Audiophile Audition’s Gary Lemco gives Václav Talich Conducts Dvořák Symphony No. 8 and Suk Serenade For Strings 5 Stars
“The Dvorak G Major Symphony, composed for the composer’s reception in England, has long enjoyed happy readings, from the likes of Talich and Bruno Walter. The authority of the Czech Philharmonic woodwinds proves especially luminous, both in the second and third movements. The violin solos by Stanislas Novak contribute to a reading that remains, at once, intimate and epic. Talich’s ability to mold Dvorak’s evolving melodic line while never relaxing the presence of supporting open-work and orchestral polyphony remains the miracle of his art. The strength of that melodic flow makes itself ardently manifest in the trio section of the waltz-like Allegretto grazioso third movement. The subtle application of rubato and portamento add to the old-world flavor of a performance that simultaneously retains its modernity. The outer movements possess a fervent, occasionally demonic, energy, the Czech brass and strings projected in blended harmony. We never cease to appreciate Dvorak’s sense of pantheistic ecstasy. The seamless progression of the original shellacs, as they had for Mark Obert-Thorn, belie the age of these incandescent recordings, and I urge any admirer of masterful orchestral leadership to acquire this and any sound documents that may appear in the future.”
-Gary Lemco, Audiophile Audition
