This is a winner. Following up his inspired recordings of symphonies Dvorak symphonies on EMI Eminence (Nos. 7 and 9, 2/93 and No. 8, 4/94), Sir Charles Mackerras here turns to Dvorak in lighter mood, and brings out more charm and point than I have ever known in these innocent, unpretentious inspirations. The ECO respond superbly, with sounds that are sensuously beautiful, helped by glowing recording engineered by Mike Hatch. The ten Legends, like the Slavonic Dances, were originally written for piano duet, and later orchestrated with characteristic flair to bring out contrasts between pieces consistently gentler than the Slavonic Dances. So the serene Fifth Legend, dispensing with the horn, uses the harp most imaginatively, and throughout the disc the ECO players relish the composer's obvious affection for his individual tone-colours. Not only is the playing polished and beautifully balanced, but under Mackerras it has a freshness and spontaneity to make the results anything but studied or heavy. As the well-informed note says, the critic, Eduard Hanslick, Wagner's butt in the portrait of Beckmesser, was the dedicatee of the Legends, and so far from acting the curmudgeon, was delighted.
The ECO strings play with comparable refinement in the very early Nocturne, producing the gentlest pianissimos both there and in the Romance. In that longer piece Stephanie Gonley, currently leader of the ECO (and also of the prize-winning Vellinger Quartet), makes a characterful, warmly imaginative soloist, relishing the moments of virtuosity, even if her tone is not always ideally pure. An outstanding disc for relaxed listening.'