Album

Czech Philharmonic, Prague Symphony Orchestra, conductor Sir Charles Mackerras

Dvořák: Symphonies Nos 8 and 9, Legends, Slavonic Dances

Catalogue Number: SU 4301-1
Published: 27th August 2021
Genre: Chamber Music
Format: 3 LP
Antonín Dvořák - Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88; Symphony No. 9 in E minor, "From the New World", Op. 95; Legends, Op. 59; Slavonic Dances Nos 2, 6, 7 and 8, Op. 46, No. 10, Op. 72
Czech Philharmonic, Prague Symphony Orchestra, conductor Sir Charles Mackerras

"I am a great fan of Dvořák's music, because it always seemed to me that apart from Mozart Dvořák is the greatest composer ... He wrote symphonies, he wrote tone poems, he wrote operas, he wrote chamber music, he wrote songs, he wrote religious music, everything ... He's just the greatest composer, except for Mozart perhaps." Sir Charles Mackerras not only loved Dvořák and Czech music. As a globally renowned "non-Czech" conductor, he rendered it a great service. Among the numerous splendid recordings of Antonín Dvořák's mature symphonic works, those made by Mackerras are the most fitting for a vinyl release: technically impeccable, they feature so authentic a "Czech" sound and spirit as to make many a Dvořák compatriot envious ... The album serves to prove how much young Mackerras learned in Prague from his teacher, Maestro Václav Talich. Sir Charles's accounts of Symphonies Nos 8 and 9 are torrentially vivid, as performed by the superb Prague Symphony Orchestra under his baton. The selected Slavonic Dances and Legends (Cannes Classical Award 2003) breathe with nobleness and fervour, the quintessential attributes of the Czech Philharmonic. Making use of state-of-the-art technology and presented in an elegant box, the three vinyl records contain true gems of the Dvořák discography of one of the world's most celebrated conductors.

Mackerras's take on mature Dvořák - on vinyl for the very first time

LP 1

Antonín Dvořák
Legends, Op. 59, B 122
1. Allegretto non troppo, quasi andantino 03:26
2. Molto moderato 04:20
3. Allegro giusto 04:09
4. Molto maestoso 05:47
5. Allegro giusto 04:27
6. Allegro con moto 05:14
7. Allegretto grazioso 02:50
8. Un poco allegretto e grazioso 03:47
9. Andante con moto 02:37
10. Andante 04:07
Antonín Dvořák
Slavonic Dances, Series I., Op. 46, B.83
11. Furiant - Presto 04:21

LP 2

Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88, B.163
1. Allegro con brio 09:45
2. Adagio 10:00
3. Allegretto grazioso 06:05
4. Allegro ma non troppo 10:17
Antonín Dvořák
Slavonic Dances, Series I., Op. 46, B.83
5. Dumka - Allegretto scherzando 04:40
6. Sousedská - Allegretto scherzando 05:17
7. Skočná - Allegro assai 03:30

LP 3

Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 9 in E minor From The New World, Op. 95, B.178
1. Adagio - Allegro molto 11:23
2. Largo 12:21
3. Molto vivace 07:21
4. Allegro con fuoco 11:24
Antonín Dvořák
Slavonic Dances, Series II., Op. 72, B.147
5. Mazur - Allegretto grazioso 05:36

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