Antonín Dvořák

Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 "From the New World"

(formerly No. 5) 

I. Adagio allegro molto

II. Largo

III. Scherzo

IV. Allegro con fuoco

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / George Szell

(78 rpm transfer; recorded 1937)

George Szell's tight, straightforwardly "simple," unsentimental approach to the "New World Symphony" from 1937 - especially regarding the celebrated Largo - preserves a sense of distance and mystery throughout the entire work. I've found these exact qualities in no other recorded performance of this symphony.  But then, Szell was a lifelong master of Schumann's characteristic device of projecting the illusion of a narrative "speaking voice" directly addressed to the listener as though a story is being told - but a story which is never revealed by a written program (or doesn't exist in written form to begin with). This is the sort of illusion, however, which often gets lost in the kind of emotionally effusive treatment of Schubert, Schumann, Dvořák, et al in the conducting practice which eventually tended to dominate after Szell made this recording (especially with the advent of stereo). When one takes this view into account, other works of Dvořák come to mind - those with a story-telling quality - such as the three Slavonic Rhapsodies, Op. 45. It's a different perspective on an otherwise over-played, over-familiar work - and another musical dimension made available by the 78 rpm disc. 

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Antonín Dvořák

Slavonic Rhapsody No. 1 in D major, Op. 45

Slavonic Rhapsody No. 2 in G minor, Op. 45

Slavonic Rhapsody No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 45

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Václav Neumann

(LP transfer; issued 1972)