During the 1960s collectors became familiar with the stereo sound CBS provided for Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, which was clear, analytical and rather lacking in atmosphere. So it is something of a revelation to hear this distinguished combination in beautifully warm, open sound which falls very pleasantly on the ear. Though EMI give no recording date I imagine that the sessions took place not too long before Szell's death in 1970. Certainly the quality is remarkably good, and scotches a perennial complaint that Szell didn"t make his orchestra play really softly. Well in fact he did, as this recording reveals.

Another surprise is the nature of the performance. I have seldom, if ever, enjoyed Dvorak's Eighth so much as this. Even Talich treated the symphony in the usual bright and breezy fashion with fairly hectic tempos, especially in the finale. Szell treats the work more seriously and with much loving care. He gives the first movement time to breathe and caresses the phrases in a way which quite belies his reputation as a somewhat hard-boiled interpreter. The slow movement is conducted in a charmingly relaxed, lyrical fashion, and at quite a slow tempo Szell brings out a yearning, almost tragic element in the third movement Allegretto. This movement has somehow always worried me, but no longer, since Szell now makes everything clear. In the finale conductors tend simply to take off and tear through the notes, but though Szell's tempo is lively he allows the music's natural rhythms to make their undoubted effect. The two dances are charmingly brought off.