real gem, the Stokowski "transfiguration" of the Purcell. I usually like my ancient music "authentic" but no one like Stokowski ( neither Schonberg nor Respighi or Elgar in their transcriptions) knew how to make the old masters glow like he did with Bach, and the Purcell is also very beautiful. The engineering is absolutely stunning in its clarity and velvety tone, really the best of the analogue age near its end. I urge you to get this.

Average customer rating:

Bruno Walter Conducts Tchaikovsy, Dvorak, Smetana

Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000IQMM
Release Date: 1999-06-22

Tracks:

Symphony No.9 In E, Op.95 (From The New World): I. Adagio-Allegro molto
Symphony No.9 In E, Op.95 (From The New World): II. Largo
Symphony No.9 In E, Op.95 (From The New World): III. Scherzo (Molto vivace)
Symphony No.9 In E, Op.95 (From The New World): IV. Allegro con fuoco
Ma Vlast: Moldau
The Barthered Bride: Overture
Romeo And Juliet: Overture-fantasy

Sir Charles Mackerras conducts Delius, Dvorák, Elgar, Suk & Vorísek

Average customer rating:

Sir Charles Mackerras conducts Delius, Dvorák, Elgar, Suk & Vorísek

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B000BEZPLO
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Spirito - English Chamber Orchestra
II. Andante - English Chamber Orchestra
III. Scherzo: Allegro Ma Non Troppo - English Chamber Orchestra
IV. Finale: Allegro Con Brio - English Chamber Orchestra
I. Preludium: Pastorale/Allegro Moderato - English Chamber Orchestra
II. Polka: Allegretto Grazioso - English Chamber Orchestra
III. Sousedska: Allegro Giusto - English Chamber Orchestra
IV. Romanza: Andante Con Moto - English Chamber Orchestra
V. Finale: Furiant/Presto - English Chamber Orchestra
Romance In F Minor For Violin And Orchestra, Op.11 - Sir Charles Mackerras
Fantastic Scherzo, Op.25 - Sir Charles Mackerras

Tracks:

Overture - Wiener Philharmoniker
Fantasy For Violin And Orchestra, Op.24 - Sir Charles Mackerras
Voices Of Life And Consolation - Sir Charles Mackerras
Noon (Mittag) - Sir Charles Mackerras
Intermezzo/Blind Musicians (Blinde Musiker) - Sir Charles Mackerras
In The Power Of Phantoms (In Der Macht Der Geister) - Sir Charles Mackerras
Night (Nacht) - Sir Charles Mackerras

Tracks:

On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring - Sir Charles Mackerras
Brigg Fair-An English Rhapsody - Sir Charles Mackerras
With Quiet Easy Movement - Sir Charles Mackerras
Slow And Solemnly - Sir Charles Mackerras
Theme: Andante - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
I. C.A.E. (L'istesso Tempo) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
II. H.D.S.-P. (Allegro) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
III. R.B.T. (Allegretto) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
IV. W.M.B. (Allegro Di Molto) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
V. R.P.A. (Moderato) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
VI. Ysobel (Andantino) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
VII. Troyte (Presto) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
VIII. W.N. (Allegretto) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
IX. Nimrod (Adagio) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
X. Intermezzo: Dorabella (Allegretto) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
XI. G.R.S. (Allegro Di Molto) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
XII. B.G.N. (Andante) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
XIII. Romanza (Moderato) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
XIV. Finale: E.D.U. (Allegro/Presto) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Rudolf Kempe Conducts Rimsky-Korsakov, Weinberger, Dvorák

Average customer rating:

Another Testament to Great Reissues

Rudolf Kempe Conducts Rimsky-Korsakov, Weinberger, Dvorák

Manufacturer: Testament
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00006I4A5
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Customer Reviews:

Another Testament to Great Reissues.......2003-10-16

Testament is rapidly becoming one of my favorite classical labels, despite the fact that its CDs sell at full-price. This company prides itself on licensing classic recordings from the vaults of labels like EMI and Decca, performances that the big boys won't reissue not because of their musical quality, but because of their lack of profitability. They have also made it their mission to rescue the reputations of once great conductors no longer in the spotlight, including D.E. Inghelbrecht, Gunter Wand (see my reviews of both) and now Rudolf Kempe. Kempe would never have been totally forgotten as his Strauss recordings are a cornerstone of EMI's current series of CD box sets and budget-line titles. But he was more than a Strauss specialist as he was a first-rate conductor of everything from Beethoven to Wagner, and unfortunately too many of his outstanding recordings are no longer available. Three such first-rate performances are reissued here -- Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" (with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from 1967), the Polka and Fugue from Weinberger's "Schwanda the Bagpiper" (RPO, 1961), and Dvorak's "Scherzo Capriccioso" (Berlin Philharmonic, 1957). All of these recordings are captured in brilliant golden-age stereo, and this CD marks the first stereo release of the Dvorak. In all, this title is yet another "Testament" to a great reissue program.

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