Vladimir Ashkenazy’s new release of Dvorák symphonic works faces tons of competition and yet it emerges as a contender, especially for listeners who love great orchestral playing, excellent sonics, and two CDs for the price of one. Ashkenazy does not really break any new interpretive ground in these performances, opting for traditional, mainstream tempos and sacrificing the twin senses of urgency and drive for tonal beauty and clarity of ensemble. In fact, if there is a single criticism of this “New World”, it is that it lacks the character and vigor that mark truly exciting performances such as Fricsay’s on DG and Bernstein’s on Sony.
The third movement in particular is bereft of the energy and intensity found in Bernstein’s gripping recording (the slashing strings in the opening measures). Ashkenazy’s take is more refined and light, and when we get to the Trio, it’s just plain stately. Climaxes throughout the work are played loudly and forcefully but uneventfully, as if Ashkenazy (one of the more physically tightly-wound conductors on the podium) was holding back that last bit of oomph. As a result of Ashkenazy’s pursuit of instrumental purity, it’s not surprising that the second movement fares best. The shimmering strings, stunning solo work from the English horn, moving doubled wind passages, and rock-solid brass ensemble highlight this movement, making it seem almost like a work by Debussy.
The overtures are all played idiomatically with the kind of gung-ho reserved for orchestras that should “own” these pieces as a sort of birthright. They do not displace other excellent versions, but are nice to have coupled generously in this set.
Finally, you are unlikely to find better sound quality on other recorded versions of this repertoire. Ondine’s engineers have captured every nuance of this renowned orchestra on its home turf (House of Artists in Prague) with luminous natural sound and hall ambience–perhaps a bit too much ambience, as the “Carnival” Overture suffers slightly from excessive reverberation that occasionally muddies some of the inner lines and buries the trombones. [5/2/2002]
