VA - Ultimate Dvorák: The Essential Masterpieces [5CD Box Set] (2008)

26 Jan, 11:21
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Artist: Various Artists
Title: Ultimate Dvorák: The Essential Masterpieces
Year Of Release: 2008
Label: Decca [4780114]
Genre: Classical
Quality: 320 kbps / FLAC (tracks) / WAV (image+.cue)
Total Time: 5:40:49
Total Size: 785 mb / 1.54 gb / 3.35 gb
WebSite: Album Preview

Ultimate Dvorak: The Essential Masterpieces. The title alone lends itself to all kinds of problems. Who decides which of Dvorák's compositions are indeed his "essential" ones? Are the performances of these masterpieces also the ultimate? This five-disc collection by Decca is certainly an adequate introduction to some of Dvorák's most popular works: the final three symphonies, the cello concerto, and the Serenade for Strings. What's more noticeable is what's missing; despite Dvorák's rather significant contribution to chamber music, this genre is passed up in favor of lesser-known works like the Op. 44 Wind Serenade or both the Op. 46 and Op. 72 Slavonic Dances. The actual performances throughout the five CDs are, again, adequate. The London Symphony Orchestra, heard performing the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth symphonies, suffers from some unusual and unexpected balance problems. Julian Lloyd Webber's interpretation of the Cello Concerto is neither remarkably in tune, nor musically enthralling. The highlight of the collection is the beautifully performed Serenade for Strings with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Apart from its bargain price, however, most listeners may do better shopping for Dvorák's "essential masterpieces" using the a la carte method: choose superior performances of fewer works rather than passable performances of more compositions.

:: TRACKLIST ::

CD1 - Symphonies 7 & 9 "New World"

Symphony No. 7 in D minor, B. 141 (Op. 70) (first published as No. 2)
01. 1. Allegro maestoso
02. 2. Poco adagio
03. 3. Scherzo (Vivace)
04. 4. Finale (Allegro)

Symphony No. 9 in E minor ("From the New World"), B. 178 (Op. 95) (first published as No. 5)
05. 1. Adagio - Allegro molto
06. 2. Largo
07. 3. Scherzo (Molto vivace)
08. 4. Allegro con fuoco

- London Symphony Orchestra / Witold Rowicki (conductor) / ADD 1969 (Op.95), 1971 (Op.70)

CD2 - Symphony No.8 | Legends

Symphony No. 8 in G major, B. 163 (Op.88) (first published as No. 4)
01. 1. Allegro con brio
02. 2. Adagio
03. 3. Allegretto grazioso - Molto vivace
04. 4. Allegro ma non troppo

- London Symphony Orchestra / Witold Rowicki (conductor) / ADD 1969

Legends (10), for orchestra (arr. from, B. 117), B. 122 (Op. 59)
05. 1. Allegretto non troppo, quasi andantino
06. 2. Molto moderato
07. 3. Allegro giusto
08. 4. Molto maestoso
09. 5. Allegro giusto
10. 6. Allegro con moto
11. 7. Allegretto grazioso
12. 8. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
13. 9. Andante con moto
14. 10. Andante

- London Philharmonic Orchestra / Raymond Leppard (conductor) / ADD 1971

CD3 - Cello Concerto | Polonaise | Carnival Overture

Cello Concerto in B minor, B. 191 (Op. 104)
01. 1. Allegro
02. 2. Adagio ma non troppo
03. 3. Finale (Allegro moderato)

- Julian Lloyd Webber (cello) / Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Václav Neumann (conductor) / DDD 1988

Rusalka, opera, B. 203 (Op. 114)
04. From Rusalka, Op.114: Polonaise
05. Carnival Overture, Op.92

- Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Václav Neumann (conductor) / DDD 1988

CD4 - Slavonic Dances

Slavonic Dances (8) for orchestra, B. 83 (Op. 46)
01. No.1 in C major (Presto)
02. No.2 in E minor (Allegretto scherzando)
03. No.3 in A flat major (Poco allegro)
04. No.4 in F major (Tempo di minuetto)
05. No.5 in A major (Allegro vivace)
06. No.6 in D major (Allegretto scherzando)
07. No.7 in C minor (Allegro assai)
08. No.8 in G minor (Presto)

Slavonic Dances (8) for orchestra, B. 147 (Op. 72)
8 Slavonic Dances, Op.72
09. No.1 in B major (Molto vivace)
10. No.2 in E minor (Allegretto grazioso)
11. No.3 in F major (Allegro)
12. No.4 in D flat major (Allegretto grazioso)
13. No.5 in B flat minor (Poco adagio)
14. No.6 in B flat major (Moderato, quasi minuetto)
15. No.7 in C major (Allegro vivace)
16. No.8 in A flat major (Lento grazioso, ma non troppo, quasi tempo di valse)

- Gewandhausorchester Leipzig / Kurt Masur (conductor) / DDD 1985

CD5 - Serenade for Strings | Serenade for Wind

Serenade for string orchestra in E major, B. 52 (Op. 22)
01. 1. Moderato
02. 2. Tempo di valse
03. 3. Scherzo (Vivace)
04. 4. Larghetto
05. 5. Finale (Allegro vivace)

Serenade for winds and strings in D minor, B. 77 (Op. 44)
06. 1. Moderato, quasi marcia
07. 2. Minuetto (Tempo di minuetto)
08. 3. Andante con moto
09. 4. Finale (Allegro molto)

- The Academy of St Martin in the Fields / Sir Neville Marriner / DDD 1981

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