# SS 21.09.13 - Dvorak #9 "From The New World"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Continuing on until Bix returns...

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

*Antonin Dvorak (1841 - 1904)*

Symphony # 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 "From The New World" 

1. Adagio - Allegro molto
2. Largo
3. Scherzo: Molto vivace
4. Allegro con fuoco

---------------------

Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


----------



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

This Saturday I'm going to listen to:

View attachment 25172


Vaclav Neumann & The Czech Philharmonic


----------



## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

I listened to Guilini & The Philharmonia the other day....so I'm going to listen to his interpretation with The Chicago Symphony

AND

then I shall cross myself three times & listen to Herbert Von K. conducting the VPO.


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Have managed to collect a good deal of recordings through the years & will play Ancerl/Czech PO 1958 on Ermitage, definitely one of the best.

- Ancerl,CzPO/ermit cd 58-94 erm142
- Malko,PO/emi 2cd 56 mono-02 7243 575121-1
- Mengelberg,CtGebouw/fra publ dom arch 
- Ancerl,CzPO/supr 61 st sv 8047
- Karajan,BPO/dg 64 138 922
- Kertesz,LSO/vox 75 svbx 5139
- Kondrashin,WPO/dec 80 sxdl7510
- Reiner,ChicSO/rca st vics 1155
- Rodzinski,PSOLond/westm mono xwn 1829
- Horenstein,RPO/rca gl 25060 
- Dorati,LSO/ph sfl 14030
- Karajan,BPO/dg 138 922
- Maazel,RSOBerlin/ph st dky 802 787
- Bernstein,NYPO/cbs st brg 72098
- Ormandy,PhiladO/cbs 61053 (cover:John Hays)
- Stokowski,PhiladO/rca 27-74 2lp73 crl2-0334
- Stokowski,NewPO/rca 2lp73 crl2-0334 (too porly integrated)

SKIPPED:
- Böhm,WPO/dg 2531 098 
- Konwitschny,BambSO/maritim st47 062NK


----------



## Ondine (Aug 24, 2012)

I love that symphony as much as I love the entire oeuvre of Dvorak.

I will go with The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under the guidance of Sir Colin Davies, which is by far one of my favourite conductors.


----------



## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

I'll be listening to Ferenc Fricsay channel the full power of the Berlin Philharmoniker in a fantastic performance.


----------



## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

realdealblues said:


> This Saturday I'm going to listen to:
> 
> View attachment 25172
> 
> ...


Neumann was my introduction to Dvorak's symphonies and fantastic one it was too. Until I heard Fricsay & the Berlin Philharmoniker, this was tied with Rudolf Kempe as my favourite "From the New World" recording.

That set as whole though is really enjoyable.


----------



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

AClockworkOrange said:


> Neumann was my introduction to Dvorak's symphonies and fantastic one it was too. Until I heard Fricsay & the Berlin Philharmoniker, this was tied with Rudolf Kempe as my favourite "From the New World" recording.
> 
> That set as whole though is really enjoyable.


My introduction to this particular Symphony was either Karajan or Bernstein. I've got the Fricsay recording as well and it's one of my favorites. Kempe is one of my favorite conductors period! I really like Szell's recordings of 7-9 as well.

The first complete symphonies cycle I had was Kubelik which I still enjoy. I've also got the Rowicki and Kertesz sets but since I got this set from Neumann I haven't been interested in listening to any of the others. I've been extremely happy with it. I know he recorded the cycle again later in digital and I'm considering picking up those recordings as well as I've read it's just as good. But yeah this Neumann cycle, it definitely becoming my favorite cycle and I think it's sadly underrated compared to the more famous ones.


----------



## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

I'll see. I have the Bernstein / Kertesz / Alsop / and, I think - the Steinberg version. I'll likely go with the latter if I do.

Nope..no Steinberg. I guess I'll go with Alsop again.


----------



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

My choice Kubelik & Berliner Philharmoniker


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Coincidentally, I have been listening to Jorge Caballero play Yamashita's arrangement for guitar a lot during the last few days! I think I'll even listen to it again. If anyone is interested, at least check out the third movement....all I can say is "gosh!"


----------



## Guest (Sep 20, 2013)

I have the Bernstein and the Kubelik...will probably do Kubelik because that's the one I've listened to less....if I'm even in the mood, that is...I may skip just because I play this symphony so much as is...


----------



## ProudSquire (Nov 30, 2011)

Great symphony, it's been my latest obsession. I'll probably go with *István Kertész* and the *London Symphony Orchestra*.


----------



## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Okey. This one i will join in on. Il post which version later.


----------



## nightscape (Jun 22, 2013)

The version I've heard the most is the Karajan 1964 with the Berlin Philharmonic on the DG label. It was on a "Panorama" series CD I bought a while back when I was first starting to purchase classical music. I really haven't heard another version I feel is superior to this. 

I also have Sawallisch/Phila Orch and Dohnányi/Cleveland.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I'm listening to Paavo Järvi and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra


----------



## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

I'm listening to Leonard Slatkin with the American Soviet Youth Orchestra on RCA Red Seal (1992); then I'll listen to Yuri Temirkanov with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra from the Brilliant Classics box (1968). Both are live recordings.

Update: The Slatkin first movement has just about every repeat it can have which makes it feel a bit clumsy and - yes - repetitive, and I can't get used to the timpani missing a 'hit' near the opening (the hit before the diminuendo roll). Also, it seems that the loud parts are taken fast while the quieter sections are taken at a slower pace - maybe that's the way it ought to be. The second movement is nicely played with the famous cor anglais tune and the secondary oboe tune laying on the emotion.
The orchestra seems to get better as the symphony progresses with both 3rd and last movements working well: agreeable tempi, nice dynamics and (as far as I can hear) no duff notes. The recording is perhaps a little quiet overall, maybe to prevent catching audience noise, but the performance gets a nice polite applause at the end.

The Temirkanov recording from 1968 is rough as can be with loads of coughing, bangs and thuds invading the sound. The first movement gets off to a forceful start; this is Dvorak done in the style of Tchaikovsky's 4th, and with an awful Russian vibrato trumpet blaring through everything in the loud parts - why have the Russian orchestras got the brashest most ghastly trumpets?
The second movement is taken at a nice slow pace, but when it gets to the full orchestra outburst after the famous tune part, it's like "everyone play as loud as you possibly can!!" Towards the end where there is a brief pause when the cello plays the famous tune, Temirkanov has 3 pauses, and they are longer than usual too.
The 3rd movement races away, but is held in check nicely for the second theme which includes a very rough-sounding triangle. I really like the strings in this movement. The finale main theme blares out on those trumpets sounding more like Khachaturian than Dvorak, but it does sound like the whole orchestra is really enjoying itself. As it all dies down, the pianissimo cymbal hit is done on a stand cymbal rather than held cymbals. I think there's a big mistake towards the final quiet section where a chord is held for too long and it seems like they've tried to rectify it with a clumsy edit. Anyway the coda is okay and there's polite clapping, but this is really ropey stuff. Great fun though!


----------



## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

I've read critics who have claimed that there is really nothing "American" about this work. Outside of a few themes supposedly attributable to melodies heard by Dvorak while in the States, the work is essentially as Bohemian as anything else in his output.

I couldn't really say. What I have always felt, though, is that this is a very integrated symphony with a unique character. Unlike other Dvorak symphonies, I don't feel that any movement of this work is interchangeable with corresponding movements in any other of his symphonies. (If I had to pick one, it would be the third...but, even it has a special character to it, I feel.)

At any rate, Alsop again delivers the goods. I would put this performance with the Baltimore Symphony right up there with the best I've heard. She also takes the repeat in the first movement, but it's a bracing and exciting reading from first note to last and it works beautifully. Outside of that first movement repeat, there isn't anything unique or unusual about her reading of this work till the last movement.

In the finale, the trumpets seem to sustain a couple of notes in the main theme a bit more than I've heard before, but I like the effect. She does a wee bit of a taffy pull with the tempo near the climax of the movement, but again, I like it. All her choices really work for me. Nice recording.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Bohemian it is indeed, I've read that it is somewhat more of a "postcard" from the US. The use of spiritual songs and traditional tunes in the symphony but in a very "bohemian" way is like Dvorák sending back to Europe a postcard from the States. It's in his own musical language and puts a few American tunes in his own context, rather than embracing a new musical "American style."


----------



## Guest (Sep 22, 2013)

Wow, is it already late on Sunday? I never listened! Trying to remember where I was on Saturday :/


----------



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I listened to the Vaclav Neumann recording on Saturday but am just now getting around to posting.

I really love this Symphony (although I think #8 is actually my favorite). This recording was highly enjoyable. Tempos were are all fine. Sound quality was warm (love those Czech strings). Just really enjoyable and full of life. Highly recommended.


----------



## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

The version i have is by the MUNICH PHILHARMONIC,it sounds great on cd the label is SONY.


----------



## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

I listened to my go-to rec. for this work, ACO/Harnoncourt. Others I enjoy--VPO/Kertesz, ACO/C.Davis. :tiphat:


----------



## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Solti, Chicago Symphony. Best performance in my book.


----------

