DVORAK. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 10. Husitska—Dramatic Overture, Op. 67. London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Witold Row- icki. Philips 6500 286 (L240).

Coupled as above:

LSO, Kertesz (5f67) SXL6290

The Rowicki Dvoi-ak cycle, which started back in 1966 at much the same time as that of Kertesz for Decca with the same orchestra, has become a very long haul indeed. Even after this issue of Symphony No. 3, there remains the great No. 7 in D minor, but by this time, I imagine, all Dvaakians will have made up their minds on the relative merits of the two rivals. This issue follows the general pattern of contrast, and once again I express a mild note of regret that Rowicki like Kertesz takes, on the whole, a fresh, direct view of the composer, allowing himself much less expressive freedom than, say, Smetaeek, on the nowdeleted Supraphon (SUAST50003, 1/65). The moment I relish above all others in this Symphony comes in the first movement after the soaring opening theme subsides, and the simple descending motif of the second subject brings blissful relaxation. Kcrtesz and Rowicki are both very sensitive and tender, but Rowicki is a degree more severe and neither matches the warmth of the Smetaeek performance. What I am saying, I suppose, is that we need something like a Bernstein performance for real contrast.

In the slow movement Rowicki, as in most of the other symphonies, takes a tempo rather faster than Kertesz's, more an Andante than a genuine Adagio. Kertesz's tempo brings out the parallels with the Eroica slow movement far more convincingly but Rowicki has the advantage that his change of tempo is far less marked for the middle section where the pulse changes at fig. 98. Dvaak put "a tempo" over the passage, but that seems to me virtually impracticable. Rowicki smoothes over the discrepancy, where Kertesz (rightly I think) makes a clear tempo change to suit the change of mood in the music.

It simplifies things that the coupling is the same in both versions, and rather surprisingly in the slow introduction to The Hussites Rowicki chooses a markedly slower tempo than Kertesz, allowing himself a more flowing expressiveness than usual. Both performances are very satisfying, though Kertesz has a degree more flair with more atmospheric horn-calls before the recapitulation. The Decca recording is brighter and bolder; the Philips has more delicacy except that the timpani is a little too reverberant, and sometimes muddles the texture. Once again it is all a question of "How happy would I be with either". E.G.