Orchestrally excellent, excitingly up-tempo performances
Robert J. Cruce | Muskogee, OK United States | 09/17/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This conductor gives one the sense, after listening to many of his recordings, that he has that special ability to energize a score. I bought the Mercury Golden Imports LP of these performances knowing I was in for a thrilling ride and I wasn't disappointed. It seemed like ages before the CD finally appeared and it really is one to treasure. Dorati knew that if one were to play this music it should be played for all it is worth. A really fun CD that proves one doesn't have to pay full price to get the best."
A real winner
Larry Olson | Corona, CA United States | 06/15/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In listening to this CD, I am amazed how crystal clear and dazzling the sound is, in spite of the fact that some of these recorings date from as far back as 1957 (the others are from 1960 and 1965). Kudos to recording engineer C. R. Fine. Dorati is obviously enjoying himself immensely in this music. In particular, he milks the Roumanian Rhapsody #2 for all it's worth. A must-have disc."
Sprightly
David Saemann | 02/07/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Dorati was the one of the few of the great Hungarian conductors of the last century to record a sizable chunk of Brahms's Hungarian Dances. Reiner recorded some in Vienna, and Ormandy recorded a few. Dorati just excels in this music. He is very definite as to the pacing he wants in this music. There is plenty of expression, almost too much in fact. The first eight of these numbers were recorded in 1957, and the sound is very good; but the second eight, recorded in 1965, offer absolutely stellar recorded sound, some of the best I've ever heard. As for the Haydn Variations, also recorded in 1957, this is one of the finest versions I've ever heard. Whether it's the sound engineering or Dorati's interpretation, all sorts of details I've never paid attention to before come through clearly in this rendition. The 1960 recording of Enescu's 2nd Romanian Rhapsody is exquisite. I have this track on an analog cassette. The string sound there is somewhat warmer than on the CD, but the CD's detail and dynamic range is just exceptional. This is one of the more treasurable issues in the Mercury Living Presence catalog."