Search - Bedrich Smetana, Václav Neumann, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig :: Smetana: Mein Vaterland (Ma Vlast)

Excellent Recording

Neal Stevens | Greensboro, NC | 01/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Highly recommended. This is one of the very best recordings of this magnificent music.



The recorded sound is warm and close up, details are clearly heard. The performance reflects love and respect for the music. The Gewandhaus folks play magnificently and Neumann choses good tempos, not too fast or too slow. The feelings of joyfullness and pride are evident at every turn.



The highlight of this disk is the Moldau, where Neumann and the music successfully create the impression that the listener is flowing down the river, swirling in the eddies, growing in majesty as the river widens, and finally pounding into the sea. Only equalled by Karajan's EMI and DG recordings, which are sadly only the Moldau, not the entire Ma Vlast.



First choice in this music has to go to the Kubelik on Supraphon. The sound is even better, and the recording is in and of itself a historical occassion. The Sawallisch on RCA LP is also excellent, and the Norrington on Virgin suprisingly so.



If you already have the Kubelik, then it is suggested that you give this Berlin Classics a try as well. I own this on LP and CD, and consider these disks to be among the highlights of my collection."

Wonderful ma vlast

Der Alte | Port Washington, NY United States | 01/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD of ma vlast is the best bargain on Amazon. It is beautifully conducted and played and the sound is vivid and clear. I will be playing this more often than most of the full priced versions that I own, such as Harnoncourt, Mackerras and Mehta. It sounds better than the latest Kubilek on Supraphon and it is better that Neumann's other later versions."