Antal Dorati: Complete Orchestral Recordings On Philips

Description

Few 20th-century conductors matched Antal Dorati (1906-1988) for versatility, precision and sheer recording output. Renowned for his unerring rhythmic drive and exceptional clarity of orchestral texture, Dorati was a compelling interpreter of both classical and modern repertoire. Spanning three decades - from the 1950s to the 1980s - this collection highlights his Philips recordings with orchestras from the Netherlands, Austria, France and Switzerland. Previous sets on Eloquence dedicated to the art of Antal Dorati have focused on the conductor's tenure in Minneapolis; his work in London; his enduring association with the Mercury label; and the earliest recordings made with the Philharmonia Hungarica, the ensemble of fellow Hungarian emigres with which he became synonymous through his ground-breaking complete set of Haydn symphonies on Decca. The present collection takes a broader view of Dorati's legacy, spanning 1952 to 1986, mono to digital. Chronologically speaking, it begins and ends with Amsterdam's Conertgebouworkest. The set affords a fascinating comparison between the early version of his Smetana cycle (in new transfers) and the digital-era remake from the same source. As well as Dorati's complete recordings with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (1957-58), the set includes his only commercial recording with the Vienna Philharmonic, made in 1976-77 for Decca. The set comes to a fitting conclusion with recordings made in Switzerland. Niek Nelissen contributes a detailed survey of the background to these recordings, which are presented in Original Jackets format.