Dvorak - String Serenade [Alphen-Rotterdam Chamber Orchestra]
Now this is a real event in my Blog, where has Dvorak's String serenade been all my life?, this is the third time i've played this disc, but what was i listening to the other two times?, this is the greatest musical discovery this year so far, i went out for a walk throughout my neighbourhood late at night, with the strains of Dvorak's beautiful melody in my ears, discs like this make me happy.
Conrad Van Alphen is South African, and he's new to me, i don't have a lot of Telarc discs, and i don't believe i have another performance of Dvorak's String Serenade, i bought this disc eight years ago, and it's been a real slow burner, i love the programme of this disc, all the works complement each other, the front booklet and back inlay are gorgeous, a picture of a Scandinavian fjord [by Brian Lawrence], look at them luscious blues!, each Composer is boxed in vertical lines on the front, and horizontal on the back, i love the layout of this thing, a well presented visual adds to the music on the inside.
So it was the opening movement Moderato which was such a revelation, it's stunningly beautiful, lasting just under five minutes, and yet it feels more substantial, with Dvorak there's no intro here, it's straight into the music, the opening chords are heavenly, and are quickly restated with extra passion, i love the way this opening melody comes back again and again, it's so memorable and sweet, there's a central trio section, where the music gets more lively [1:36-2:55], and the return of the opening theme afterwards is a moment of magic [2:55+], there's also this short passage where the music 'dies' down into the minor [0:54 & 3:47], a wonderful moment of pathos, a stroke of genius by Dvorak, at the end there's this little coda [4:08-4:51], which brings this little movement to a close, now this is what makes all the music i listen to worthwhile!.
Here's the first movement Moderato on YouTube, played by the Kyiv Soloists.
Conrad Van Alphen is South African, and he's new to me, i don't have a lot of Telarc discs, and i don't believe i have another performance of Dvorak's String Serenade, i bought this disc eight years ago, and it's been a real slow burner, i love the programme of this disc, all the works complement each other, the front booklet and back inlay are gorgeous, a picture of a Scandinavian fjord [by Brian Lawrence], look at them luscious blues!, each Composer is boxed in vertical lines on the front, and horizontal on the back, i love the layout of this thing, a well presented visual adds to the music on the inside.
So it was the opening movement Moderato which was such a revelation, it's stunningly beautiful, lasting just under five minutes, and yet it feels more substantial, with Dvorak there's no intro here, it's straight into the music, the opening chords are heavenly, and are quickly restated with extra passion, i love the way this opening melody comes back again and again, it's so memorable and sweet, there's a central trio section, where the music gets more lively [1:36-2:55], and the return of the opening theme afterwards is a moment of magic [2:55+], there's also this short passage where the music 'dies' down into the minor [0:54 & 3:47], a wonderful moment of pathos, a stroke of genius by Dvorak, at the end there's this little coda [4:08-4:51], which brings this little movement to a close, now this is what makes all the music i listen to worthwhile!.
Here's the first movement Moderato on YouTube, played by the Kyiv Soloists.
