This is a splendid recording, with only one potential drawback to be discussed below. Christian Lindberg’s interpretation of the Legends is as fine as any on disc, period. His tempo choices invariably work, the orchestra seems to be an ideal size to let every detail of Dvorák’s orchestration tell (listen to the harp in No. 6), and the playing is outstanding. The concluding Legend is deliciously nostalgic without ever sounding too sentimental. Furthermore, these pieces still aren’t as well known as they deserve to be, so to have another outstanding version available (in addition to Kubelik, Mackerras, and Fischer if you can find them) on a label that keeps its titles in print is a very good thing.
The concerto also receives an excellent and, more importantly, distinctive performance. Lively tempos keep the music moving with what I can only call passionate freshness; the interpretation sounds like no other. There are moments, particularly in the central Adagio and the “Dumka” interlude in the finale (which Dvorák marks “the same tempo” and where most performances slow down dramatically), where you feel that the music can’t be played any other way.
My only quibble is with Richard Tognetti’s tone, which for all of his imaginative phrasing and boldness of conception sometimes isn’t that attractive. I’m thinking particularly of his clipped and squeaky phrasing of the finale’s main theme. Whether this matters terribly will be a matter of personal taste; there’s no question that the use of a chamber orchestra provides ideal balances, and that the engineering is outstanding. So this is an almost perfect disc, and many listeners might well be willing to omit the “almost”.
