Supraphon
Dvorak: Symphonic Works / Neumann, Czech
$75.99
Details
- Composer
- DVORAK, ANTONIN
- Artist
- Neumann
- Format
- CD
- Label
- Supraphon
- Released
- Jan 29, 2013
- Catalog #
- SU4090-2
- UPC
- 099925409029
About
This is a set that no one who cares about Dvorák’s symphonies can afford to ignore. These performances really do belong in every serious collection.
Supraphon has finally released Václav Neumann’s 1970s Dvorák symphony cycle, and what a wonderful event it is. These performances are, on the whole, fresher and freer than his digital remakes, fine though those are, and more warmly recorded. The only exception is the somewhat shrill engineering in the First Symphony, but in general the sonics are comparable to other cycles of the period—Kertész, Kubelik, and Rowicki—and this is unquestionably the best played of them all. It’s difficult to overestimate the value of having the Czech Philharmonic in top form in this music, but the sound of the ensemble really does speak for itself. Kubelik’s Berlin Philharmonic might have the best strings, and the London Symphony for Kertész and Rowicki the boldest horns, but the Czech Philharmonic has the best ensemble, top to bottom, at least in Dvorák.
Consider one example: the climax of the first movement of the Seventh Symphony, a work that shows both the orchestra and Neumann at their very best. If you imprinted on this performance, nothing else can match it in power and intensity. The passionate lyricism of the strings, the thrilling low timpani roll that propels the trombones’ upward arpeggio, and those bright, sforzando trumpets combine to make an unforgettable impression (sound clip below), and it’s all exactly as Dvorák wrote it. Interestingly, where Neumann deviates from the printed page, as in the main theme’s fortissimo counterstatement in the first movement, or in the work’s concluding chorale, he gives the doubling parts to the trumpets rather than the horns, as in most other performances, and this too proves the better decision.
This brings us to Neumann’s own contribution. Traditionally he has gotten short shrift compared to the competition. Some of this was politics. In the 1960s and ’70s the British naturally preferred anything featuring the LSO, and Kubelik was a symbol of democratic resistance to Communist rule. He also had the superb Berlin Philharmonic at his disposal, rather than his usual Bavarian Radio forces, and Deutsche Grammophon behind him. Neumann, on LP at least, was spottily available on generally horrible pressings, and he had the disadvantage to be taking over from Ancerl, an indisputably great conductor who wound up on the right side of Cold War politics. Then Neumann remade all the symphonies in digital sound, a set that Supraphon promoted intensely, and this earlier effort simply disappeared from sight.
In general, Neumann’s approach might sound a touch “old fashioned”—quick movements move at moderate speeds, slow movements flow without ever dragging. Although not quite so slow in the allegros, conductors like Otto Klemperer come to mind. And yet, Neumann is by no means lacking in energy. His Eighth Symphony is as fresh (and swift) as any in the catalog. He whips up quite a frenzy in the finale of the Fifth, and this Third Symphony might just be the best on disc. Its first movement is as energetic as can be, the central funeral march is gorgeous and never stiff, while the finale actually sounds less mechanical at this moderate speed than it does when taken more quickly. The Sixth seldom has been paced more naturally, and as Dvorák fans all know, Ancerl’s benchmark performance is a tough act to follow. Neumann has nothing to fear from the comparison, especially in the coda of the finale, which is stunning.
Neumann always did well by the “New World” Symphony, and in only a few spots in the first two symphonies does Neumann sound less than fully engaged (though in the former, he’s still more effective than in his digital remake). The third movement of the Second, particularly, needs to be crisper. Suitner on Berlin Classics is unmatched here. For the most part, though, Neumann’s performances have held up extremely well. In particular, he offers an object lesson in phrasing and, especially, the correct use of legato in lyrical passages. So many performances today, perhaps encouraged by the perpetual staccato of the early music movement, break up Dvorák’s melodies into fragments, whereas Neumann conducts in whole paragraphs.
The couplings add greatly to this set’s attractions. They are uniformly excellent. The Symphonic Variations overflows with character; the three concert overtures belong together (they share a theme, heard at the outset of In Nature’s Realm), and these versions of the four late symphonic poems rank with the best available. They are also very well recorded. So to summarize, this is a set that no one who cares about Dvorák’s symphonies can afford to ignore. Even if you have the versions just mentioned, these performances really do belong in every serious collection.
-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com
Supraphon has finally released Václav Neumann’s 1970s Dvorák symphony cycle, and what a wonderful event it is. These performances are, on the whole, fresher and freer than his digital remakes, fine though those are, and more warmly recorded. The only exception is the somewhat shrill engineering in the First Symphony, but in general the sonics are comparable to other cycles of the period—Kertész, Kubelik, and Rowicki—and this is unquestionably the best played of them all. It’s difficult to overestimate the value of having the Czech Philharmonic in top form in this music, but the sound of the ensemble really does speak for itself. Kubelik’s Berlin Philharmonic might have the best strings, and the London Symphony for Kertész and Rowicki the boldest horns, but the Czech Philharmonic has the best ensemble, top to bottom, at least in Dvorák.
Consider one example: the climax of the first movement of the Seventh Symphony, a work that shows both the orchestra and Neumann at their very best. If you imprinted on this performance, nothing else can match it in power and intensity. The passionate lyricism of the strings, the thrilling low timpani roll that propels the trombones’ upward arpeggio, and those bright, sforzando trumpets combine to make an unforgettable impression (sound clip below), and it’s all exactly as Dvorák wrote it. Interestingly, where Neumann deviates from the printed page, as in the main theme’s fortissimo counterstatement in the first movement, or in the work’s concluding chorale, he gives the doubling parts to the trumpets rather than the horns, as in most other performances, and this too proves the better decision.
This brings us to Neumann’s own contribution. Traditionally he has gotten short shrift compared to the competition. Some of this was politics. In the 1960s and ’70s the British naturally preferred anything featuring the LSO, and Kubelik was a symbol of democratic resistance to Communist rule. He also had the superb Berlin Philharmonic at his disposal, rather than his usual Bavarian Radio forces, and Deutsche Grammophon behind him. Neumann, on LP at least, was spottily available on generally horrible pressings, and he had the disadvantage to be taking over from Ancerl, an indisputably great conductor who wound up on the right side of Cold War politics. Then Neumann remade all the symphonies in digital sound, a set that Supraphon promoted intensely, and this earlier effort simply disappeared from sight.
In general, Neumann’s approach might sound a touch “old fashioned”—quick movements move at moderate speeds, slow movements flow without ever dragging. Although not quite so slow in the allegros, conductors like Otto Klemperer come to mind. And yet, Neumann is by no means lacking in energy. His Eighth Symphony is as fresh (and swift) as any in the catalog. He whips up quite a frenzy in the finale of the Fifth, and this Third Symphony might just be the best on disc. Its first movement is as energetic as can be, the central funeral march is gorgeous and never stiff, while the finale actually sounds less mechanical at this moderate speed than it does when taken more quickly. The Sixth seldom has been paced more naturally, and as Dvorák fans all know, Ancerl’s benchmark performance is a tough act to follow. Neumann has nothing to fear from the comparison, especially in the coda of the finale, which is stunning.
Neumann always did well by the “New World” Symphony, and in only a few spots in the first two symphonies does Neumann sound less than fully engaged (though in the former, he’s still more effective than in his digital remake). The third movement of the Second, particularly, needs to be crisper. Suitner on Berlin Classics is unmatched here. For the most part, though, Neumann’s performances have held up extremely well. In particular, he offers an object lesson in phrasing and, especially, the correct use of legato in lyrical passages. So many performances today, perhaps encouraged by the perpetual staccato of the early music movement, break up Dvorák’s melodies into fragments, whereas Neumann conducts in whole paragraphs.
The couplings add greatly to this set’s attractions. They are uniformly excellent. The Symphonic Variations overflows with character; the three concert overtures belong together (they share a theme, heard at the outset of In Nature’s Realm), and these versions of the four late symphonic poems rank with the best available. They are also very well recorded. So to summarize, this is a set that no one who cares about Dvorák’s symphonies can afford to ignore. Even if you have the versions just mentioned, these performances really do belong in every serious collection.
-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com
Tracklist 43 tracks
- Disc 1
-
1 I. Allegro 12:17
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Allegro
- Duration
- 12:17
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
2 II. Adagio molto 12:29
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Adagio molto
- Duration
- 12:29
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
3 III. Allegretto 09:09
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Allegretto
- Duration
- 09:09
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
4 IV. Finale: Allegretto 13:32
- Track
- 4
- Title
- IV. Finale: Allegretto
- Duration
- 13:32
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
- Disc 2
-
1 I. Allegro con moto 12:34
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Allegro con moto
- Duration
- 12:34
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
2 II. Poco adagio 12:55
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Poco adagio
- Duration
- 12:55
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
3 III. Scherzo: Allegro con brio 13:00
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Scherzo: Allegro con brio
- Duration
- 13:00
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
4 IV. Finale: Allegro con fuoco 11:22
- Track
- 4
- Title
- IV. Finale: Allegro con fuoco
- Duration
- 11:22
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
- Disc 3
-
1 I. Allegro moderato 10:56
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Allegro moderato
- Duration
- 10:56
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
2 II. Adagio molto, tempo di marcia 14:45
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Adagio molto, tempo di marcia
- Duration
- 14:45
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
3 III. Allegro vivace 09:30
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Allegro vivace
- Duration
- 09:30
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
4 I. Allegro 11:52
- Track
- 4
- Title
- I. Allegro
- Duration
- 11:52
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
5 II. Andante sostenuto e molto cantabile 12:19
- Track
- 5
- Title
- II. Andante sostenuto e molto cantabile
- Duration
- 12:19
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
6 III. Scherzo: Allegro feroce 06:54
- Track
- 6
- Title
- III. Scherzo: Allegro feroce
- Duration
- 06:54
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
7 IV. Finale: Allegro con brio 09:52
- Track
- 7
- Title
- IV. Finale: Allegro con brio
- Duration
- 09:52
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
- Disc 4
-
1 I. Allegro, ma non troppo 09:47
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Allegro, ma non troppo
- Duration
- 09:47
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
2 II. Andante con moto 07:44
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Andante con moto
- Duration
- 07:44
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
3 III. Andante con moto, quasi l'istesso tempo: Allegro Scherzando 07:45
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Andante con moto, quasi l'istesso tempo: Allegro Scherzando
- Duration
- 07:45
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
4 IV. Finale: Allegro molto 13:11
- Track
- 4
- Title
- IV. Finale: Allegro molto
- Duration
- 13:11
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
5 Symfonické variace (Symphonic Variations), Op. 78, B. 70 22:57
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Symfonické variace (Symphonic Variations), Op. 78, B. 70
- Duration
- 22:57
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
- Disc 5
-
1 I. Allegro non tanto 13:46
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Allegro non tanto
- Duration
- 13:46
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
2 II. Adagio 10:06
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Adagio
- Duration
- 10:06
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
3 III. Scherzo: Presto 08:28
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Scherzo: Presto
- Duration
- 08:28
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
4 IV. Finale: Allegro con spirito 10:51
- Track
- 4
- Title
- IV. Finale: Allegro con spirito
- Duration
- 10:51
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
5 I. Allegro maestoso 11:07
- Track
- 5
- Title
- I. Allegro maestoso
- Duration
- 11:07
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
6 II. Poco adagio 09:33
- Track
- 6
- Title
- II. Poco adagio
- Duration
- 09:33
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
7 III. Scherzo: Vivace - Poco meno mosso 07:38
- Track
- 7
- Title
- III. Scherzo: Vivace - Poco meno mosso
- Duration
- 07:38
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
8 IV. Finale: Allegro 09:10
- Track
- 8
- Title
- IV. Finale: Allegro
- Duration
- 09:10
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
- Disc 6
-
1 I. Allegro con brio 09:44
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Allegro con brio
- Duration
- 09:44
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
2 II. Adagio 10:30
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Adagio
- Duration
- 10:30
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
3 III. Allegretto grazioso - Molto vivace 06:35
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Allegretto grazioso - Molto vivace
- Duration
- 06:35
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
4 IV. Allegro ma non troppo 10:54
- Track
- 4
- Title
- IV. Allegro ma non troppo
- Duration
- 10:54
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
5 In Nature's Realm, Op. 91, B. 168 14:39
- Track
- 5
- Title
- In Nature's Realm, Op. 91, B. 168
- Duration
- 14:39
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
6 Carnival, Op. 92, B. 169 09:28
- Track
- 6
- Title
- Carnival, Op. 92, B. 169
- Duration
- 09:28
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
7 Othello, Op. 93, B. 174 14:18
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Othello, Op. 93, B. 174
- Duration
- 14:18
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
- Disc 7
-
1 I. Adagio - Allegro molto 09:23
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Adagio - Allegro molto
- Duration
- 09:23
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
2 II. Largo 12:20
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Largo
- Duration
- 12:20
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
3 III. Molto vivace 08:18
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Molto vivace
- Duration
- 08:18
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
4 IV. Allegro con fuoco 11:16
- Track
- 4
- Title
- IV. Allegro con fuoco
- Duration
- 11:16
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
- Disc 8
-
1 The Water Goblin, Op. 107, B. 195 19:46
- Track
- 1
- Title
- The Water Goblin, Op. 107, B. 195
- Duration
- 19:46
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
2 The Noon Witch, Op. 108, B. 196 14:32
- Track
- 2
- Title
- The Noon Witch, Op. 108, B. 196
- Duration
- 14:32
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
3 The Golden Spinning-Wheel, Op. 109, B. 197 25:36
- Track
- 3
- Title
- The Golden Spinning-Wheel, Op. 109, B. 197
- Duration
- 25:36
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann
-
4 The Wild Dove, Op. 110, B. 198 18:24
- Track
- 4
- Title
- The Wild Dove, Op. 110, B. 198
- Duration
- 18:24
- Composer
- Antonín Dvořák
- Ensemble
- Tschechische Philharmonie
- Conductor
- Václav Neumann