Many of the titles on this set formed couplings to Kertész’s celebrated LSO Dvorak symphony cycle for Decca. Collected here, over two generously-filled CDs, are all of the Overtures and Tone Poems of Dvorak that Kertész recorded. The fantastical, sometimes gruesome fairy tales of Erben exercised a curious fascination over Dvořák and three of his series of four Erben-inspired symphonic poems are recorded here in interpretations that capture every nuance and thrill of the stories. Also included is Kertész’s celebrated recording of the Symphonic Variations, full of invention through the 27 variations plus the Scherzo capriccioso with its unmistakable Bohemian flavour.
ANTONIN DVOŘÁK
Carnival: Overture, Op. 92 (B.169)
The Water Goblin, Op. 107 (B.195)
Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66 (B.131)
Symphonic Variations, Op. 78 (B.70)
Hussite Overture, Op. 67 (B.132)
My Home: Overture, Op. 62 (B.125a)
The Noonday Witch, Op. 108 (B.196)
Othello: Overture, Op. 93 (B.174)
The Golden Spinning Wheel, Op. 109 (B.197)
In Nature’s Realm: Overture, Op. 91 (B.168)
London Symphony Orchestra
István Kertész
Recording Producers: Ray Minshull (Scherzo capriccioso, Carnival, My Home, Hussite Overture, In Nature’s Realm, Othello); David Harvey (Symphonic Variations, The Golden Spinning Wheel, The Water Goblin, The Noonday Witch)
Balance Engineers: Arthur Lilley, Michael Mailes (Scherzo capriccioso); Kenneth Wilkinson (Carnival, My Home, In Nature’s Realm, Othello); Jack Law (Hussite Overture); Stanley Goodall, Tryggvi Tryggvason, Peter van Biene (Symphonic Variations, The Golden Spinning Wheel, The Water Goblin, The Noonday Witch)
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, February 1963 (Scherzo capriccioso), December 1965 (Carnival, My Home), October 1966 (Hussite Overture), December 1966 (Othello), July 1970 (Symphonic Variations, The Golden Spinning Wheel, The Water Goblin, The Noonday Witch)
‘Kertesz shows the underlying grave beauty of this marvellous set of variations’ (Symphonic Variations) Gramophone
‘a bright and delightful performance’ (In Nature’s Realm) Gramophone
‘splendidly played and recorded’ (The Water Goblin, The Noonday Witch, My Home, Hussite Overture) Gramophone
‘an outstanding version of the Scherzo capriccioso – considered the finest available in its day’ Penguin Guide to CDs