Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8
Brahms was the abiding influence on Dvorák, particularly in his symphonies. But part of Dvorák's genius was his ability to let native folk melodies from various Czech and Slavic sources determine the course of his symphonies. The structuring might be Brahms, but the guts are all Dvorák. You can still hear Brahms in both these two popular symphonies, but only in the framework. Conductor Myung-Whun Chung expertly (and lovingly) shapes the rich melodic lines in such a way that, especially in Symphony no. 8, Brahms becomes a mere specter lurking in the background. Both works contain memorable themes and native melodies and both works rank among the best examples of symphonic romanticism. These are excellent performances and the Deutsche Grammophon sound is superb.--Paul Cook