Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9
Rafael Kubelik recorded Dvorak's Ninth Symphony something like four  times, but it's never sounded better than it does here. In fact, when these  performances were first released, they set new standards in symphonic cogency  and beauty of orchestral execution. On this disc they have been carefully  remastered and paired on a single midpriced CD. What a deal! One of the biggest  problems in collecting classical music is that you're often faced with an  embarrassment of riches--so many really fine performances of the great works.  Some of these, however, stand out as classic recordings of classical music, and  Kubelik's Dvorak recordings clearly belong in this elite category.--David  Hurwitz