Wild Dove / Noon Witch
These three Dvorák tone poems are late, major works, still basically unknown to the general music public. For a few bucks, you can introduce yourself to nearly an hour of prime Dvorák, all written after the "New World" Symphony. The lovely Czech idiom and typical sense of melody that distinguish Dvorák are here, but so is a dramatic urgency that we don't always associate with this most genial of composers. The American conductor and his Polish orchestra have collaborated on powerful, effective performances, perhaps not quite so intense as the classic Václav Talich mono versions (on mid-priced Supraphon) but certainly better recorded. This disc is an outstanding bargain.--Leslie Gerber