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Dvorak's Symphony 8: Honeck vs Good Old Walter

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I was just listening to samples of the Symphony's opening, Honeck and Walter side by side, and I still prefer Walter.

Walter's lean and sinewy phrasing and articulation is more interesting yet he still manages to keep his eye on the ball: the arrival of GM.

Honeck's conduction seems a bit directionless, strings are less pointed and emphatic and the arrival on GM not as satisfying. His poor little bird on xanax.

Of course, I'm listening to crappy samples. Has anyone lived with the Honeck for awhile? It's been praised to the skys. I'm leaning towards Walter's later stereo recording at HDTT at this point, even though I promised myself I'd support living musicians more.

Honeck's opening sample can be found here:

https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2014/07/dvorak-symphony-no-8-sacd-review.html

And Walter's early NYPO comparison can be found
here. (Open in New Window)

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