I wanted to like this, but. . .
Gregory M. Zinkl | Chicago, IL | 01/19/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Davis is a matter-of-fact interpreter of these wonderful scores.The seventh is the best of the lot, but, there are a lot of good sevenths out there; Dohnanyi is not to be missed with the unpareiled Cleveland in terrific sound. His eigth is very exciting, if a little emotionally more remote; however, compared to Davis, it's terrific. Neither can compare to the genius of Walter's recording with Columbia Sym on Sony, though.The ninth here is absolutely nothing special, at all. Again, Dohnanyi gives you a better deal, but so do so many others: Stokowski (RCA), Slatkin (Telarc), Kertesz (Vienna, London), Neumann (various), etc. etc.You do get wonderful playing from the Concertgebouw, and although the engineering is fine, I could never warm up to it.For twice your money, you can probably buy Kertesz's complete set. I wish I had done that!"
The Best Seventh
Frank C. Adams | Boston, MA United States | 09/25/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have to admit that I think Dvorak's Seventh is not only his greatest symphony but one of the greatest by any composer. I have many versions (Kubelik, Rowicki, Giulini, etc.) and have heard it in concert many times (Davis, Haitink, Fischer etc.) but this interpretation is for me the standard. It has the unique combination of urgency, spontineity and a nationalistic spirit not unlike Davis' Sibelius/BSO cycle of the same era. Dvorak, unlike Brahms, seems to allow, even invite, a wide range of interpretation, and virtually all the CD performances offer illumination of the many aspects of this work, but Davis, with great playing and sound, is at the top. The two other symphonies, which have their moments, and the Symphonic Variations 'encore' make this one of the great CD bargains."
Davis & Dvorak - Not So Bad
Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 07/20/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"There are clearly better choices available when it comes to inexpensive 2CD sets of Dvorak's last three symphonies than this title by Colin Davis. In fact, there is even a better one in the very same Philips Duo series -- the one by Witold Rowicki and the London Symphony Orchestra (see my review). Other better buys are the Giulini on EMI Double Forte (not the horridly slow Sony title that was mentioned below), Von Dohnanyi on Double Decca, and Kubelik on DG (see my review of the box set of the Nine Symphonies). With that being said, this set is really not so terrible. I think we all feel a little let down by Davis because so many of his other Philips Duo offerings are among the best of any given work available -- the Complete Sibelius Symphonies, Haydn "London" Symphonies and Beethoven Piano Concertos to name a few. Oh well, you can't hit a home run at every at bat."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1