4:35 Nowadays it's almost impossible to listen to this theme without sugar-on-top rubato everywhere... Such a blessing to contemplate it, for once, a tempo, semplice!
The ninth last recording was slow as never before, and I learned a sense of incongruity. However, his comment was written down in the sleeve notes throughout the life when it was the best recording. As for me, tears do not stop.
BTW if you have possibility to go to Czech Philharmonics concert live then definitely do so. And in the the past 10 years or so under late Jiri Belohlavek and these days Semjon Bychkov they are definitely on top of the game again :)
Thank you for sharing. I heard tens of From the New World recordings and this one is the best. Czech Philharmony and superb audio quality would be enough. But Vaclav Neumann makes such lovely interpretation, that no other can beat it. Just listen to climax of the second movement, where he slows down to explode in fantastic joy! @18:27
Honour to Neumann, and his Czech Philharmonic.. anyone.. which year ? right, i got it.. Rudolfínum December 11, 1993, 100th anniversary of Dvořák 9, with president Havel..
This orchestra was then, and still is, one of the world's best. Any imbalances likely had more to do with microphone placement, which frequently is problematic in recording live performances.
Well this was the top orchestra any player could hope to play for during the socialist period - not much chance to go to play abroad, moving there with family. Also these days, especially in Prague, there is more orchestras than then.
