Josef Suk Asrael Symphony - Rafael Kubelík

[@ChrisBreemer]

Many thanks for posting this top recording of a top symphony ! The ability to translate grief and loss into eternally wonderful art is what distinguishes great composers and great human beings. The last 5 minutes just break my heart - to end such a dark and painful journey on a note of hope and optimism. How I would have loved to know Suk. And no better man for the job than Kubelik of course. One of my all-time favourite conductors.

[@steveegallo3384]

I never even KNEW! Most grand composer....One of The Greats! Miss your Dig-Piano posts....Greetings from Acapulco!

[@keiththomas795]

A wonderful symphony particularly in the hands of Kubelik. I shudder each time those five notes appear in different guises, especially those muted brass. A masterpiece by any standards. This is the best of a fine composer.

[@bgccallahan4116]

I have listened to this whenever losing a loved one. Just happened again. In memory of Rob Stewart, a consummate artist, poet, and raconteur, here in California, June 9, 2021.

[@metomp67]

May future rainbows Remind you of his sunshine When the clouds have gone

[@camillebouchard6436]

Super !

[@cristiandesaviolin]

Terrific symphony... and so difficult to play! Shame it isn't so well known and played more frequently. Cheers!

[@davidrehak3539]

Josef Suk:2.c-moll ,,Asrael'' Szimfónia Op.27 1.Andante sostenuto 00:00 2.Andante 16:29 3.Vivace 23:44 4.Adagio 37:16 5.Adagio maestoso - Più animato e molto appassionato - Molto largamente - Molto animato - Largo misterioso - Allegro appassionato 49:32 Bajor Rádió Szimfonikus Zenekara Vezényel:Rafael Kubelík

[@Blauwhoed]

To my taster the most fantastic rendering of this work!

[@anno4you]

bijzonder !

[@ChrisBreemer]

Maarten Brandt I have not heard all other versions, but you may well be right. Kubelik and the BRSO are simply unrivalled in Czech music. And in a lot of non-Czech music as well - his Mahler and Schumann symphony cycles are as good as any, and then some.

[@dieterbarkhoff1328]

I love the Neumann recording as well: it's more dramatic.

[@josealexandre6632]

Suk achieved here his top moment, indeed ! Some parts sound "Mahlerian", others Richard Straussians ? Silbelians? Bruckner´s? Yes, may be they do, but so what ? Those are the fringe lines shared by the hand of geniuses, the slow, painful but glorious climbing of a scarped mountain....And also as in Mahler, Suk does not worry to come down- their time has arrived !

[@edsanchez4284]

No logro apreciar esto.

[@leonardobautista1619]

¿Es la primera vez que escuchas música sinfónica?

[@easy1253]

This is a terribly weak performance, which diminishes the work, trivializes it, as opposed to the masterful and austere but intensely yearning Vaclav Neumann recording, which conveys the tragedy but with transcendence throughout, and with an appropriate sense of solitude. That Neumann recording grows on a listener with each successive hearing.

[@NoriWakameKonbu]

Eric Would you tell me if you know any links of the 'Vaclav Neumann recording'? I'd like to listen to it.

[@lyricaltones]

I totally disagree, it's interesting that we have absolutely opposite views of both recordings. Kubelík's interpretation is extraordinarily profound and sensitive. Only Talich made such a beautiful performance of Adagio. Kubelík's expression of both dramatic and lyrical places is mind-blowing. I must criticize only too slow tempo of the main part of Vivace, it should be a whirling "danse macabre" and Kubelík changed it almost to a slow "valse triste". Sometimes some instruments are not audible enough but that's not very unusual thing (unfortunately) and it may be also caused by sound engineers. Otherwise it is one of the most impressive recordings of Asrael. Neumann, on the contrary, performed this symphony like it was more classicism than romanticism and it is the interpretation I don't like at all. Rationality and construction dominate there too much over romantic lyricism, it seems to me like if Neumann built it of concrete blocks. He performed the dramatic places impressively, but the lyrical side of the work lacks feeling, sensitivity, profundity in his interpretation. He has great Vivace, but his Adagio is superficial like if he only ran over it.

[@francispanny5068]

The bass drum you can barely hear in the first movement. In Mackerras you can really hear it, Talich comes close. So yeah the bas drum is kind of weak on here.