Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 4

Allegro con moto


  • Recorded: 6th October 1987
  • Record Place: The Dvořák Hall of Rudolfinum, Prague
  • First Release: 1988
  • (P) 1988 SUPRAPHON a.s.
  • Genre: Symphony

Artists

  • conductor: Václav Neumann
  • music by: Antonín Dvořák
  • musical group: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Album

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Václav Neumann

Dvořák: Symphonies Nos 1-3

Catalogue Number: SU 3703-2
Published: 13th January 2003
First release: SUPRAPHON, 1991
Genre: Symphony
Format: 2 CD
The output of nine symphonies by the foremost Czech Neo-Romantic composer Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904) has ranked continuously, since its completion to this day, amongst the constituent pillars of the European symphonic repertoire as a whole. The sheer strength of Dvořák's melodic invention has never ceased to enthrall experts and the general public alike. After all, it was found breathtaking even by more than a few of the composer's prominent contemporaries (as evidenced by Brahms' statement: "Dvořák's themes for his subordinate ideas would easily supply me with enough material for principal subjects in my own work..."). Nowadays - after the demise of unsubstantiated and unjust speculations concerning Dvořák's "simple-mindedness" as regards compositional technique, theories which became fairly widespread in Bohemia at one time due to the largely ideological impact of ultra-leftist scholar (and politician) Zdeněk Nejedlý, yet which can be readily proven false when tested against any of the composer's scores - the star of Dvořák's creative genius shines with the brightest magnitude in the sky of world music. His last four symphonies in particular have become firmly embedded as staple parts of the repertoire embraced by professional symphony orchestras worldwide, widely popular with audiences everywhere for their brilliant and thoroughly gratifying instrumentation. This digital recording, made in the 1980s, relies on the century-old authentic interpretive tradition of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra whose early history saw Antonín Dvořákhimself at the conductor's post, followed by such legends of the baton as Václav Talich, Karel Ančerl, and in his own time, of course, Václav Neumann, a Dvořákian specialist and an artist of inimitable charisma.

CD 1

Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 1 in C minor The Bells of Zlonice
1. Maestoso - Allegro 14:21
2. Adagio molto 14:23
3. Allegretto 09:23
4. Finale 13:40
Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 4
5. Allegro con moto 13:12

CD 2

Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 4
1. Poco adagio 12:09
2. Scherzo. Allegro con brio 12:13
3. Finale. Allegro con fuoco 12:15
Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 10
4. Allegro moderato 11:34
5. Adagio molto, tempo di marcia 16:55
6. Finale. Allegro vivace 09:29