There must be one very important thing for Supraphon to record in 2021 Slavic dances which compete within its own catalog with Talich, Šejna, Neumann, Mackerras, Altrichter and Bělohlávek! Tomáš Brauner is not the latest discovery in the Czech breeding ground. He’s a 45-year-old established chef who we haven’t heard much about here. He works with a lot of human warmth to give sensitivity, a thrill, and to individualize each dance. It’s very pretty, beautifully hemmed (Opus 46no 6, a gem in itself), but at no point do we spot an element that would make us say “this is what justified a recording”. Because, apart from the rarity of recent versions, this methodical work is done at the head of a valiant orchestra which has in no way the colors of the Czech Philharmonic (Mackerras!), in a recording presenting notable harshness (Opus 46no 8). Despite the care taken by Brauner, we will turn to the passion of Szell, the gluttony of Mackerras, the abrupt deliriums of Doráti or the balance of Neumann.
To watch on video