BaL 9.06.12 - Dvorak's Cello Concerto (merged threads)

[Nick Armstrong]

Am rather rather enjoying the newish Isserlis recording, which has some interesting extras, such as the alternative ending.

It's been somewhat vilified but I like it... I'm listening to Alisa ("I love playing in a gale, me") Weilerstein at the moment - recorded from Saturday's CD Review - and I find it rather generic, perfectly good* but not involving somehow. The Isserlis is, in contrast.




*The orchestral conclusion (after the soloist stops) is terrific, though!

[Barbirollians]

I decided after listening to Weilerstein and Isserlis to pull out a bit of a wildcard comparison - du Pre live at the Proms in 1969 when she was stll playing at the height of her powers with the RLPO/Groves.

Rather muffly Albert Hall sound so you have to turn up the volume a bit - but what a performance this is , some downright gorgeous portamento and such beautiful tone - much the best performance of the concerto recorded by her - what a shame they did not put her and Barbirolli in the studio with this work at that time . Groves and the RLPO play their hearts out.

The finale is particularly striking - WEilerstein and Isserlis seem to my ears to be doing a lot of point making - she just plays ravishingly with power and yet the most exquisite pianissimo too . Josefina's theme is played straight and is much more moving and beautiful than on either of those recordings.

Priceless record .

[Tony Halstead]

I decided after listening to Weilerstein and Isserlis to pull out a bit of a wildcard comparison - du Pre live at the Proms in 1969 when she was stll playing at the height of her powers with the RLPO/Groves.

Rather muffly Albert Hall sound so you have to turn up the volume a bit - but what a performance this is , some downright gorgeous portamento and such beautiful tone - much the best performance of the concerto recorded by her - what a shame they did not put her and Barbirolli in the studio with this work at that time . Groves and the RLPO play their hearts out.

The finale is particularly striking - WEilerstein and Isserlis seem to my ears to be doing a lot of point making - she just plays ravishingly with power and yet the most exquisite pianissimo too . Josefina's theme is played straight and is much more moving and beautiful than on either of those recordings.

Priceless record .

On which record label is that performance available?

[Radio64]

This has been garnering good reviews. Questionable use of wind machine though.

How odd to read a review which doesn't actually tell you where you can hear/acquire the performance discussed.

I assume we're talking about this ?

puzzledface

[Richard Tarleton]

How odd to read a review which doesn't actually tell you where you can hear/acquire the performance discussed.

I assume we're talking about this ?

Eh? Decca 478 5705, £14.99, it says (near the bottom) - fairly standard CD review I'd have thought - you don't need G Norris to tell you it's cheaper on Amazon?

[Radio64]

Eh? Decca 478 5705, £14.99, it says (near the bottom) - fairly standard CD review I'd have thought - you don't need G Norris to tell you it's cheaper on Amazon?

Blimey! ..takes some spotting. No user friendly button to link even to the Decca site?
Mind you if you click 'Buy' on Decca it takes you to amazon (CD) or i-tunes (download) depending on what takes your fancy.

[Stephen Smith]

I decided ....... to pull out a bit of a wildcard comparison - du Pre live at the Proms in 1969 when she was stll playing at the height of her powers with the RLPO/Groves. .

Available on Naxos Music Library** (BBC Legends) - use advanced search :- Dvorak - Groves - Cello ("Instrument" box). I'll give this a try - thanks!

** Courtesy of my local library service - if unfamiliar search in this forum.

[Barbirollians]

On which record label is that performance available?

It was on BBC Legends. It seems to be deleted now over here but there are lots of copies gong cheap on the river people's US site .

[Radio64]

I've got this .. how does it compare to, say, some of the newer recordings? (esp. the a.m. one by Ms. Weilerstein)

[Barbirollians]

On which record label is that performance available?

I see that it is still available on the Presto Classical website .

[Barbirollians]

Top recommendation (only available as download or box set):

DVORAK: Cello Concerto in B minor Op.104
Pierre Fournier (cello), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, George Szell (conductor)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4741672, 4291552 or 4238812 (download)




Pierre Fournier - Aristocrat of the Cello
DVORAK: Cello Concerto in B minor Op.104
Pierre Fournier (cello), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, George Szell (conductor)
c/w various works featuring Pierre Fournier (cello) with various artists
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON ORIGINAL MASTERS 4775939 (6CD, mid-price)


Recommendation available on single CD:

DVORAK: Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra Op. 104
c/w VON DOHNANYI: Konzertstuck in D major for Cello and Orchestra Op. 12
Raphael Wallfisch (cello), London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor)
CHANDOS CHAN10715X (CD, budget)

I bought the Wallfisch/Mackerras this week after reading in BBCMM that the recording of the Dohnanyi Konzertstuck was the premiere recording of the complete score - the terrific Starker version apparently being cut .

Well having listened to it Starker may have had a point ! It is vey well played though .

I digress - the Dvorak is excellent and very exciting . Wallfisch occasionally sounds a bit pinched on the high notes but gets right inside the solo part to my ears but the glory of the recording is the LSO/Mackerras accompaniment - first few bars and one has that immediate feeling of this is how it should go and all too often does not .

[Barbirollians]

I see there is a new recording out from the excellent Daniel Muller Schott on Orfeo - Gramophone appears to have even compared it favourably to Weilerstein's recent account .

[makropulos]

I bought the Wallfisch/Mackerras this week after reading in BBCMM that the recording of the Dohnanyi Konzertstuck was the premiere recording of the complete score - the terrific Starker version apparently being cut .

Well having listened to it Starker may have had a point ! It is vey well played though .

I digress - the Dvorak is excellent and very exciting . Wallfisch occasionally sounds a bit pinched on the high notes but gets right inside the solo part to my ears but the glory of the recording is the LSO/Mackerras accompaniment - first few bars and one has that immediate feeling of this is how it should go and all too often does not .

I'd completely agree with all this, and the Wallfisch/Mackerras performance is pretty marvellous.
By the way, Fournier/Szell is now around as a budget single disc again, coupled with Kubelík's Berlin PO Symph no. 8 (also terrific):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dvorak-Cello-Concerto-Symphony-Virtuoso/dp/B008W5TCDG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1422430174&sr=8-3&keywords=fournier+dvorak+concerto

Even so, I think my favourite of all is still Starker/Dorati on Mercury - a real thriller.

[Barbirollians]

I have taken delivery of the Daniel Muller-Schott recording . So far I am not sure that he is not rather let down by a matter of fact accompaniment . He plays exceptionally beautifully especially in the slow movement but not quite sure the recording hangs together . The fill ups are uniformly excellent though .

[pastoralguy]

I have taken delivery of the Daniel Muller-Schott recording . So far I am not sure that he is not rather let down by a matter of fact accompaniment . He plays exceptionally beautifully especially in the slow movement but not quite sure the recording hangs together . The fill ups are uniformly excellent though .

I wondered about purchasing that one, BB, but I have so many recordings already. I felt that Isserlis's recent disc on Hyperion was let down by poor conducting from the inexplicably regarded Daniel Harding.