Prague Symphony Orchestra/Tomáš Brauner
Supraphon SU43322 78:27 mins
Dvořák’s first set of Slavonic Dances was decisive in launching his international career. Within months of publication, they had been played across Europe and in the United States. They also created an image of the composer as quintessentially Czech. In fact, beyond the use of popular dance rhythms, they have very little to do with Czech folksong and far more to do with Dvořák’s ability to produce immediately appealing melody, rhythmic excitement, imaginative development and brilliant orchestration.
Brauner and the Prague Symphony Orchestra know this music backwards, but they show little sign of taking familiar native repertoire for granted. The brash, curtain-raising opening of the first dance may be a touch hectoring, but what follows is full of ear-catching detail. Each dance is given a distinctive character and Brauner always has an eye to Dvořák’s skilful counter-melodies. The string sound is lean and there is much fine woodwind detail, most delightfully in the canonic duet between oboe and bassoon in the C minor dance.
The second set of Slavonic Dances were composed eight years later when Dvořák’s reputation was secure. There is plenty of the razzmatazz familiar from the first set, but also introspection. Brauner’s performances are not quite as successful here: the faster dances are terrific, but the wonderful D flat major dance is too brisk to really enjoy its yearning, almost Impressionist harmonies and the central section’s unexpected depths. Overall, there is some fine performing here and, with vivid recorded sound, much to enjoy.
