Dvorak - Symphonies Nos 7, 8 & 9 | Barbirolli Society SJB107172

Dvorak - Symphonies Nos 7, 8 & 9

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Label: Barbirolli Society

Cat No: SJB107172

Format: CD

Number of Discs: 2

Genre: Orchestral

Release Date: 9th September 2013

Contents

Artists

Halle Orchestra

Conductor

John Barbirolli

Works

Dvorak, Antonin

Legends (10), op.59
» no.4 Molto maestoso
» no.6 Allegro con moto
» no.7 Allegretto grazioso
Scherzo capriccioso in D flat major, op.66
Symphony no.7 in D minor, op.70
Symphony no.8 in G major, op.88 B163
Symphony no.9 in E minor, op.95 B178 'From the New World'

Artists

Halle Orchestra

Conductor

John Barbirolli

About

Dvořák’s Seventh and Eighth Symphonies were recorded by the Mercury team (produced by the Americans Wilma Cozart and Harold Lawrence, with Robert Fine as recording engineer) at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. The ‘New World’ came last, in March 1959, in the British hands of Douglas Terry as producer, and Robert Auger as engineer.

The recording of Dvořák’s Scherzo Capriccioso preceded that of the Eighth Symphony by one day, and the three shorter Legends, from the ten which comprise Dvořák’s Opus 59 set, were taped in September 1958, being produced by John Snashall with Robert Auger once more as recording engineer.

In fact, the two CDs which form this set from the Barbirolli Society constitute the first integral release of these three symphonies and their accompanying shorter works alone in their original stereophonic format for many years, and it is a measure of the quality of those original Pye/Mercury recordings that they would appear to the unknowing ear, to have been made far more recently.

The British composer Robert Simpson, editor of the two-volume compendium The Symphony in 1966, wrote of Barbirolli’s recording of the Seventh Symphony: ‘Barbirolli gives a vivid and well disciplined account of the great D minor Symphony which, despite its neglect, is one of the greatest since Beethoven. Barbirolli succeeds in enlivening the music with inimitable touches of warmth and character.’

And in discussing the ‘New World’ recording, he wrote ‘A spontaneous, warm-hearted performance, unaffected and thoroughly musical. This is Barbirolli in his least uncomplicated form.’

The G major Symphony was issued first, in March 1958, the stereo recording being full of the richness and natural balance typical of the best of Mercury recordings from the 1950s, as we can hear on this latest transfer. As such, the natural stereo sound, Mercury’s microphone technique securing Barbirolli’s instrumental balance unencumbered by technical
interference, reinforces Robert Simpson’s comment of the conductor being captured ‘in his least uncomplicated form’. Direct, but never simple, Barbirolli reveals the nature of this positive and outward-looking symphony with rare insight and understanding.

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