Symphonic Variations & Symphony No. 8 (recorded 1992)

Sir Charles Mackerras and the London Philharmonic Orchestra shared a musical heritage spanning 45 years and this live recording of Dvorák's Symphonic Variations and Symphony No. 8 from 1992 pays tribute to a partnership that exuded a joy and vivacity in music making.

There is no shortage of fine recordings of these two wonderful Dvořák works and Sir Charles Mackerras has recorded Dvořák's complete orchestral oeuvre first with EMI Eminence (copies of which are now hard to find) and over the years for Supraphon. More recently he also recorded a selection of Dvořák with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

What these performances benefit from is the spontaneity of the live concert environment. Originally recorded for archive purposes by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, such recordings are impossible to overlook when the music making is as fine as it is here. Mackerras had a gift for uncovering the individual DNA in a composer's music; he did this with aplomb with Dvořák.

The Symphonic Variations show Mackerras' complete understanding of Dvořák. The subtly and lightness of touch he brings to the waltz episode contrasts with the control and care of the percussion balance in the Scherzo capriccioso. His conducting of Symphony No. 8 is sublime. Conductor and orchestra are at one and here Mackerras shows the ability to seemingly turn every phrase into a symphonic essay.

This recording is a fine exponent of Mackerras' renowned conducting of Dvořák and gains an enormous amount from the spontaneity of the live concert environment.

The disc pays tribute to a musical partnership that spanned 45 years.

This recording comes from possibly his strongest years artistically.

As a recording conductor Mackerras had a unique understanding of the process. His recording career spanned the latter years of the 78 format through mono, stereo, LP, cassette, CD, through to SACD (surround sound CD) - few conductors can claim this!