Dvorak Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" Hand-Numbered Limited Edition 180g D2D 45rpm 3LP Box Set

Michael Fremer Rated 11/10 Music, 11/10 Sound!

Antonín Dvorák's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World" is celebrated as a universal masterpiece, connecting with audiences worldwide. Composed by a maestro from the "old world" and premiered in the "new world," this symphony has achieved widespread recognition. When performed by an orchestra rooted in Czech traditions and conducted by a Czech principal conductor, it delivers a truly extraordinary and unique musical experience.

In April 2023, the Bamberg Symphony and Jakub Hruša recorded this symphony using a special process known as direct-to-disc recording, in which a lacquer serves as the recording medium. The signal from three microphones was sent via an analogue mixing console directly to the cutting stylus, which carved the groove into the original at 45 revolutions per minute.

The LPs in this box set are exact copies of the originals, of which, in reference to the year of the premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York, 1,893 sets were pressed in a limited and numbered edition. Since this recording comes extremely close to a real concert experience, the box set also includes an "encore" on a third LP, Dvorák's Waltz, Op. 54 No. 1, commonly performed alongside the Ninth Symphony.

The Direct-to-Disc sound here is as transparent, three-dimensional, and cohesive as recorded symphonic music can be. The microphones have disappeared. Brass sounds bold and and string tonality is rich and well detailed. Woodwinds are equally well-served. Hell, this is just a monumental recording and performance. With no edits possible and everyone playing for perfection, the recording either suffers from boredom due to overcautious playing, or all positive hell breaks loose, and that's what happened here. Side four's Allegro con fuoco concludes the symphony with an exhilarating orchestral explosion—an insistent summation that effectively reprises the entire work. The sound will have you feeling that you were there... This is as good as recorded symphonic music gets as far as I'm concerned and Mr. Maillard's finest sounding D2D classical production—not that the others are anything but exceptional.