Dvorak: Three Great Symphonies, Nos. 7, 8 & 9, Carnival Overture / Smetana: Bartered Bride Overture / String Quartet
George Szell's great musical hero was Toscanini, but the truth is that  on any given day Szell was probably the better conductor. Of course, comparisons  like this aren't fair, especially when so much of Szell's musical prime has been  preserved in really good sound, which certainly isn't true of the great Italian  conductor. But it's worth pointing out all the same, because all of Toscanini's  best qualities are here. The razor-sharp rhythms, perfect orchestral balances,  and, where required, stunning power of the orchestra are all placed in the  service of Dvorák's magnificent music. The result is that the  "interpretation" as such simply vanishes; you experience an  inevitable, organic musical discourse. It's what all great conductors aspire to- -but for Szell, it was all in a day's work. Essential.--David Hurwitz