Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8 Marin Alsop & Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

• Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70, B. 141
• 1 I. Allegro maestoso 10:14
• 2 II. Poco adagio 10:08
• 3 III. Scherzo: Vivace - Poco meno mosso 07:40
• 4 IV. Finale: Allegro 09:01
• Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88, B. 163
• 5 I. Allegro con brio 10:24
• 6 II. Adagio 10:54
• 7 III. Allegretto grazioso - Molto vivace 06:14
• 8 IV. Allegro ma non troppo 09:45
• Total Runtime 01:14:20

Info for Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8

In these live recordings from Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, Dvořák’s most darkly dramatic and passionate symphony, the Seventh, is coupled with his Eighth, notable for its dramatic contrasts, Bohemian lyricism, and a seemingly spontaneous flow of thematic ideas.

The amount of felicitous detail here is more than enough to justify purchase, even if you already own one or more versions of either work. Take the slow movement of the Seventh, the delicately drawn cello line at around 6’22”, or the clarity of the Scherzo’s outer sections, though I could have done with a touch more forcefulness from the hammering horns at 4’47”. In the darkly dramatic finale Alsop allows herself just enough expressive leeway to sweeten the pill without spoiling the line—in the cello-dominated second subject, for example, where the pulse eases ever so slightly. Only the first movement struck me as rather too strait-laced, with next to no deviation in tempo throughout. This is restless, autumnal music that surely demands a more rhapsodic approach (compare Kubelík, Rowicki and Dorati), whereas in the Eighth Alsop turns on her heels and opts for subtle expressiveness, delivering one of the most tender accounts of the finale’s wind-down coda that I’ve heard since Bruno Walter. Again the first movement is very “straight” but this time, with less weathered music, the approach works better: no tiresome ritardandos impede the flow and there’s an impressive contrast between chamber-style intimacy in the quieter passages and impressive, full-blown climaxes. The third movement’s Trio is just a little pallid (rather that though than excessive schmaltz) but heard overall the performance works extremely well, and both recordings are thoughtfully balanced.

As to recent rivals in the same coupling, Mackerras and the Philharmonia, recorded live (Signum, 4/10), offer bags of spontaneity and at times even more warmth, though Alsop’s Baltimore orchestra parades a refined tonal profile that pays its own special dividends. Still, as I’ve already suggested, Alsop should please both the eager newcomer on the lookout for a recommendation and the seasoned collector who knows and loves the music but fancies listening between the staves. There’ll be no disappointment on either score. (Rob Cowan, Gramophone)

Marin Alsop, Conductor
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Recorded live 10-13 January 2008 (No 8), 19-22 March 2009 (No 7), Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Marin Alsop - Conductor
Hailed as one of the world’s leading conductors for her artistic vision and commitment to accessibility in classical music, Marin Alsop made history with her appointment as the twelfth music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. With her inaugural concerts in September 2007, she became the first woman to head a major American orchestra. She also holds the title of conductor emeritus at the Bournemouth Symphony in the United Kingdom, where she served as the principal conductor from 2002-2008, and is music director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in California. Her most recent appointment as principal conductor of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (OSESP), starting in 2012, marks another historic appointment for her. In 2005, Marin Alsop was named a MacArthur Fellow, the first conductor ever to receive this prestigious award. In 2007 she was honoured with a European Women of Achievement Award, in 2008 she was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and in 2009 Musical America named her Conductor of the Year. In November 2010 she was inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame. Marin Alsop is a frequent guest conductor with the most distinguished orchestras around the world, including the New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Concertbegouw Orchestra, the Orchestra of La Scala, the Tonhalle Orchestra and many others. In addition to her performance activities, she is an active recording artist with award-winning cycles of Brahms, Barber and Dvořák.

Marin Alsop was named a MacArthur Fellow, the first conductor ever to receive this prestigious award.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
is internationally recognized as having achieved a preeminent place among the world’s most important orchestras. Acclaimed for its pursuit of artistic excellence, the BSO has attracted a devoted national and international following while maintaining deep bonds throughout Maryland with innovative education and community outreach initiatives. The BSO made musical history in September 2007, when Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s twelfth music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra. The BSO has achieved critical acclaim for its recording albums. In August 2009 the orchestra and Marin Alsop released Bernstein’s Mass, which rose to number six on the Classical Billboard Charts and received a 2009 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Classical Album. For more than eighty years, the BSO has maintained a vibrant educational presence throughout Maryland. The 2012-2013 season marks the fifth year of OrchKids, a year-round program that provides music education to Baltimore’s neediest youngsters at no cost. In addition to the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where the orchestra has performed for 29 years, the BSO is a founding partner and the resident orchestra at the Music Center at Strathmore, just outside of Washington, D.C. With its opening in February 2005, the BSO became the nation’s only major orchestra with year-round venues in two metropolitan areas.

This album contains no booklet.