Lahav Shani - Dvorak : Dvorak Symphony No.9, Wagenaar Cyrano de Bergerac Overture Lahav Shani / Rotterdam Philharmonic - Import CD

Credits:

Lahav Shani

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A whirlwind of innovation. Rahaf Shani leads a new-era “New World,” marking a new milestone with the prestigious Rotterdam Philharmonic The long-awaited “Dvořák” joins the symphony project for Warner Classics, conducted by Rahaf Shani and featuring the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. In this series tracing the lineage from the dawn of Romanticism to the 20th century, this recording stands as a monumental addition, following previous releases of Beethoven and Bruckner. The 2023 recording of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 received high praise from Gramophone magazine, which wrote, “Shani’s penetrating musical vision and an orchestra that embodies it perfectly. It has been a long time since we’ve heard such a magnificent performance.” In this work as well, his meticulous compositional skill and fresh sensibility breathe new life into this masterpiece. In 2025, coinciding with the recording of this album, Shani and the Rotterdam Philharmonic performed it on a Japanese tour and at European music festivals, sparking enthusiasm wherever they went. The album opens with the overture *Cyrano de Bergerac* by Johan Wagenaar (1862–1941), a work that embodies the essence of Dutch music. Composed in 1905, this piece is filled with a sense of exaltation imbued with chivalric spirit, alongside a lavish and magnificent orchestration reminiscent of Richard Strauss. In Dvořák’s *From the New World*, they eschew excessive interpretation of this all-too-famous score, faithfully portraying the work’s true nature with a modern brilliance. In particular, the English horn solo in the second movement was described as possessing a “vast yet delicate beauty” that seemed to dominate the space, while the dramatic momentum displayed in the final movement possessed an overwhelming power that brought audiences to their feet during the 2025 tour of Japan, as well as subsequent performances in Bucharest and the Netherlands. “With a dynamic and distinctive sound resonating richly and deeply, a passion that transcends mere nostalgia for one’s homeland comes rushing forth. It was a superb performance that reminded us anew of the sheer power of this piece.” “Shani’s conducting is like a whirlwind. With a single glance, the musical expression changes completely; where silence is required, it breathes delicately, and where the music should blaze, it unleashes a vivid flame.” “It is an exciting adventure told through sound. Shani and the orchestra members dusted off the work with theatrical grandeur, bringing to light just how remarkable this piece truly is.” It received such high praise. This album symbolizes the “present” of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, where Rahav Shani’s respect for tradition intersects with her sensibility that always looks toward the future. Warner Music Japan