BaL 21.12.13 - Dvorak Symphony no. 6

[Alison]

Old school academic with Dvorak his specialist subject.

[Petrushka]

Old school academic with Dvorak his specialist subject.

Exactly so, Alison. Smaczny is an acknowledged expert on Czech music and I'd have complete confidence in his recommendation.

http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofCreativeArts/Staff/MusicSonicArts/ProfessorJanSmaczny/

[cloughie]

I despair of you , @noggo.
Dvorak's the kiddy.
Top man.
The business.
If you don't like the Scherzo from the 6th you cannot have ears.
your post has made me and I think we must try to set you on a path to enjoying the great man's wonderful music.......I feel a thread coming on.....

ts you're right on the money there Dvorak is the kiddy and No6 is one of his most uplifting 'full of tunes' works. I've loved it ever since hearing the Sejna around 50 years ago - only surpassed a year or two later by the Kertesz which has been my favourite since. It has fared well in recordings and I look forward to see what BaL reveals.

Alps - they may not be currently available but there are recordings by CO/Dohnanyi, SlovakPO/Kosler, LPO/Rostropovich, BerlStS0/Suitner

[cloughie]

PS more excuses to spend money before Christmas.

PPS does anyone ever listen to the first four......?

Not 1 & 2 which seem to wander aimlessly but 3 & 4 are absolute crackers (for Christmas?)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

If you don't like the Scherzo from the 6th you cannot have ears.

There's something special about Dvorak's scherzi, with their folky Czech associations.

[Tony Halstead]

Not 1 & 2 which seem to wander aimlessly but 3 & 4 are absolute crackers (for Christmas?)

No 2 in Bb certainly DOESN'T 'wander aimlessly' on the Witold Rowicki/ LSO recording!

[reinerfan]

As well as the ones on the list , there are Berlin Staatskapelle/Suitner, Royal P.O./Nowak, and Seattle Symphony/Schwarz. There are probably others, but these three are in my collection of 16 versions. My favourite, without any question, is Ancerl.

[cloughie]

No 2 in Bb certainly DOESN'T 'wander aimlessly' on the Witold Rowicki/ LSO recording!

I'll give it a listen again - certainly though I think that 3 onwards Dvorak got more to grips with concentrating his tunes!

[verismissimo]

This is a symphony I've not got at all (apart from a BBC MM CD) so I'd be in the market for a recommended version...

That would be Belohlavek with the BBCSO. Petrushka. It's a superb performance IMO, so no pressing need to invest further...

This is my favourite Dvorak symphony.

[gurnemanz]

Contribution by proxy, I believe that this work is one of salymap's favourites and that her preferred performance is by the RLPO with Libor Pesek.

I'd better have that right

A nit-picker writes: Pesek is Czech Phil not RLPO - my only version.

[amateur51]

A nit-picker writes: Pesek is Czech Phil not RLPO - my only version.

Oh pick away, gurney, pick away! I wouldn't dare to mispresent salymap's choice

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not 1 & 2 which seem to wander aimlessly but 3 & 4 are absolute crackers (for Christmas?)

My feelings exactly (although I haven't heard the Rowicki that Tony recommends in over thirty years, so that needs a revisit). The Sixth is a lovely work: just seeing this Thread title has put the glorious opening melody in my mind all weekend. The sort of earworm that acts as bait for the real thing.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The list seems rather short. I suspect I've missed a few. There's one with the Stockholm PO, but I don't know who's conducting it.

This one. Can anyone help?

[makropulos]

This one. Can anyone help?

It's Yuri Ahronovich, recorded in 1984 (See: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/...album_id=25550)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thank you. As ever, your expertise is invaluable.