Charles Mackerras: Josef Suk - Asrael

01. - 05. Josef Suk - Asrael. Symphony in C minor, op.27 [60'01]

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Mackerras

Supraphon SU4043-2 (recorded in concert 5-6 April 2007; CD issued January 2011)

(digital download - flacs, cover and inlay scans - no booklet)




Recording venue: Rudolfinum, Prague.
Recording engineer: Oldrich Slezák; Producer: Matous Vlcinsky.

I'm usually not a great fan of Josef Suk's music, finding it frequently bombastic, meandering and devoid of memorable themes. It certainly doesn't have the same appeal for me as the music of his father-in-law, Dvorak. But Asrael is undoubtedly an impressive work - completed in 1906 at a tragic time for the composer following the death of Dvorak and of his daughter (Suk's wife Otilie). Asrael is the Hebrew and Islamic Angel of Death.

This recording of Charles Mackerras leading the Czech Philharmonic was selected by Richard Whitehouse in his survey of the 19 recordings of Asrael for Gramophone magazine's 'Collection' feature (June 2018) as his top recording - even over Mackerras' mentor Vaclav Talich's benchmark1952 performance - the work's first recording.

The sound captured in the Rudolfinum is typically Supraphon - a bit flat and lifeless for my taste.

Download from MEGA.

For top quality recorded sound, BIS' recording of Claus Peter Flor conducting the Malaysian Philharmonic takes a lot of beating and it's another of Whitehouse's top choices.

BIS CD1776 (recorded September 2008; CD release 2009)




(digital download - flacs, booklet, cover and inlay scans)

Recording location: Dewan Filharmonic PETRONAS, Kuala Lumpur.
Recording engineer: Hans Kipfer; Producer: Jens Braun.

Download from MEGA.