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Bedrich Smetana - Ma Vlast (Harnoncourt)

Bedrich Smetana - Ma Vlast (Harnoncourt)

Bedrich Smetana - Ma Vlast (Harnoncourt)
2 CD | APE+CUE | Covers | 351Mb

I've loved this work by Smetana for many decades now, particularly in recordings by Kubelik and Ancerl. I was first drawn by the music in Die Moldau and then introduced to the other pieces over time. When I first heard this recording by Harnoncourt and the Vienna Philharmonic, I was struck by how well Harnoncourt's interpretation tied the various tone poems together into a coherent whole. I was truly impressed by the freshness of the interpretation. Subsequent listenings have only deepened my appreciation for Harnoncourt's vision for this work.(…) (Amazon)

(...) To be sure, Harnoncourt chooses slow tempi throughout. I think this may be the only version that spans two disks; all of my other versions take less time. However, slow does not mean lifeless or languid, not in this case. Harnoncourt revels in the rhythms and melodies, allowing them their turn in the sun. The glorious playing of the Vienna Philharmonic and the excellence of the recorded sound reveal the intricacies of the various parts. Several other reviewers have rightly mentioned the outstanding brass playing. But the other parts ring out clearly too, from the harp in Vysehrad to the triangle to the clarinet solos. Even when all the parts are blended together, the blended sound still allows the listener to pick out individual parts if desired. I am delighted to have found this performance and feel that it justly merits a spot on the shelf right next to my outstanding recordings by Kubelik (Czech Phil and Chicago Symphony Orch) and Ancerl (Czech Philharmonic).(Amazon)