Taking stock: Dvorak’s Cello Concerto

[fergus]

I am quite partial to a cello concerto and Dvorak’s is a very fine one. Seán was listening to the last movement on the radio recently and it prompted me to take stock of my collection of this work. The recordings that I have in my collection are as follows;

Barenboim conducting the Chigago Symphony Orchestra / Du Pre [EMI]
Dorati conducting the London Symphony Orchestra / Starker [Mercury]
von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic / Rostropovich [DG]
Lehmann conducting the Berlin Philharmonic / Mainardi [Heliodor]
Munch conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra / Piatigorsky [RCA]
Szell conducting the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Casals [EMI]
Szell conducting the Berlin Philharmonic / Fournier [DG]
Talich conducting the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Rostropovich [Supraphon]

Is this a work that you like or have in your collection?
Am I missing any vital performances?
I am sure that Seán may have a passing interest here.

[Jose Echenique]

I have loved since I was a teen the Fournier/BPO/Szell, that is still my choice recording.
I think the best of Rostropovich´s several recordings is the early mono with Vaclav Talich, if only the sound was fuller.
Another excellent recording is Heinrich Schiff´s with the Concertgebouw and Colin Davis, a warm, lyrical and lustrous interpretation in Philips.
And among the very latest generation Pieter Wispelwey stands out. His most recent version with the Budapest Festival Orchestra and Ivan Fischer is outstanding, but I like even better a slightly earlier one with The Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra, that orchestra is truly marvelous, and they and Wispelwey offer some truly characterful and gorgeous playing.

[fergus]

Thank you for that Pepe. I am pleased that I have two of your strong recommendations in my collection and I will certainly investigate the Wispelwey and Schiff recordings.

[Jose Echenique]

Thank you for that Pepe. I am pleased that I have two of your strong recommendations in my collection and I will certainly investigate the Wispelwey and Schiff recordings.

Try to find the first Wispelwey Fergus. By the way, Wispelwey may be the only cellist that plays the Dvorak with gut strings.

[fergus]

Try to find the first Wispelwey Fergus.

OK Pepe; thank you.