The Dvorak 8th is a revelation
Classic Music Lover | Maryland, USA | 06/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Let's start off by acknowledging this performance of the Dvorak Symphony #7 as firmly in the Germanic romantic tradition -- dark sonorities, stolid tempos and all. There are many others like it in the catalog.
And then there's Dorati's 8th. It's far different from the others I've heard, and his take on the 1st movement is absolutely the most exciting, edge-of-your-seat performance you're ever likely to hear. I just love the way the giant, monstrous cellos stalk the frightened woodwinds, and just how propulsive everything is. Whereas other conductors tend to take this movement at a leisurely pace and emphasize the "pastoral" elements, Maestro Dorati casts it as fervent, vital Dvorak redolent of his Slavonic Dances. The other three movements of #8 are more conventional; it's clearly the 1st movement that will stick in your mind long after you hear it. The London Symphony players respond to Dorati's razor-sharp direction, and play flawlessly. (They are also fine in the 7th.) This disk is a keeper."