Dvorak: Symphonies 8 & 9

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Dvorak's last two symphonies get very personalized, dramatic performances from Ivan Fischer and his orchestra. Dynamics are extremely wide, numerous details that go unheard in other performances are carefully observed, and the readings bristle with energy. There's also a feeling of overinterpreting as well, with the kind of minute tempo variations that skirt the border between individualism and mannerism. But there are far too many wonderful aspects to these performances to ignore--the velvety strings of the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the beautifully shaped phrasing of the vivacious Allegretto of the 8th Symphony, the wild, driving finale of the "New World" are just three of them. There are great recordings of these works by Walter, Szell, Bernstein, and Kubelik. But Fischer's dramatic, personal view makes them sound fresh, and that makes him worth hearing. --Dan Davis

Tracks:

Stuck In The Saddle Again (Light Cavalry March, Suppe)
Sing Verdi Very Loud (La donna e mobile, from Rigoletto, Verdi)
Its The Same Every Verse (In The Hall of The Mountain King, from Peer Gynt Suite, Grieg)
Musical Bs (Hungarian Dance #5, Brahms)
Dont Play That Violin (Violin Concerto #2, Paganini)
Schuberts Trout (Trout Quintet, Schubert)
Dvorak The Czechoslovak (Humoresque #7, Dvorak)
A Fan of Chopin (Prelude 7, Op. 28, Chopin)
Please Do Not Tease The Viennese (Blue Danube Waltz, Strauss)
Its Spring! (Spring, from The Four Seasons, Vivaldi)
Wow What a Wedding Cake (Wedding March, from A Midsummer Nights Dream,. Mendelssohn)
Instrumental Performances:
Light Cavalry March, Suppe
La donna e mobile, from Rigoletto, Verdi (with vocals)
In The Hall of The Mountain King, from Peer Gynt Suite, Grieg
Hungarian Dance #5, Brahms
Violin Concerto #2, Paganini
Trout Quintet, Schubert
Humoresque #7, Dvorak
Prelude 7, Op. 28, Chopin
Blue Danube Waltz, Strauss
Spring, from The Four Seasons, Vivaldi

Amazon.com

From a pure-pleasure standpoint, the first Beethoven's Wig was nothing to flip over, and the second disc in the series follows suit. However, that is not to say that this is not a valuable and possibly ingenious record. Those unfamiliar with the premise will quickly get the picture: Producer/writer/lead singer/chief clever guy Richard Perlmutter gathers a bundle of important classical works (Paganini's "Violin Concerto #2," Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz") and makes up silly, catchy lyrics to lay over them, informing the listener about the piece or its composer. Standing out for their offbeat brilliance this time are "Dvorak the Czechoslovak" ("Humoresque #7," Dvorak) and "Wow What a Wedding Cake" (Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mendelssohn). Few stabs at mixing education with entertainment succeed so well. As a bonus, the second half of the CD repeats the symphonies straight up, presenting a neat opportunity to quiz kids 5-12 on what and who they've just heard. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Greatest baby gift ever.......2007-03-15

Both of my grandchildren (and their parents and grandparents) are hooked on this CD and all of the silliness and beauty it brings into our lives. We sing to it, dance to it, and find ourselves thinking about it at odd times. Who can't love singing Verdi VERY LOUD? I've now started giving this as a simple baby gift, especially to those with older siblings. They are already equipped with clothing and nursery gear, and Beethoven's Wig invites the whole family to gather round...even if it is just on short car rides.

Great for the whole family.......2007-01-04

My husband, 18 month old daughter and I all love this CD. It's a staple in the car. One caveat- these lyrics will get stuck in your head and I now find myself singing the "words" to these songs when I hear them in a store or commercial! I'm hoping this means my daughter will recognize these songs as she gets older.

More Great Fun.......2006-03-13

Like the first volume, this CD encourages young children to enjoy classical music. The silly lyrics sometimes impart factual information on the composer or the piece. There are 11 sing-along symphonies and then the 11 symphonies are replayed without the lyrics--total of 22 tracks. Booklet with lyrics and trivia is included. All our children (aged 2-12) enjoy this CD, as do we.

One is better but this is still awesome!! Gotta have it!.......2006-01-10

My children loved Beethovens Wig 1. I checked this one out at the library. Then, we decided we had to have this one too.
Yes, one is the best but 2 is still wonderful.
Save yourself the shipping and order both at the same time.
We all thoroughly enjoy it. My 4 yr old can name these classicals when he hears them elsewhere and he can hum these beautiful songs. Much better than kiddie rhymes and Disney jingles. Culture your children the funniest way!!

Absolute joy, and endless fun!.......2005-11-15

The tunes and word stay with you and before you know it, you are signing them along. My two kids (ages 9 and 7) ask me to put the CD on as soon as we get into the car. What a wonderful and fun way to get them to love classical music!

Average customer rating:

Heartfelt, passionate versions
Great Recording
Great set of music!
Kertesz or Kubelik in the Dvorak symphonies?
Amazing performances

Dvorák: The Symphonies

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures
Schubert: 8 Symphonies
Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Schumann: The 4 Symphonies
Johannes Brahms: The Symphonies

ASIN: B0000041WV
Release Date: 1992-02-11

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor 'Zlonicke zvony': I: Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor 'Zlonicke zvony': II: Adagio molto
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor 'Zlonicke zvony': III: Allegretto
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor 'Zlonicke zvony': IV: Finale - Allegro animato
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 4: Allegro con molto

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2: II: Poco adagio
Symphony No. 2: III: Scherzo: Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 2: IV: Finale: Allegro con fuoco
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 10: I: Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 10: II: Adagio molto
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 10: III: Finale: Allegro vivace

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 In D minor, Op. 13: I. Allegro
Symphony No. 4 In D minor, Op. 13: II. Andante sostenuto e molto cantabile
Symphony No. 4 In D minor, Op. 13: III. Allegro feroce
Symphony No. 4 In D minor, Op. 13: IV. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 5 In F Major, Op. 76 (Beginning): I. Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 5 In F Major, Op. 76 (Beginning): II. Andante con moto
Symphony No. 5 In F Major, Op. 76 (Beginning): III. Scherzo: Allegro scherzando

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 (Conclusion): IV. Finale: Allegro molto
Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 60: I. Allegro non tanto
Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 60: II. Adagio
Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 60: III. Scherzo (Furiant): Presto
Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 60: IV. Finale: Allegro con spirito
'V prirode', Op. 91: In Nature's Realm

Tracks:

Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: I. Allegro maestoso
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: II. Poco adagio
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: III. Scherzo: Vivace - poco meno mosso
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: IV. Allegro
Symphony No. 8 In G Major, Op. 88: I. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 8 In G Major, Op. 88: II. Adagio
Symphony No. 8 In G Major, Op. 88: III. Allegretto grazioso
Symphony No. 8 In G Major, Op. 88: IV. Allegro ma non troppo

Tracks:

Symphony No. 9 In E Minor, Op. 95 'Z Noveho sveta': I. Adagio - Allegro molto
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor, Op. 95 'Z Noveho sveta': II. Largo
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor, Op. 95 'Z Noveho sveta': III. Molto vivace
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor, Op. 95 'Z Noveho sveta': IV. Allegro con fuoco
'Karneval' Overture, Op. 92
Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66
'Domov muj' Overture, Op. 62

Amazon.com essential recording

For decades, there were only three complete collections of Dvorák's symphonies: this one; Rowicki's with the same orchestra; and Kubelik's with the Berlin Philharmonic. Kertész offers the most rustic, gutsy interpretations of all. Famous for his dislike of rehearsals, he allows the London Symphony to make a much rougher sound than his colleagues tolerate, and though not the last word in polish, the results have a spontaneous charm that's pretty hard to resist. More to the point, Dvorák's early symphonies (Nos. 1 to 5) remain sadly neglected, and each one of them is full of gorgeous tunes cloaked in mellifluous orchestration. At budget price, this set now costs less than it did on LP in the 1960s. How can you do better than that? --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Heartfelt, passionate versions.......2007-06-23

The late Istvan Kertesz continues to amaze, with this spectacular reissue of his 1960s Dvorak symphonies cycle. These versions each compare well with or exceed the legendary recordings by Ancerl, Szell, Talich, et al. Sound quality is excellent, and the mix on the orchestra is almost always just right, balancing strings, brass, and percussion. Compared to some Czech recordings, the woodwinds volumes are a bit weak, which is unfortunate because woodwinds are one of Dvorak's specialties. If you have no other set of Dvorak symphonies, or have 10 copies of "From the New World" and no copies of Symphonies 1, 2 or 3, then this is a must-have set. From the opening bars of Symphony No. 1, you'll agree you're in the presence of greatness.

Great Recording.......2007-06-03

Friends and CD-guides told me this was the best. And they were right.

Great set of music!.......2007-05-24

Along with Piotr Tchaikovsky, Antonin Dvorak was probably the most prolific composer of the Romance period. He composed for just about every genre of classical music except ballet, and is known for a wide variety of works. Some of his most famous are his symphonies. He wrote 9, out of respect for Beethoven, and like the German master, the last one is the most widely recognized. But like Beethoven, all 9 symphonies are incredible pieces of music in their own right. This set has all 9 symphonies, along with several other popular orchestral works. The sound quality is good, the orchestration is great, and the choice of music is great. All the pieces are dramatic, with melodies that range from powerful to awe-inspiring to melancholy. Every piece of music in this set is purely in the Romantic style; full of emotion, and many are inspired by folk tunes from Eastern Europe. All in all, a great set, and for a great price.

Kertesz or Kubelik in the Dvorak symphonies?.......2006-05-03

Although decades old, the two analog sets of Dvorak symphonies from Kertesz and Kubelik remain the front-runnters. From the mid-Sixties onward Decca has been so satisfied with the groundbreaking Kertesz cycle, the first to bring Sym. 1-6 to the general listening public outisde Czechoslovakia, that the company has rarely re-recorded any but the last three, most famous symphonies. DG, on the other hand, didn't release Kubelik's Sym. 1-6 until the digital era (1988, I believe), keeping them in the vualts and out of competiiton with Kertesz.

Now both sets are offered at basically the same price on 6 mid-line discs, with deep discounts on the used market. The difference between the two is quite marked musically, however. Kertesz comunicates the thrill of discovery in the early symphhonies. Amazingly, he had never conducted them before, and their vibrancy and inner life lift my spirits every time I hear them. The LSO didn't know these pieces, either, but play with rousing commitment and vivacity.

By comparison, Kubelik sounds rather correct and staid. He often chooses marginally slower tempos, and his enthusiasm for letting the dance rhytyms become exciting is limited. The Berlin Phil. seems not to catch on to the Slavonic folk idiom, which gets played far too straight (Dvorak had the same problem with Greman orchestras in his lifetime and was only accepted in Vienna and Berlin at first as a kind of naive, folk-flavored Brahms). As to sonics, the Decca set holds up well, being a bit bright at times but otherwise detailed and forward. DG, unforunately, gave Kubelik's later symphonies (#7-9) harsh, glaring sound that makes his readings sound brash; there's an unpleasant sting to the sound at higher volumes. This problem seems less in the earlier symphonies (the cycle was recorded over a longer period than Kertesz's and thus has more variable sound). I do not know if the current re-issue also includes remastering.

It's regrettable that in the interest of economics Decca has cut out several of Kertesz's most interesting fillers, such as the Hussite Over., though they can be found on other CDs from him. We get the Carnival Over. on both sets, after which Kertesz gives us the "My Homeland" and "In Nature's Realm" Over., while Kubelik offers the Scerzo capriccioso and The Wild Dove tone poem, both performed by his Bavarian State Orchestra rather than the Berliners.

As msut be obvious by now, I don't feel the two sets are competitive artistically. Kubelik was a major conductor and dedicated to Dvorak, but his best work isn't here. Kertesz, though not native born to the composer as Kubelik was, found a special affinity for Dvorak, and his cycle is one of the small miracles of Sixties recording. Perhaps not so minor considering that no one has bettered him in the early symphonies for forty years.

Amazing performances.......2005-03-28

This orchestra really has a rich, powerful sound, but can still give deep emotional sounds, all of which are needed to perform Dvorak. I doubt one can find finer performances of these symphonies, and the other works included in the set are very well chosen. The performances of each symphony are incredible, the sound quality is very good, and as I said before, the orchestra is wonderful. Highly recommended.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Average customer rating:

CD set is misnamed
Do not Buy
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
Seek better versions
It Is What It Is

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits
25 Classical Favorites
25 Romantic Classics
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B000003QWH
Release Date: 1994-06-09

Tracks:

Canon In D
'Brandenburg' Concerto No. 3: Allegro
The Four Seasons - The Winter: Largo And Allegro
Fanfare ('Masterpiece Theatre' Theme)
Camerata Romana: Air For The 'G' String
'Eine kleine Nachtmusik': Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21 ('Elvira Madigan' Theme): Andante
Introduction To Symphony No. 5
'William Tell' Overture: Finale
'Aida': Triumphal March
On The Beautiful, Blue Danube Waltz
'The Nutcracker': Waltz Of The Flowers
'1812' Overture: Finale

Tracks:

Sabre Dance
'Light Cavalry' Overture: Finale
Carmen: The Toreadors
' Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March
Radetzky March
Symphony No. 9, 'Choral': Finale
'Prince Igor': Polovstian Dance No. 17
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Sleepers, Wake
Water Music: Hornpipe
Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World': Largo
Emperor Waltz
'Emperor' Quartet: St. Anthony's Chorale
'The Tales Of Hoffman': Barcarolle
L'Arlesienne: Farandole
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Mirlitons
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
'Rhapsody In Blue': Highlight
'Orpheus In The Underworld': Can-Can

Tracks:

Introduction To 'Also sprach Zarathustra'
Symphony No. 4, 'Italian': Saltarello: Presto
Piano Concerto No. 20: Romance
'The Valkyrie': Ride Of The Valkyries
'The Four Seasons' - The Spring: Allegro
Toccata and Fugue
Trumpet Voluntary
'Royal Fireworks Music': la rejouissance: Allegro
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio Sostenuto
London Festival Orchestra: Overture To 'The Barber Of Seville'
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio Sostenuto

Tracks:

Carmina Burana: Introduction To 'Carmina Burana'
Peer Gynt: Dawn From 'Peer Gynt'
Lohengrin: Prelude To 'Lohengrin'
'Lieutenant Kije': Troika From 'Lieutenant Kije'
Adiago For Strings
'Carmen': Habanera From 'Carmen'
'Double' Concerto: Allegro From 'Double' Concerto
The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture To 'The Marriage Of Figaro'
(Rondo) Alla Turca
Xerxes: Largo From 'Xerxes'
Symphony No. 5: Allegro vivace From Symphony No. 5
'Swan Lake': Scene: Enchanted Lake From 'Swan Lake'
Clair De Lune
Bolero

Customer Reviews:

CD set is misnamed.......2007-06-08

They should have titled this "classical music for people who love classical music" because most of the selections are typical classical music. The title suggests it would be lively selections of "light classical" music that is more upbeat, i.e. Sabre Dance, etc. I really don't hate classical music at all and have many classical CDs in my collection but I really wanted to hear more exciting selections. I won't be purchasing any more of this set but if you like traditional classical music these are good one.

Do not Buy.......2007-02-21

I do know it says classical music for people who hate it, but serioulsly you would have better luck never listening to classical music again. The recordings are awfull and do not do justice to any of the composers. Buy something else.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music.......2007-01-30

We love this set of CD's. I just got a new copy because my kids keeping taking our first copy with them so that they can listen at work or in their bedrooms but then I can never find them.

Seek better versions.......2006-12-09

If you are fairly new to classical purchases then compilation CD's can be useful for deciding what to buy next. Sometimes you only need a small taste of a piece to inspire you to buy a release with the whole performance on. The problem with this compilation however is that most of the versions are poor in performance or recording quality (or both) when compared to the best versions and the fact that the conductors aren't even credited on the track listing made me suspect that this would be the case. One of my favorite classical pieces is Tchaikovsky's 1812 festival overture but if the first CD version I had heard had been the finale excerpt that is on this compilation I may not have gone on to buy the whole thing. Luckily I heard Adrian Leaper's version first and Adrian's version is rather good.
My classical CD buying experience is limited to only a couple of dozen discs but I have found that the Naxos and Deutshe Grammophon releases are fairly safe. Avoid any release which does not name the conductors on the track listing or sleeve notes.

It Is What It Is.......2006-10-27

It's fitting that this page is fraught with the same kind of silly snobbery that turns people off from classical music (and necessitates collections like this) in the first place.

Any criticism of this compilation, which focuses on the quality of the performances or the fact that many tracks are excerpts, misses the point. This is not a collection for people who consider such things, nor does it purport to be. The idea is to package as many ultra-famous classical melodies as possible in one affordable collection and market it to people who have never purchased a classical recording. As such, top-tier performances are likely too expensive to be sold so cheaply and are unnecessary anyway. Those of us who already know and love a piece or two can forgive the compilers the inclusion of sub-par recordings, when we are exposed to so many other beautiful pieces for the first time.

It probably comes as a shock for some to hear that most people are not familiar with these classics. We may hear snippets on TV or movies, but are left with no idea as to the composer or historical context. With that in mind, it is extremely intimidating to begin buying classical. I suppose those among us, who so thoroughly dismissed the very notion of a boxed set like this, would have us begin by buying full albums by reputable interpreters. Surprisingly enough though, the majority of people would consider that a tad cost-prohibitive.

To conclude, this is a STARTER collection. It will either affirm a listener's feelings about classical music or lead to an interest in purchasing better recordings. Ideally, I suppose the interpretations would be better, but, for reasons mentioned above, that just isn't in the cards for a collection of this nature. If you're familiar with 50 different recordings of "The Ring" series, or have season tickets to the New York Philharmonic, then this probably isn't for you. For us cretins with limited foreknowledge of classical music though, it serves as a succinct introduction with little to complain about.

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Average customer rating:

Waste of money
Great Music Compilation
If you like classical music don't buy this CD.
A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music
A great compilation

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Manufacturer: Utv Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
25 Classical Favorites
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II

ASIN: B00004GOZA
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Adagio In G Minor
Jesu, Joy OF Man's Desiring
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio sostenuto
March Of The Toreadors (Carmen)
Celebrated Minuet
Polovtsian Dance No. 1 (Prince Igor)
Cradle Song
'Minute' Waltz
Suite Bergamasque: Clair de Lune
Largo
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Rhapsody In Blue - Andante And Finale
Peer Gynt Suite: Morning
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Liebestraum
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March
'Masterpiece Theater' Theme: Rondau (First Symphonic Suite)
The Great Gate Of Kiev

Tracks:

Eine klein Nachtmusik - Allegro: Eine kleine Nachtmusik - Allegro
Orpheus In The Underworld: Cancan
Carmina Burana - O Fortuna
Canon In D
Lietenant Kije Suite - Troika
Turandot: Nessun dorma
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - 18th Variation: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini- 18th Variation
Bolero - Conclusion
The Tale Of Czar Sultan: Flight Of The Bumblebee
William Tell Overture - Finale
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan
Gymnopedie No. 3
Ave Maria
Blue Danube Waltz
Thus Spake Zarathustra - Sunrise
Firebird Suite - Finale
1812 Overture - Finale: 1812 Overtune - Finale
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves'
Anvil Chorus (II Trovatore)
The Four Seasons - Largo From 'Winter'
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries

Amazon.com

For those who want the most remembered passages of classical music's best-loved works, here's a package for you. On this bargain priced double-CD, you'll find music from 40 different classical composers; for the most part, the recordings excerpted here are some of the very best. Of course, you only get one Bach sampling (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, played by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) and one Mozart (A Little Night Music conducted by Herbert von Karajan), but this is still a nice collection--perhaps the starting point for a budding collection of classical music. This set's downfall? Unfortunately, though the liner notes discuss the evolution of classical music chronologically, the tracks are programmed in alphabetical order by composer's last name. This makes for some startling transitions! Emil Gilels's reflective performance of the Adagio from Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata is followed by the crashing cymbals and bombast of Carmen's "March of the Toreadors," a recipe for a heart attack if there ever was one. Still, there's something here for everyone and the liner notes even explain what movies this music can be found in. A nice touch. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Waste of money.......2006-01-12

Watch out for the volume leveling mentioned in another review. Surely the compliers could have come up with a better sort order than by composer. The change in tempo/volume between pieces makes it impossible to enjoy. My two CD's ended up in the trash.

Ken

Great Music Compilation.......2005-08-15

This is a great CD full of many songs that you will recognize and enjoy. If you are someone who likes classical music but doesn't necessarily know which songs or which composers you like, then this CD is for you. You will likely recognize many of the songs as the classical songs you would have picked out to be your favorites.

If you like classical music don't buy this CD........2005-03-11

Most of the tracks were chopped down to 3-4 minutes so some of the best parts of the compositions are missing. I don't know what I was thinking trying to buy 40 classical songs on two CD's. If you really want to enjoy the music you would do better to purchase a CD with fewer, but better quality tracks.

A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music.......2005-02-23

In my years of experience teaching Fine Arts to high school students, I know that the majority, if not all, of the music included on this album is commonly used in collge music appreciation courses. This is an excellent sample of truly all the "greatest hits" of classical music. My students enjoy listening to the music and have later told me when take their required music apreciation courses in college that they "already know it all" because of this CD! The recordings are clear, the selections are passionate, and the listener will gain a familiarity with all of the most commonly heard classical music used in tv commercials, movies, etc.
I recommend this album, along with the boxed set, "Age of the Classics" for anyone who is interested in becoming familiar with the most famous staples of classical music.

A great compilation.......2005-02-09

This cd somes up some of the greatest pieces of instrumental (and is some cases choral) music ever written. It is a great starter for a beginning classical music lover or a quick and easy all-in-one for those of us who study classical music for a living. I highly recommend this cd to anyone who wants to love or already does love classical music.

Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 1-9; In Nature; Serenade for Winds; Serenade for Strings, etc.

Average customer rating:

Great value!

Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 1-9; In Nature; Serenade for Winds; Serenade for Strings, etc.

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies; Finlandia; Kullervo; etc.
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphonies; Overtures; Concertos
Elgar: The 2 Symphonies; Enigma Variations; Overtures; Serenade; Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto
Ludwig van Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies - Arturo Toscanini / NBC Symphony Orchestra
Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1-6, 8 & 9

ASIN: B000A6T2KI
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Customer Reviews:

Great value!.......2007-06-01

I think this 7 cd set is totally worth the low price.
I can't find any review of this set of CDs online, so I did some research after I bought it.
It is the first CD release of Sir Andrew Davis's complete Dvorak's symphonies.
These recordings were made between 1978-1982 by CBS. (ADD/DDD)
SONY DSD remaster eliminated most of the early digital sound problems.
PO players produced warm and dramatic sounds.
The still young Andrew Davis did a great job adding his personal reading of the scores. I like his slower tempo treatment of Symphony No. 9.
Symphony no.1,3 and the Carnival overture are also great.
Only down side is the linear notes is too short, and lack of detail.
Dvorak's music always bring me the love for life. I hope you will enjoy it too.

Dvorák: Symphonies 8 & 9 / Kubelik, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Average customer rating:

extremely powerful
Wunderbar!
Magnificnt reading of the Eighth!
If, like me, you were raised on Bernstein, you'll enjoy this
Beware, check further also...

Dvorák: Symphonies 8 & 9 / Kubelik, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Dvorák: Cello Concerto; Tchaikovsky / Karajan, Rostropovich,
Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
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Dvorak & Saint-Saens: Cello Concertos
Mendelssohn: Symphonies 3 & 4 / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

ASIN: B000001GQ7
Release Date: 1996-02-13

Tracks:

Symphony No.8 In G Major, Op.88: 1. Allegro con brio
Symphony No.8 In G Major, Op.88: 2. Adagio
Symphony No.8 In G Major, Op.88: 3. Allegretto grazioso - Molto vivace
Symphony No.8 In G Major, Op.88: 4. Allegro, ma non troppo
Symphony No.9 In E Minor 'From The New World': 1. Adagio - Allegro molto
Symphony No.9 In E Minor 'From The New World': 2. Largo
Symphony No.9 In E Minor 'From The New World': 3. Scherzo. Molto vivace
Symphony No.9 In E Minor 'From The New World': 4. Allegro con fuoco

Amazon.com

Rafael Kubelik recorded Dvorak's Ninth Symphony something like four times, but it's never sounded better than it does here. In fact, when these performances were first released, they set new standards in symphonic cogency and beauty of orchestral execution. On this disc they have been carefully remastered and paired on a single midpriced CD. What a deal! One of the biggest problems in collecting classical music is that you're often faced with an embarrassment of riches--so many really fine performances of the great works. Some of these, however, stand out as classic recordings of classical music, and Kubelik's Dvorak recordings clearly belong in this elite category. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

extremely powerful.......2006-05-28

This review is for the 9th only, I have a cheap eloquence edition, paired with Smetana's Die Moldau.

I wouldn't have liked Kubelik conducted Mahler symphonies like this, the guy is completely brutal in this symphony.
An extremely energetic, powerful force at work, the playing is unbelievably loud at times.
But it works for Dvorak (not for Mahler - Solti makes pretty clear)

This performance is so powerful that I don't need another one like this one, so I bought Harnoncourt's more introvert version recently.

The recording is good, but something puzzles me.
The sound is very similar to Karajan's 1977's Beethoven cycle and is it because of the recording or the orchestra?
True, in Kubelik's recording the brass isn't veiled or mixed to the background and the Berliner react leaner and meaner.
But the odd hall acoustics, the singing sound of the strings, the emphasized lower registers - as if a loudness button is switched on - it all sounds very much like Karajan's 70's recordings.
Was sound engineer Gunther Hermanns involved with Kubelik's Berlin recordings?
My Eloquence edition gives no clue about it, nor does Google.

I like the warm, lush and sumptious part of the sound, but dislike the empty concerthall accoustics...they sound artificial and very 70's, the "candlelight romantic 70's"...I don't know way to describe it.
Harnoncourt's live recording with the RCO is also sumptious and warm, but that one sounds real (also with less string vibrato wich I like)

Finally the looks of the Eloquence cd (booklet) coverprint.
Why so ugly?
Does it cost that much more to have the fonts printed in a proper layout?
Does it cost that much more to print a nice picture?
And what's with those gold lines?
I'm pretty sure it took a lot of effort - they probably had to bribe the graphical designer - to make it look this ugly.
And why?
To make it easier for the consumer to pick the budget cd out of all the fullprice cd's?
I can spot a bargain very easily, I don't need extra visual guidance.
Or is it because they want people to avoid buying their budget edition to persuade them buying the good-looking full-price cd?
Most people don't seem to have a problem avoiding the full-price good-looking cd's, look at the sales of Brilliant Classics cd's.

Ofcourse the performance is most important and Kubelik's is brilliant, but I like a nice presentation as well...oh well I must be a dying breed.

Wunderbar!.......2006-01-07

I have several recordings of the 9th and have played it several times. I rarely listen to classical on the radio anymore, apart from some opera because I have been so involved with it. But... a few days ago, as I was driving home and flipping through the stations, I stopped at the sound of this interpretation of Dvorak #9 and was immediately hooked!

The Kubelik version is so interesting- it retains the searing, lyrical qualities of the melodies, yet your could hear the most minute details of the score. This is not an 'orthodox' recording, and I mean this in a good way- I sometimes felt as though the orchestra was singing to me. The flow was very melodic with lots of sensitive utilization of dynamics. A perfect balance of passion and musicality. Yes, there may be equally fine recordings, but this is as good as it gets!

Magnificnt reading of the Eighth!.......2005-06-06

The Eighth Symphony maybe considered a work with accented resemblance in what spirit concerns, to Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony or Schuman's Renana. Somehow this humble and honest artwork prefigures (specially in the second half of the Adagio) Mahler. It owns manifold and lovable moments. And it keeps a musical solidity supported by a clear chamber work atmosphere; smart device to cram the multiple bucolic atmosphere and in the meantime to underline the peacefulness in the first three movements. Dvorak wish's was and we cite: "To write a work which is different from my other symphonies, with individual ideas worked out in a new way". New way meant the new musical horizons seen by Dvorak. This is one of my beloved symphonies of this Czech composer and if you want to be winner conducting it , you need not only a first class orchestra but a whole gaze about the work. For instance you must avoid the tempting crescendos in the First Movement to allow the work doesn't miss the intimate character. Later, you will have the chance to exhibit the tonal musculature in the passage previous to the Coda. In the visibly reflective second Movement the journey takes a breath and the flute emerges as Wagner's device in Sigfried, representing the role of a bird, the sudden and unexpected second theme must spout organically as the nature by itself. It's very easy to fall in a cloying approach but that's the clue: to avoid it, specially in that charming Third Movement.
There are to my mind, just only four superb and overwhelming versions that detach far above the others: In first term the prodigious and never equaled to date exuberant performance given by the Alsatian Maestro Charles Munch with the one million carats orchestra: the Boston Symphony in 1960, the memorable reading of Istvan Kertesz and the London Symphony, the impressive reading of Rafael Kubelik with the Berlin Philharmonic dated on 1966. Kubelik was fifty two years old and the Berlin sound was in those ages simply bombastically effective, and finally a fabulous version of Vaclav Tallich with the Czech Philharmonic in the middle fifties.
In what the Ninth concerns nobody has been able to overpass until now the impressive and splendid performance given by Ferenc Fricsay and the Berlin Philharmonic in the early fifties.

If, like me, you were raised on Bernstein, you'll enjoy this.......2004-10-17

To me, and many others, Leonard Bernstein is and will always be the baseline against which we judge all other renditions. By that measure, I count these two symphonies as well done and not jarring in the change of tempo. (To add fuel to the fire of other debates, everyone does realize that von Karajan was a Nazi, right..? Remember Hitler's Command Performance of Wagner at the Paris Opera..?)

Beware, check further also..........2004-08-06

Only three stars, not to belittle this obviously loved and excellent recording. I HIGHLY recommend that you also check out other great recordings as the differences are enormous. The great Reiner CSO version from the fifties has been in my head for 40 plus years. Upon hearing the Kubelik version I was shocked at the great difference in tempo. The Kubelik is MUCH slower than the Reiner! Seriously, the first minute of the Kubelik is covered in 40 seconds of the Reiner. I am no music professor and I am not trying to say what is superior, ultimately it is a question of taste and preference, (and probably a little bias in my case) but with this level of variety in performances, please check out the other major recordings available of this great work.

Average customer rating:

The Cleveland Orchestra in very fine form
Plain-spoken to a fault
Very nice recording
Pure Dvorak
Great eighth, Poor Nineth

Dvorak: 3 Great Symphonies

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO
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Dvorak: Slavonic Dances
Symphonie Fantastique
Schumann: The 4 Symphonies

ASIN: B0000042EI
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: Allegro maestro - Dvorak
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: Poco Adagio - Dvorak
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: Scherzo: Vivace - Dvorak
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: Finale: Allegro - Dvorak
Symphony no 8 in G major, Op. 70: Allegro con brio - Dvorak
Symphony no 8 in G major, Op. 70: Adagio - Dvorak
Symphony no 8 in G major, Op. 70: Allegretto grazioso - Dvorak
Symphony no 8 in G major, Op. 70: Allegro, ma non troppo - Dvorak

Tracks:

Symphony No. 9 In E Minor, Op. 95 'From The New World': Adagio - Allegro Molto - Antonin Dvorak
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor, Op. 95 'From The New World': Largo - Antonin Dvorak
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor, Op. 95 'From The New World': Scherzo. Molto vivace - Antonin Dvorak
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor, Op. 95 'From The New World': Allegro con fuoco - Antonin Dvorak
Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66: Scherzo capriccioso - Antonin Dvorak

Amazon.com

Dvor´k's last three symphonies deserve every ounce of their popularity. Although the Eighth and Ninth are virtually ubiquitous, the greatest by common consent is the Seventh, which the composer wrote in the wake of having heard Brahms's Third Symphony (which was in turn influenced by Dvorák's Fifth). The friendship between Brahms and Dvorák was one of the most interesting artistic relationships in musical history, comparable only to that between Mozart and Haydn. Brahms, for his part, was clearly thinking of Dvorák's Seventh when he wrote his own Fourth Symphony, and actually corrected the publisher's proofs of Dvorák's Ninth when his friend, who was stuck in New York, was unable to. The Cleveland Orchestra has a great tradition of performance in both Brahms and Dvorák, inculcated by the incomparable George Szell, whose recordings of these three symphonies are also available. If you're looking for digital sound, you'll find that Szell's high standards have been admirably maintained by Dohnanyi and the orchestra. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

The Cleveland Orchestra in very fine form.......2007-05-02

This morning I downloaded these fine performances as well as the outstanding benchmark Kubelik Dvorak Symphony cycle at Rhapsody. Like Tchaikovsky, Dvorak's last three symphonies rock the house. His 9th reminds me of Tchaikovsky's 5th, though not quite as intense and not as horn laden. Dvorak's last three are much more spirited and intense over his first six. Like Tchaikovsky, we do miss out on some great music if we ignore the earlier works. I listened to the entire Kubilek cycle this morning and had a jolly good time.

While both the Cleveland and Kublik renditions are excellent, the Cleveland gets my nod for being a pretty good DDD recording vs the excellent Kubilek analog, though I would not suffer want from the quality of either. The recording levels seem to be higher and the music just seems to blast better out my speakers with more intensity with the Cleveland set.

There are many more recordings of Dvorak's last three symphonies than his first six. This is a shame! I was very pleased with the recordngs by Kubelik of symphonies 1 to 6 and can enjoy them along with my complete Valcav Neumann cycle that I have on vinyl.

I have on vinyl gatefold lp the Cleveland Orchestra's Dvorak Slavonic Dances directed by Szell. These must date possibly to the late 50s. I have nearly worn them out they are that good. It is nice to see that the Cleveland Orchestra has not let its guard down since Mr. Szell passed away in 1970 and has maintained their world class orchestral status.

As Nixon often said, "let me make this perfectly clear," the recrordings of these three symphonies by the Cleveland Orchestra are very strong 5 star performances!

Plain-spoken to a fault.......2007-02-20

Dohnanyi produced a decade's worth of recordings from Cleveland that were technically impeccable and yet almost faceless. In concert he can be an estimable and even exciting condcutor, but you'd never know it from these plain-spoken Dvorak symphonies. All Czech color has been drained; in fact, these are the most bleached Dvorak readings I've ever heard. The opening Allegros are disspiriting, the slow movements cautious, the scherzos totally devoid of earthy folk rhythems, the finales underwhelming instead of thrilling. Usually it's not fair to characterize a major artist's work wth such sweeping generalizations, but I must confess that I can't bring myself to describe any of the symphonies in detail. Apparently there are listeners who admire them. I couldn't value them except as a sleeping aid.

Very nice recording.......2006-03-13

This is a very nice recording of these symphonies. I had been trying to find all three together for a while, and I was so happy when I found this. I would highly reccommend it to anyone who enjoys Dvorak.

Pure Dvorak.......2004-12-20

After having listened to these interpretations of Dvorak's most famous symphonies, I can't go back to my old ones anymore. Granted, I'm a big fan of Dohnanyi's "straightforward approach," but it really does prove to be the right way to go here. I'm particularly taken with the Ninth, which many conductors take ridiculous liberties with to try to give it their seal of individuality. Dohnanyi correctly realizes that the individuality is already inherent the music and blazes straight ahead, and the results are fantastic--much like the classic Szell recording, but with even more fire. Try to find another recording of the Ninth whose outer movements are as drivingly vehement as these--or whose Largo movement is such a smooth, lyrical whisper. In contrast, the Eighth is exuberant all the way through, and the Seventh is as moody and poetic as it needs to be--although again, Dohnanyi distinguishes himself by not allowing the symphony to slip into either melodrama or hysteria, two easy pitfalls. There's a lot of competition out there for all three of these symphonies, so on some level the choice comes down to personal preference--but I guarantee you can't go wrong with these. Buy this set if you're tired of odd tempo and dynamic variations and you just want to hear pure Dvorak, played with meticulous precision and unquenchable energy. That's what you'll get.

Great eighth, Poor Nineth.......2004-03-07

The performance of the eighth is great, but the one on nineth is among the worst presentation. The ryhthem, speed variation all got wrong. Too hasty for the 1st movement (about 1 minute shorter than many versions of other conductors) and too slow
somewhere else.

By comparison, Abaddo's version is not good either with overplayed 1st movement. Karajan's version is better but still
far from great, with 2nd movement played too slow. Bernstein's
version is OK but not great.

Tracks:

Adagio
Air on the G String: Air on the G String, Excerpt
Brandenburg Concerto: Third Movement, Excerpt
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Excerpt
Tocatta & Fugue: Excerpt
Adagio for Strings: Excerpt
Synphony No. 5: First Movement, Excerpt
Symphony No. 9: Fourth Movement, Excerpt
Fse: Excerpt
Turkish March: Turkish March, Excerpt
Moonlight Sonata: Excerpt
Symphonie Fantastique: March Ot the Scaffold, Excerpt
Damnation of Faust: Excerpt
Carmen - Habanera: Habanera, Excerpt
Toreador Song [From Carmen]
Minuet: Minuet, Excerpt
Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dance No 17, Excerpt
Hungarian Dance No. 5: No 5, Excerpt
Lullaby: No 4, Lullaby, Excerpt
"Minute" Waltz: Excerpt
Grande Valse Brillante: Excerpt
Marche Fune: Marche Fune
Appalachian Spring: Excerpt
Fanfare for the Common Man: Excerpt
Clair de Lune: Excerpt
Prelude to the Afternoon: Excerpt
Lakm Flower Duet: Flower Duet, Excerpt
Symphony No. 9 "New World": Second Movement, "Going Home" Theme, ...
The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Excerpt
Pomp & Circumstance: Excerpt
El Amor Brujo
Pavane: Excerpt
Rhapsody in Blue: Excerpt
American in Paris: Excerpt
Funeral March of Marionette: Excerpt
Piano Concerto in a Minor: Excerpt
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 - Morning: Morning, Excerpt
Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus: Hallelujah Chorus, Excerpt
Water Music - Hornpipe: Hornpipe, Excerpt
Symphony No. 94 "Surprise": Second Movement, Excerpt
The Planets - Mars: Mars, Excerpt
Sabre Dance: Sabre Dance, Excerpt
Pagliacci: Vesti la Giubba, Excerpt
Hungarian Rhapsody
Liebestraum No. 3: No 3, Excerpt
Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo: Intermezzo, Excerpt
Midsummer Night's Dream - Wedding March: Wedding March, Excerpt
Symphony No. 4 "Italian": Fourth Movement, Excerpt
Rondeau: No 1, Rondeau
Piano Concerto No. 21: Andante, Excerpt
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: First Movement, Excerpt
The Marriage of Figaro - Overture: Overture, Excerpt
Sonata in A - Rondo Alla Turca: Rondo Alla Turca, Excerpt
Symphony No. 40: First Movement, Excerpt
Night on Bald Mountain: Excerpt
Pictures at an Exhibition - Great Cave of Kiev: Great Gate of ...
Barcarolle: Barcarolle, Excerpt
Orpheus in Hades - Theme II: Excerpt (Theme)
Carmina Burana - O Fortuna: O Fortuna, Excerpt
Canon: Canon, Excerpt
Romeo & Juliet - Montagues & Capulets: Montagues & Capulets, Excerpt
Lt. Kije's Wedding: Lt. Kije's Wedding, Excerpt
Turandot - Nessun Dorma: Nessun Dorma, Excerpt
Piano Concerto No. 2: Second Movement, Excerpt
Symphony No. 2: Third Movement, Opening, Excerpt
Rhapsody on a Theme: Variation 18, Excerpt
Bolero
Flight of the Bumblebee
Concierto de Aranjuez - Adagio: Adagio, Excerpt
The Barber of Seville - Overture: Excerpt
The Barber of Sville - Largo Al Factotum: Largo Al Factotum, Excerpt
William Tell Overture - Theme II: Excerpt
Danse Macabre: Excerpt
Gymnope No. 1
Symphony N0. 8 "Unfinished": Excerpt
Ave Maria: Excerpt
Finlandia [Finale: Finale, Excerpt]
Valse Triste: No 1, Valse Triste, Excerpt
Stars & Stripes Forever: Excerpt
Semper Fidelis: Excerpt
Blue Danube Waltz: Excerpt
Tales from the Vienna Woods: Excerpt
Also Sprach Zarathustra: Fanfare, Excerpt
Firebird - Infernal Dance & Main Theme: Infernal Dance & Main ...
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers: Waltz of the Flowers, Excerpt
Swan Lake - Waltz: Waltz, Excerpt
Sleeping Beauty -: Waltz, Excerpt
Romeo & Juliet - Theme II: Theme LL, Excerpt
Piano Concerto No. 1 - Opening: Opening, Excerpt
1812 Overture - Finale: Finale, Excerpt
Fantasia on "Greensleeves": Excerpt
Alda - Grand March: Grand March, Excerpt
Il Trovatore - Anvil Chorus: Anvil Chorus, Excerpt
Requiem - Dies Irae: Dies Irae, Excerpt
Rigoletto - La Donna Mobile: La Donna Mobile, Excerpt
The Four Seasons "Spring" - Allegro: Allegro, Excerpt
The Four Season "Winter" - Largo: Largo, Excerpt
Lohengrin - Bridal Chorus: Bridal Chorus, Excerpt
Die WalkRide of the Valkyries: Ride of the Valkyries, Excerpt

Customer Reviews:

I can name that tune in three notes.......2005-02-19

My family likes to put this disc in on shuffle and play name that tune. I wish they made more discs like this, only with more obscure works.

A Fabulous CD.......2004-10-14

The Idiot's Guide to Calssical Music is an awesome Cd for those people who want to have a tiny sample of all the great classical compositions. Track 61 and 63 are my favorite.

Mega-Sampler! This really does have 99 tracks!.......2002-03-20

Yes, this CD really does have 99 tracks. How do they do it? Each is about a minuet long. Some are longer, some are shorter, but you get the micro-essential moments of the music.

If you like burning your own CDs, then this is a great source for intra-track fillers, along the lines of They Might Be Giants' "Apollo 18" album, which has all of those short tracks on the end. The idea is to put your CD player on shuffle, so the short tracks get mixed in with the bona fide songs. The result being a very unusual album.

The booklet gives an explanation of the track, where you heard it (i.e. the Warner Brother's Cartoons, or on famous films), and where you can get the full piece of music. So it's a mega sampler CD.

I can honestly say that this CD is a great gift for the friend who has everything.

Fun Sampler.......2001-11-09

For the beginner. You will be surprised at how many of the 99 themes you recognize here. It is an easy introduction to classical music. Nice booklet too.

Useful........1999-03-22

Take it for what it is, a clever and useful GUIDE to classical music. No, it is NOT an uncut rendition of Beethoven's 9th symphony. It IS a cd that will jog your memory. You have heard many of the tunes presented here, but not always knowing what the work was. This is your chance to catch up with all the great classical music you have been exposed to. Cheap too.

Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9; Smetana: The Moldau

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Set For Lovers of Czech Repertoire

Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9; Smetana: The Moldau

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Karajan Conducts Grieg & Sibelius
Famous Overtures
Ravel, Debussy, Saint-Saëns: Orchestral Works
R. Strauss: Zarathustra; Don Juan; 4 Last Songs, etc.
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ASIN: B00008CLNR
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Set For Lovers of Czech Repertoire.......2005-08-24

Dvorak's last two symphonies and Smetena's The Moldau were among favorite works of Karajan's wide repertoire.He recorded these works several times...No.8: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 1970's with BP for EMI.This two CD consists of his DG recordings:No.8(1985-with WP),No.9(1964-with BP),selected parts from Slavonic Dances(1959-BP),The Moldau(1967-BP),Vysehrad and etc...I have almost all important recordings of these works(Kubelik,Giulini,Munch,Keilberth,great Klemperer & B.Walter,A.Fiedler,Szell,Solti,Ormandy,Kertesz,Maazel,Mackerras, Neumann,Sawallisch,Ancerl,Bernstein,Kondrashin,Dohnanyi,Jansons).Especially No.8 is my favorite interpretation and recording by far.Well- balanced rythmic figures,powerful string parts and blazing trumpets.No conductor(except Giulini)recorded this work such wonderful.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 for all times:Karajan-1977,BP and 1985,WP;Giulini's Chicago(1970's) and Concertgebouw(1992)recordings;Keilberth-1960's with Bamberg;Arthur Fiedler with Boston for BMG/RCA and Kubelik-1972 with BP.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 Nos.7,8,9) includes 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.

Average customer rating:

Is Kubelik bettered by Kertesz?
Not the best
Great 7th and 8th but early symphonies fail to excite
Could be the definitive set
Not that great.

Dvorák: The Nine Symphonies

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

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Similar Items:

Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures
Schubert: 8 Symphonies
Dvorák: The Symphonies
Beethoven: Complete Symphonies; Sir Simon Rattle/Vienna Philharmonic
Schumann Piano Works

ASIN: B000025802
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, 'The Bells of Zlonice': 1. Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, 'The Bells of Zlonice': 2. Adagio molto
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, 'The Bells of Zlonice': 3. Allegretto
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, 'The Bells of Zlonice': 4. Finale: Allegretto
Symphony No. 4 In D minor, Op. 13: 1. Allegro
Symphony No. 4 In D minor, Op. 13: 2. Andante sostenuto e molto cantabile

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 In D minor, Op. 13: 3. Scherzo: Allegro feroce
Symphony No. 4 In D minor, Op. 13: 4. Finale: Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 4: 1. Allegro con moto
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 4: 2. Poco adagio
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 4: 3. Scherzo: Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 4: 4. Finale: Allegro con fuoco

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 10: 1. Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 10: 2. Adagio molto, tempo di marcia
Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 10: 3. Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 5 In F Major, Op. 76: 1. Allegro, ma non troppo
Symphony No. 5 In F Major, Op. 76: 2. Andante con moto - dopo una piccola pausa si continua
Symphony No. 5 In F Major, Op. 76: 3. Andante con moto, quasi l'istesso tempo - Allegro scherzando

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 In F Major, Op. 76: 4. Finale: Allegro molto
Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 60: 1. Allegro non tanto
Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 60: 2. Adagio
Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 60: 3. Scherzo: Furiant. Presto
Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 60: 4. Finale: Allegro con spirito
Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66: Allegro con fuoco - Poco tranquillo - Tempo I - Presto

Tracks:

Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: 1. Allegro maestoso
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: 2. Poco adagio
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: 3. Scherzo: Vivace - Poco meno mosso
Symphony No. 7 In D Minor, Op. 70: 4. Finale: Allegro
Symphony No. 8 In G Major, Op. 88: 1. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 8 In G Major, Op. 88: 2. Adagio
Symphony No. 8 In G Major, Op. 88: 3. Allegretto grazioso - Molto vivace
Symphony No. 8 In G Major, Op. 88: 4. Allegro, ma non troppo

Tracks:

Overture Carnival, Op. 92
The Wood Dove, Op. 110
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95: 1. Adafio - Allegro molto
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95: 2. Largo
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95: 3. Scherzo: Molto vivace
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95: 4. Allegro con fuoco

Customer Reviews:

Is Kubelik bettered by Kertesz?.......2006-05-03

Not the best.......2005-05-19

Rafael Kubelik was a great conductor, whom I have alot of respect for. However, I just could not sink my teeth into these performances. I found them to be brash and over the top. They were played way too heavily for Dvorak. It was as if they thought they were playing Brahms. Now, I know Dvorak was a great admirer of Brahms, and that he definitely can be considered a Brahmsian, but the the music of these two men is very different. I prefer a lighter, more rustic approach to these works, like one finds in the Istvan Kertesz set on London. This is certainly the set to stick with for these symphonies. I have long since sold my Kubelik recording, because it just didn't do it for me... the Kertesz recording is a keeper.

Great 7th and 8th but early symphonies fail to excite.......2005-03-27

One of the problems in recording all of the symphonies of any composer is that some of the performances will fail. Just like very few sporting teams can win 9 games in a row, very few conductor/orchestra combinations can pull off 9 excellent performances. In this set there are only 2 excellent ones, 7 and 8. The New World (9) is cold and passionless, his Chicago recording was absolutely magnificent. The rest are ponderous and lacking in charm. It seems like the Berlin Philharmonic was simply not interested in the early symphonies of Dvorak. I wonder if they ever played them in concert or did they simply record them. Whatever, this set is not a bargain. One more thought: 2 of the symphonies are spread over two CDs. There is no excuse for doing something that outrageous. I checked the timings and the symphonies could have been placed on the 6 cds without spreading any of them on 2 discs. Or they could have simply put the set on 7 cds. Blank CDs don't cost much.

Could be the definitive set.......2004-04-20

I recently, actually just before purchasing this set, received Vaclav Neumann's set with the Czech Philharmonic. A really good set to compare this one to. I also have had, over the years, different performances of the late symphonies with, Ormandy, Szell, Sawallisch, Walter and Carlo Maria Giulini. When it comes to lush sound and playing, nothing tops the Philadelphia Orchestra. It was the first time that I had a chance to listen, side by side, the 7th, 8th and 9th. But, I must say overall this set is truly magnificent. In fact Maestro Kubelik's reading of the 2nd symph. helped me to understand the work. Neumann, although wonderfully played by the Czech orchestra, somehow couldn't bring across the meaning of the work to me, along with the strings sounding like they were in another building somewhere.

To me, all of Dvorak's sympyhonies are a set of tone poems that are molded together through a cyclic theme that pops up here and there. They are all so beautiful and magical and powerful, yet seem to weave together into a beautiful whole that can be called a symphony.

My favorites used to be the 1st, 4th, 7th,8th and 9th. Now, because of the maestro's reading, the second and a deeper love of the fourth. Infact, I want to add that the second may be the composers best work. Very creative and spontaneous but beautiful and powerful at the same time. The slow movent of the fourth maybe one of the most beautiful slow movements of any symphony ever composed.

His readings of the 3rd, 5th, and 6th are superior also. In a critique I wrote for the Neumann set I said that the strings were so poorly miked that it took away from his readings and the Kubelik readings magnify this tremendously.

The Berlin Philharmonic is wonderful in this set. I wish DG would have recorded the other works with it. The recordings with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra are very good, but the viruosity of the BPO would have added even more to the performances.

This set is an absolute must have for any basic library of classical music, and a must have for any Dvorack lover, the most underated and underplayed composer of them all. I wonder how few know that Dvorak truly amazed Brahms and Brahms even published some of the symphonies for him.

Not that great........2002-04-28

I certainly am no expert so you might want to weigh the review based on that. Some of the symphonies especially 7 & 8 were just not there. Played too fast there is no lushness or warmth that one expects in Dvorak's music, especially when compared to other recordings I have heard.

Music Review:

Music Review

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