Search - Antonin Dvorak, Jiri Belohlavek, BBC Symphony Orchestra :: Dvorák: Symphonies 5 & 6

A Fresh Dvorák Sound

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 12/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Now that Jirí Belohlávek as become conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra we should have higher quality recordings of the repertoire he has been polishing with his Czech Philharmonic - the works of Janácek, Martinu, Suk, Dvorák as well as the many contemporary composers he favors. This recent release allows him an orchestra of warmer sound and timber than his own previous orchestra and the result is a 2 CD set of Antonin Dvorák's 5th and 6th symphonies as well as the rarely heard (but fascinating) 'The Hero's Song, Opus 111, and for this listener the most satisfying shorter work of this composer, the 'Scherzo Capriccioso, Op.66'.



Belohlávek firmly understands the spectrum of lilting rhythms and melodies the make Dvorák's works durably part of the repertoire. But his talent does not stop there: he has a keen sense of architecture of each of these four works and knows when to let the furiants fly and when to keep the melodic references intact. The BBC Symphony Orchestra plays beautifully for him: this version of the smolderingly infectious 6th symphony finally has found a definitive performance and hopefully that will mean this neglected work will become better known and more frequently played.



Fresh from release this year, this CD set marks a fine collaboration among Warner Classics, Jirí Belohlávek, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. It will be interesting to see if this group will explore the Martinu literature as well! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 06

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