Sony Classical proudly announces an uncommonly attractive new batch of reissues from the CBS/Sony and RCA Victor/BMG back catalogues. This latest installment of the popular series showcases the reissue of a path-breaking composer edition as well as recordings by some of the labels greatest artists of the last half century. Throughout his long tenure with The Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell and his peerless ensemble set standards with their recordings of Czech music. The new release now offers them all, many for the first time on modern recording technology, including earlier mono versions of Dvoráks New World Symphony (1952) and Slavonic Dances (194756) as well as his Piano Concerto (1954) with its finest soloist, Rudolf Firkuny. The main attraction for most listeners, however, will likely still be Szells stereo recordings. When the symphonies, set down in 195860, were most recently reissued along with some of the mono Smetana performances, ClassicsToday declared, you wont find a more authoritative, urgently exciting, well-played collection of Dvoráks last three symphonies at any price. The remastering has been managed with great care and is wholly successful. This is particularly gratifying with respect to the mono items, which include the Bartered Bride Overture and Szells own surprisingly colorful and uninhibited orchestration of Smetanas First Quartet. Indispensable! And, of course, Szells miraculously detailed and immaculately phrased 196263 set of the complete Slavonic Dances, never out of the catalogue, is still the benchmark for these joyous masterpieces, especially in this superb SACD remastering.
A**T
Masterful performances
Some duplication of repertoire, but each performance different. Early versions sound as well as the truly high-fi era ones. Pardon me purists, but Szell is every bit the equal of Talich (though both have their own approach), with modern sound. Beats the pants off 'current' interpretations. Buy with assurance.
A**R
great recordings cheaply boxed up
Whatever anyone may say about Szell's military-like speed and precision, these are indisputably important recordings. It's much like Barbirolli's Sibelius recordings with the Halle on the Warner side. The recordings have (separately) washed up in reissues with various types of covers more times than anyone can count. One wonders whether this is their last say.I don't agree with people giving 5 stars for lazily-done super-budget releases like this. We're accessing the value of the product, which is more than just the quality of the performance. In this case, there's no booklet. The same photo of Szell is on every slipcase. There's no information on when the transfers were done or by whom. It's just thrown together. It would probably look better if Sony licensed it out to Membran, and that's not saying much.
