# Dvorak 9th Symphony: Kubelik/BPO vs Reiner/CSO



## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

Hi all!!

I started a discussion with a friend and we didn't come to a conclusion. About the 9th, which record is your call?

Cheers


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## Guest (Jan 20, 2015)

I love the Reiner/CSO. That being said, I haven't heard the Kubelik/BPO. But I love Kubelik as a conductor, and can't imagine he would do less than superb in this work.


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

I am also a Reiner guy. 
But for a little (I mean really little) margin. Kubelik's version along with BPO is a masterpiece as well.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Kyrill Kondrashin & the VPO,
Istvan Kertesz & the LSO,
Paavo Jarvi & Royal Philharmonic.

And they utilize the exposition repeat in the first movement, which I prefer.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

.........and plus, Neemi Jarvi with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (Chandos).


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

My favorite is the Kurt Masur recording with the NYPO.


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

Oh, I see. Too many different records. I assume that I don`t know all of them, but with the few that I know, I would still stick to Kubelik & Reiner at the top. Anyway, it is quite nice to read different opinions about such a nice symphony. Thanks.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

There's something about Concertgebouw with this work. ACO/Harnoncourt (Teldec), and a blast from the past, ACO/C. Davis (Philips).:tiphat:


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## geralmar (Feb 15, 2013)

Ferenc Fricsay, Berlin Philharmonic. I first heard it on a cheap six-transister am pocket radio held up to an electrical outlet for an antenna so I could listen to a broadcast from somewhere in Iowa.


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## Admiral (Dec 27, 2014)

shadowdancer said:


> Hi all!!
> 
> I started a discussion with a friend and we didn't come to a conclusion. About the 9th, which record is your call?
> 
> Cheers


You are a horrible man for making me pick. These are my two favorite recordings of one of my favorite works!

This is what I play when I need to get fired up.

Also, for reasons I don't completely understand, this is one of my favorite album covers. Perhaps because it seems like there's so much hope in that very clean city, looking toward the future. The cover made a big impression on me when I was young.


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

Admiral said:


> You are a horrible man for making me pick. These are my two favorite recordings of one of my favorite works!
> This is what I play when I need to get fired up.
> Also, for reasons I don't completely understand, this is one of my favorite album covers. Perhaps because it seems like there's so much hope in that very clean city, looking toward the future. The cover made a big impression on me when I was young.


My bad!! I feel the same way when I compare both versions. The DG cover is something special. 
Talking about firing up, if I had the opportunity to listen the full symphony each morning I would have much better days. Indeed, I do have a sentimental value about this piece. What a fine Symphony.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

A fine compromise is the Kubelik/Chicago recording on Mercury


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

david johnson said:


> A fine compromise is the Kubelik/Chicago recording on Mercury


I was always curious about this one. Never had a chance to hear. 
Are we talking about the 1951 recording? Do you know it?
Is the sound quality an issue?


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Istvan Kertesz & the LSO

/ptr


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

Either Ferenc Fricsay & the Berliner Philharmoniker or Vaclav Neumann & the Czech Philharmonic.


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

Admiral said:


> Also, for reasons I don't completely understand, this is one of my favorite album covers. Perhaps because it seems like there's so much hope in that very clean city, looking toward the future. The cover made a big impression on me when I was young.
> 
> View attachment 61697


I like that cover very much too.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

shadowdancer said:


> I was always curious about this one. Never had a chance to hear.
> Are we talking about the 1951 recording? Do you know it?
> Is the sound quality an issue?


here you go - 



 I like the older Mercury sound, so it has no issue for me. I've heard the record uncountable times.


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

david johnson said:


> here you go -
> 
> 
> 
> I like the older Mercury sound, so it has no issue for me. I've heard the record uncountable times.


Thanks for the link. I will give it a try.

Interesting to see that the "other" field is leading the poll. 
Maybe this piece should have indeed more options. 
I know some of the records mentioned but if I had to pick one I would still think between Reiner and Kubelik mentioned above....


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I'm no great Dvorak fan. However, the greatest recording of the wonderful Dvorak New World Symphony I have ever heard is the performance by Arturo Toscanini with the NBC Symphony.
In the late 1950's or early 1960's RCA released this magnificent performance as an "electronically enhanced" mono LP and I remember that the sound wasn't bad at all.
What a fantastic interpretation!


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

I have the Toscanini RCA box. Dvorak's 9th is located at Disc 24
In my humble opinion a quite different approach with Dvorak 9th (basically compared to Kubelik's or Reiner's). 
Nevertheless, another great one from a champion (Toscanini)


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I don't know if I've already commented in this thread, but Kubelik is good. Talich CPO is better. The filmed Karajan version is pretty special too.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Ooo! And I forgot Giulini! He had no right to do this one well, but he did.


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2015)

Kondrashin and vpo.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I have both Reiner & Kubelik. They are both good. Kubelik is a little softer edged, Reiner more overtly dramatic. It is a great work that sounds equally convincing with many approaches.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Masur/NYP is my favorite too, though I love Reiner as well.


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## csacks (Dec 5, 2013)

I would have said Kubelik´s version until I listened to Fricsay´s record from 1960, with BPO. There is another one, from 1953, with RIAS Symphony Orchestra, with some sound issues. It was a corner stone to my enchantment to Fricsay.


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

From the options mentioned here I would like to point two that are special for me:

Indeed Fricsay has his way through this piece. I listen a lot as well.
And Karajan. I was a subscriber of the Digital Concert Hall (the online concerts catalog from the Berliner Philharmoniker) and the Karajan version (black and white) from the 60`s is a unique moment of Dvorak`s 9th. I recommend to everyone.


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