John Dalmas:

>I am curious that so many Americans prefer non-Slav, Hungarian (Kertesz,
>Szell, Solti, Dohnanyi, Dorati) conductors of the music of the Slavic Czech
>composer Dvorak. Does such "affinity" derive from the two countries being
>next-door neighbors? Or is there some other dynamic at work that escapes me?

Well, it's my understanding that Szell isn't Hungarian, but Czech (although
the name is certainly Hungarian), and that Dohnanyi is a German, despite
the surname.

>Personally, I would not trade my Taliches (2), Kubelik (Chicago), Neumann
>(1971), Toscaninis (2), Levine and (Colin) Davis for any of the Magyars.
>But that's what makes for discussions.

Toscanini is of course Italian, Davis is British, and Levine is
unmentionable.

Steve Schwartz