Search - Dvorak, Smetana, Cleveland Orchestra :: Dvorak Symphony No. 7 & Carnival Overture & Smetana Die Moldau / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra (SACD)

One of Szell's finest accomplishments

Jeffrey Lee | Asheville area, NC USA | 04/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From my earliest memories of listening to this work, I have always thought of it as a nature painting, similar to the marvelous Brahms Third Symphony, and richly suffused with light and shadow, storminess and calmness and an appealing range of tonal colors from glowing to subdued. I view it also as a nice, somewhat contrasting companion piece to Dvorak's Eighth Symphony, my favorite among all symphonies. When it comes to these grand opuses, quite a few over the years have been drawn to the performances of George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, although he also recorded a first rate mono version of the Eighth with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. But perhaps his reading of the Seventh more exclusively has had the field to itself. Even had he re-recorded this late 1950s account, I doubt he would have duplicated or surpassed it. Some time ago, in a review I gave of Vaclav Talich's 1938 Dvorak Seventh, I commented that no one, not even Szell, had given as fulfilling a performance as Talich. While I still consider Talich's reading to be special, this Sony SACD re-do reveals Szell's rendition to be even finer than I had previously realized. As superb as it is, I would probably be inclined to return to it for repeated listening. I have always considered this performance most impressive in terms of its authority and dynamics, but I find here another ingredient that others have either rarely or not associated with George Szell---sensitivity. Listen to the splendid detail he elicits from his great orchestra in the melodious second movement. This is clearly one of the gems of the Szell/Cleveland legacy. I place it on par with their Brahms Third and Tchaikovsky Fifth, and though others might argue, their first Schubert Ninth."

Marvelous on Super Audio

A. Egigian | Redondo Beach, CA USA | 12/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How wonderfully fresh and substantial these performances are with the brillant Clevlanders under Szell.
Treat yourself!"

Fine Performances - Best Sound Yet Though Still Some Sonic P

Doug - Haydn Fan | California | 03/28/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As everyone by now must know the original Columbia recordings of the Cleveland suffered from all sorts of problems. Chief among these were compression and high end distortion. This latter problem gave the flutes, and high string passages a sound best described as something you might encounter in an aluminum extrusion factory. Not surprising, instrumental colors also suffered. Throw in the ghastly record surfaces of the seventies and you have a pretty good explanation for why so many classical music lovers went crazy for CDs.



Now, fifty years later, after reissues on LP and CD some of these recordings are offered again in the SACD format. The results are far, far better than one could hope, but there remain a few problems. Unlike the beautiful Lawton RCA series, where the original sound was so good and has been generally well transferred to SACD, these Columbia reissues on SACD run into some limitations fundamental to the recording universe (among other universes) - to wit: 'garbage in, garbage out.' High flute notes here and there turn sour and shrill, while the natural colors of the orchestra continue to fly just a bit under the radar, with some of the brass given a reedy overtone, at least when compared to the marvelously natural RCA issues. Never-the-less, if you like these performances you will now hear them as well as can be hoped.



The performances themselves show many felicities and reveal the Cleveland as a fine orchestra, comparable to other major American orchestras of the time, but perhaps not 'the best' as advertised. Too, it's now apparent that Rodzinski as much as Szell brought the orchestra up to speed - Szell probably was over-praised for 'building' an orchestra that was already quite good if not quite distinquished. In the recording of the symphony Szell's players at times can now, thanks to the clarity of the SACD system, be heard carefully measuring their entrances - while a certain lack of legato here and there now emerges, something Toscanini never would have failed to address.



The Dvorak 7th symphony is here given a fine reading, but I hasten to add I now find other performances equally deserving of consideration. Sonically the orchestra simply flat out does not sound nearly as colorful as another earlier recording under Dorati. See the samples.Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 Surprisingly, if one goes on form, Szell treats the opening much softer and with less pushiness than many others; frequently he seems more relaxed and allows the orchestra musicians the opportunity to play quietly. The third movement is given a superb reading, and finds Szell and the orchestra at their best. The conclusion whirls away with spirit.



The jewels of this issue for me are the Smetana selections. Szell doesn't quite catch Toscanini's matchless reading of the great dance from the Moldau, but Szell is everywhere interesting and he and the orchestra revel in the excitement to an even greater extent than in the Dvorak symphony. The orchestra here sounds like the Cleveland orchestra of legend; one imagines this sort of sound, crisp and beautifully integrated sections and brilliant clean attacks, as the essence of what a major symphony orchestra should be.



My favorite of the Smetana numbers is the Bartered Bride overture. WOW! It's fascinating and exquisite playing, and certainly the equal of the best modern versions. What stands out as well is a simpler, less complicated sound stage, a little less of the sonic sophistication of the other performances, but also a more natural sound. You win some, you loose some. (It's also pure Rodzinski - with the febrile intellectual tension one finds in, for example Rodzinski's contemporary work for Westminster. Galanta & Marosszek Dances / Caucasian Sketches) This outstanding tour de force traversal was the only recording made at the Masonic Auditorium, all the others on this SACD issue were done at Severance Hall. Done early in 1958 it's obvious the orchestra is already top drawer.



In conclusion: IF YOU'RE A SZELL FAN THESE ARE MUST BUYS! - this is as good as you will here these works. The Smetana are flat out five star performances, and the Dvorak is also excellent, though perhaps not quite the unequaled legend many claim. The important caveat: Although the sound can be shockingly better than earlier harsh reincarnations of these selections there remain enough moments to remind us of certain limitations. Don't expect the sound of the very best RCA SACD reissues!



DON'T FORGET - these Sony Columbia SACDs are NOT playable on a regular CD player, as is the case for the RCA reissues, which are in the Hybrid format.



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