Most classical music listeners may already have a recording of
Dvorák's Symphony No. 9, many may already have recordings of his Symphonies No. 7 and No. 8, and a sizeable minority may already have recordings of his Symphonies No. 5 and No. 6. Only hardcore
Dvorák fans, however, will already have recordings of his Symphonies No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4, and it is at those who don't fit the hardcore category that this five-disc set of all nine symphonies is aimed.
Unfortunately, the quality of performance varies in direct proportion to the popularity of the works.
Mariss Jansons and the
Oslo Philharmonic deliver straight-ahead performances of the Eighth and Ninth that highlight their colors, accent their rhythms, drive their tempos, and articulate their structures.
Jirí Belohlávek and the Czech Philharmonic turn in sunny, lyrical accounts of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh, but since the orchestra is the finest in the Czech Republic and their unique singing tone is one of the marvels of the orchestral world, one would expect nothing less.
Less persuasive are the performances of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth by
Neeme Järvi and the Scottish National Orchestra. With their derivative themes, awkward transitions, and ungainly forms, these are the weakest symphonies in
Dvorák's oeuvre and to succeed, they need more than the cursory readings
Järvi and the Scottish musicians give them, readings that sound more like sight-reading exercises than full-fledged performances. Listeners looking for a complete set of
Dvorák's symphonies are advised to try
István Kertész and the
London Symphony's superbly played, wonderfully characterful, and magnificently symphonic set for Decca. This set is only for fans of the conductors.