Composer: Antonín Dvořák
Orchestra: Staatskapelle Berlin
Conductor: Otmar Suitner
Number of Discs: 5
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Brilliant
Release: 2019
Size: 1.53 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, B. 9
01. I. Maestoso – Allegro
02. II. Adagio di molto
03. III. Allegretto
04. IV. Finale. Allegro animato
Symphony No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 4, B. 12
05. I. Allegro con moto
06. II. Poco adagio
07. III. Scherzo. Allegro con brio
08. IV. Finale. Allegro con fuoco (Alla breve)
Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 10, B. 34
09. I. Allegro moderato
10. II. Adagio molto, tempo di Marcia
11. III. Finale. Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 13, B. 41
12. I. Allegro
13. II. Andante sostenuto e molto cantabile
14. III. Scherzo. Allegro feroce
15. IV. Finale. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 5 in F Major, Op. 76, B. 54
16. I. Allegro, ma non troppo
17. II. Andante con moto
18. III. Scherzo. Allegro scherzando
19. IV. Finale. Allegro molto
Symphony No. 6 in D Major, Op. 60, B. 112
20. I. Allegro non tanto
21. II. Adagio
22. III. Scherzo (Furiant). Presto
23. IV. Finale. Allegro con spirit
Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, Op. 70, B. 141
24. I. Allegro maestoso
25. II. Poco adagio
26. III. Scherzo. Vivace
27. IV. Finale. Allegro
Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88, B. 163
28. I. Allegro con brio
29. II. Adagio
30. III. Allegretto grazioso
31. IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, B. 178
32. I. Adagio – Allegro molto
33. II. Largo
34. III. Scherzo. Molto vivace
35. IV. Allegro con fuoco
There are certainly worse recordings of the complete symphonies of Antonin Dvorák — the lackluster Václav Neumann, the wrong-headed Neeme Järvi, the dreary Andrew Davis — but this set by Otmar Suitner and the Staatskapelle Berlin is so much less appealing than the truly great performances — the glorious István Kertész, the fabulous Rafael Kubelik, and the magnificent Witold Rowicki — that it is impossible to recommend. Suitner knows what to do and when to do it, and there are no outright gaffes, but he seems impervious to the music’s charm and to its meaning. Melodies that should be lyrical are merely perfunctory, developments that should be dramatic are simply prosaic, and climaxes that should be shattering are only loud. Part of the responsibility lies with the Staatskapelle Berlin, which can surely handle anything in these scores, but which often sounds like it is sight-reading, resulting in a less than unified ensemble and less than convincing performances. Berlin Classics stereo sound is thick, lumpy, and gray. In short, this is a set only likely to interest listeners who have to have every Dvorák cycle or everything Suitner ever recorded.