Search - Antonin Dvorak, Zdenek Macal, London Philharmonic Orchestra :: Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor "From the New World"; Symphonic Variations

Delightful Budget Dvorak

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 01/28/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes it pays to do a little extra surfing on Amazon. Those of you who have read my reviews know how much I like certain classical budget-lines, and in particular the original EMI Seraphim series. For less than a five-spot, you can still get some amazing vintage stereo performances by some of the best conductors of the last century. Unfortunately, most of the other titles in that series are now out-of-print, and some are even commanding prices five times their original retail list price in the Marketplace. The EMI Seraphim featuring this Dvorak 9th by Zdenek Macal was one such title. Sure it's a collector's item, but I always figured one of the reasons sellers were asking such an inflated price for it was that it also had to be good performance. Well, it is a good recording, but you certainly don't have to pay an exorbitant price for it! After some effort I discovered that the very same Macal account was available as an EMI Import in the "Classics for Pleasure" series. Also it is coupled here with a fine rendition of Dvorak's Symphonic Variations, instead of Previn's account of the Mendelssohn 4th on the Seraphim (which I already own on another title). My former teachers were right -- more research never hurts!"