Fans of
Lovro von Matacic will be happy to have his 1959 recording of Beethoven's "Eroica" with the Czech Philharmonic. While they may be disappointed by the wobbly tone of the winds, the wayward intonation of the strings, and the shakiness of theentire ensemble, they will still be happy to know how
Matacic approached the "Eroica." And while they may be disappointed that his approach is clear and light, not translucent and transcendent, they will still be happy to know that
Matacic's conception of Beethoven's "Eroica" does not match the lofty sublimity of his conception of Bruckner. That's because for fans of
Matacic, there could be nothing more sublime than his conception of Bruckner. But even the most ardent
Matacic fans are unlikely to be overly impressed by his 1968 recording of Oldrich Frantisek Korte's Flute's Story. With the cogency of
Copland, the sincerity of
Prokofiev, and the clarity of
Hindemith, Korte's piece is long, loud, dull, and pointless. Supraphon's sound is a bit hard and a lot dim.