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Title: A historical document and beautiful performances
Review: The earlier reviewer is quite correct about the subfusc sound on this recording; but these are historic performances by the Czech Philharmonic, on visits to London in the late thirties, under a very young Szell and Kubelik (aged 30 and 24, respectively). While the transfer is not of the best quality--hence the limited recommendation--it is very serviceable, and the music registers clearly. Some years ago, a radio co-host and I played part of this disc on air (the Largo from the New World Symphony, conducted by Szell) and the listeners loved it; we got lots of calls in response to this selection. The two excerpts from "Ma Vlast" under Kubelik are similarly eloquent. While not everyone cares for "vintage" music performances, these communicate very vividly to anyone with a taste for the sound of 78's.
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