Christopher Webber at [log in to unmask] wrote:

>Smetana tends to be grossly underrated outside his native land.  Agreed,
>he is a much more abrasive orchestrator than Dvorak, but this gives his
>orchestral work a pungency and edge very much his own.  He is also amongst
>the best dramatists in music, and this applies to his orchestral - and
>chamber - music as much as to his wonderful cycle of operas, of which "The
>Kiss" is the finest, indeed one of the most flawless and mature operas ever
>written.  ...

I agree about this complete cycle being a very powerful statement.  I first
heard the Moldau by itself and that drew me in (much like the Adagietto
from Mahler 5 drew me in to Mahler).

I have a couple of versions of this cycle, and by far the most powerful
is the Czech Phil with Kubelik upon his return to Prague in 1989 (SUPRAPHON
SU 11 1208-2 031).  He plays with the rhythms like no-one else has, and the
orchestra pronounces the music like poetry under his direction.  Evern more
special is the fact that I got my copy in Prague -- a city with which I
fell in love form the first moment.

Miguel Muelle
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http://mmuelle.home.mindspring.com/