Indispensable recordings 17.08.2024. Proms Composer 5: Dvořák

[Pulcinella]

Saturday 17 August 2024
1.15 pm
BBC Proms Composer: Antonín Dvořák.

Katy Hamilton joins Kate to discuss five indispensable recordings of BBC Proms Composer Dvořák and explains why you need to hear them.

Dvořák brought the rustic folksong idiom of his native Bohemia, fused with his peerless gift for memorable tunes, to all the major 19th-century forms, from symphonies and concertos to chamber music, opera and oratorio.

[smittims]

Once again, my mind goes back to fundamental 'classic' renderings, and pride of place to the pre-Nazi-era Czech Philharmonic whose recordings are surely 'indispensible':

The Cello concerto with Szell and Casals
The 8th and 7th symphonies with Talich.
The Bohemian Quartet in the F major op. 96 quartet, with Dvorak's son-in-law Joseph Suk on viola.
And to make up te five ,a personal favourite: Clifford Curzon and the Budapest Quartet in the A major Quintet.

[Mandryka]

The Poetic Tone Pictures from Ivo Kahanek
The Double Bass Quintet from the Prazak Quartet with Hans Roelofsen
Quartets 9 - 13 from the (Old) Vlach Quartet on Supraphon (not the Vlach Quartet on Naxos, which is a different quartet.)
Symphony 7 - Monteux (the sound is too awful on the Talich, smittims )
The first movement of Symphony 3 - Kertesz
F minor Piano Trio, the third - Vlach

[makropulos]

I actually did Dvorak as a 'Proms composer' for this slot a few years ago – so it'll be fun to see what Katy chooses. Here are the things I went for in 2021:

Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 81: III. Scherzo -Furiant - Molto vivace Boris Giltburg, Pavel Haas Quartet (Supraphon)

Symphonic Variations, Op. 78, Kertész, LSO (Decca)

Te Deum, Op.103, Jakub Hrůša, Czech PO etc. (Decca)

Rusalka, Op. 114, Charles Mackerras, Czech PO etc. (Decca)

'New World' Symphony, Kubelík, Czech PO, live (Denon)

The brief at the time was to cover as much of Dvorak's range as possible – i.e. operas, choral, chamber, orchestral... and I think there was encouragement to choose recordings in good modern sound. Looking back at those five, they are all still among favourite performances, which is a relief. But it would be very easy to assemble a completely different list, and going more historic I'd certainly want things like...

Symph 5, Šejna, Czech PO (Supraphon)
Symph 7, Talich, Czech PO (HMV)
String Quartet in E flat Op. 51, Boskovsky Quartet (Decca)
Cello Concerto, Casals, Szell, Czech PO (HMV)
and, in slightly more recent sound (early stereo):
Piano Quintet, Curzon, Vienna Octet (Decca)

[richardfinegold]

I was just touting the Szell/Cleveland Seventh on another forum as the greatest ever, and his 8/9 are just as good. Their Slavonic Dances are also perfect. It’s a pity they didn’t do a Cello Concerto.
My Op.81 Piano Quintet would be Peter Serkin with Marlboro Musicians (basically Sasha Schneider and young Guarneri Quartet players) but it may be nla. Richter/Borodin and Firkusny/Julliard are worthy alternatives .
My favorite Cello Concerto may not be easy to find either, Gendron/Haitink. The Weilerstein/Czech PO is excellent.
My favorite Quartets are Op.51, the American, and Op.105. Lots of contenders but hard to top the Panocha Quartet along with the Sextet.
I adore Marriner in the Serenades

[pastoralguy]

The ‘Cello Concerto played by Alicia Weilerstein with the Czech Philharmonic conducted by George Whitehead. One of my absolute favourite recordings of anything. Mr. Whitehead signed his set of the symphonies and concertos when they played at the Edinburgh Festival a few years ago. One day, I’m going to ask Ms. Weilerstein to sign the booklet too.

This is a work that demands a sympathetic conductor since it can easily turn into a wind concertante with the poor ‘cellist struggling to be heard. I’ve heard so many performances where the soloist is slogging away trying to make a showing whilst the conductor thinks he or she is conducting Dvorak’s 10th symphony with ‘cello obligato.

[oliver sudden]

I was just touting the Szell/Cleveland Seventh on another forum as the greatest ever, and his 8/9 are just as good. Their Slavonic Dances are also perfect. It’s a pity they didn’t do a Cello Concerto.

On the other hand the Fournier+BPO/Szell cello concerto is in my book absolutely unmissable!

[makropulos]

On the other hand the Fournier+BPO/Szell cello concerto is in my book absolutely unmissable!

I completely agree, and would add another one that always gives me a thrill: Janos Starker and Dorati on Mercury.

[mikealdren]

and I have a soft spot for Rostropovich and Boult, so much better than his later Karajan even if the orchestra isn't in the BPO class. Also, of course, the Suk/Ancerl violin concerto and romance.

Other favourites, the Keller's American quartet and the Prague 4tets recordings although the DG sound is now showing its age.

[Mandryka]

Isn't the best concerto recording the one Feuermann made - because of the tempo? This is presumably what Antonin Dvorak wanted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqOvBiRQMRI

[richardfinegold]

The ‘Cello Concerto played by Alicia Weilerstein with the Czech Philharmonic conducted by George Whitehead. One of my absolute favourite recordings of anything. Mr. Whitehead signed his set of the symphonies and concertos when they played at the Edinburgh Festival a few years ago. One day, I’m going to ask Ms. Weilerstein to sign the booklet too.

This is a work that demands a sympathetic conductor since it can easily turn into a wind concertante with the poor ‘cellist struggling to be heard. I’ve heard so many performances where the soloist is slogging away trying to make a showing whilst the conductor thinks he or she is conducting Dvorak’s 10th symphony with ‘cello obligato.

George Whitehead? The only recording By Weilerstein that I could find was conducted by J. B.

[richardfinegold]

On the other hand the Fournier+BPO/Szell cello concerto is in my book absolutely unmissable!

I didn’t know of this. I listened last night on Apple and agree it is superb.
It is always interesting to hear Szell conduct a non Cleveland Orchestra. The music making sounds just a touch more relaxed, more collegial.
I have the Starker/Dorati but I think it sounds a bit glib. I also don’t think it is one of the better Mercury recordings

[silvestrione]

George Whitehead? The only recording By Weilerstein that I could find was conducted by J. B.

'his exceptionally Czech sounding name translates as George Whitehead!', apparently (Jiri Belolavcek)

[HighlandDougie]

On the other hand the Fournier+BPO/Szell cello concerto is in my book absolutely unmissable!

A Desert Island work for me. Alerted by this post and remembering that I had had the LP a long time ago, I discovered the Fournier/Szell among the recordings in the DG BPO 100th Anniversary box on my shelves. I wholly agree with Oliver. I think that it was probably overshadowed by the Rostropovich/Karajan which appeared not that much later. Fine performance that that may be but the Fournier strikes me as even finer. Helped by a glorious Jesus-Christus-Kirche recording with an ideal balance between soloist and orchestra, it is definitely worthy of the epithet, "indispensable".

[Barbirollians]

Didn’t makropoulos do Dvorak in this slot only a couple of years ago ?

I will have

Cello Concerto - Thauer/Macal
American Quartet - Pavel Haas Quartet
Dvorak 6 - CPO/Sejna
Dvorak 8 Halle/Barbirolli
violin Concerto Suk/Ancerl