BBC RADIO 3 RECORD REVIEW BUILDING A LIBRARY

On this Saturday’s BBC Radio 3 Record Review Building a Library was on Dvořák's Serenade for Strings in E major.
The Top Recommended disc was Prague Philharmonia; conductor Jakub Hrůša (SU3932–2).
Also highly regarded was Czech Chamber Orchestra; conductor Josef Vlach (SU4203–2).

Here are the highlights:
“Everything is clear from the Hrůša recording with the Prague Philharmonia from 2007. In that I can hear a link with another 4 decades earlier: Czech Chamber Orchestra; Josef Vlach (conductor)
Supraphon SU4203–2… this very small band makes for a thinner texture but there is a great swing to this just enough liberty is taken to give the waltz real life.“

“The Czech Chamber Orchestra are also crisp and energetic but they don’t quite have the same fire power in the big crescendo section (as Prague Philharmonia; Jakub Hrůša).”

“It’s a true chamber affair, it’s lovely in its freedom of expression but as we’ve heard they can’t always sustain strength of line when its needed which leaves me with my overall choice. It only took Dvořák 12 days to write his serenade but the richness of melody he created and the skill he used to craft it deserves the sort of performance where speed and dynamics work organically where you can hear lots of detail and where it enhances rather than detracts from the shape and more importantly the optimistic mood of this life affirming serenade and it’s Jakub Hrůša & the Prague Philharmonia who for me deliver all that. As the nostalgic first movement themes neatly comes to an end we think it’s all over but there’s a last explosion of energy and the Prague Philharmonia’s all out off beat chords, including a bum note left in the bases, only serve to emphasise the fact that rootsy side to Dvořák is emerging after all his Slavonic dances were just over the horizon.“

Listen to the programme here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/…mes/b09pkxtt