Search - Dvorak :: Serenade in D Op 44 / Serenade for Strings

Very nice performances from a less than familiar conductor.

Jeffrey Lee | Asheville area, NC USA | 09/30/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I never seem to tire of these tuneful serenades by Dvorak. The opus 44 for Winds is just too pleasant to be listed as a minor key composition. But, while I do enjoy it very much, it's the opus 22 String Serenade that has remained special for me. Some of you might recognize segments of it from commercials and films where it has been used numerous times. Additionally, it has been recorded more frequently than the Wind Serenade (which, by the way, was given a fine go in the 1960s--coupled with an equally fine Brahms Serenade No. 2--by Istvan Kertesz and the London Symphony). A number of eminent conductors, including Kubelik, Karajan and Stokowski have offered their views of this score. Kubelik, one of the composer's finest interpreters, recorded it twice. I prefer his later account with the English Chamber Orchestra (currently NA). The earlier one was with the Israel Philharmonic. Karajan, I find, can't summon the charm. I haven't heard the Stokowski, which some find fetching. But what about any of the lesser known conductors ? Warren-Green's stint wth the Philharmonia Orchestra puts me off because of his dragging tempos. Then there's Oldrich Vlcek with the Virtuosi di Praga on Koch Discover International (NLA ? ). In my estimate, he certainly delivers the goods. The pace is right throughout and so are the touches. No drag and no glossing things over either. Just appropriately melodic and enchanting. As good as any I've heard and better than most. His interpretation of the Wind Serenade is in the same vein, with those instruments sounding most distinctive. On the same disc with the Serenades are four of Dvorak's Miniatures. While the first one is presented very nicely, the other three are compromised, unfortunately, by some rather edgy sounding strings. No matter. All else makes this disc worth having--IF 1)you can find it and 2) you truly enjoy these works."