Search - Antonin Dvorak, Václav Neumann, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra :: Dvorak: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

Under rated CD. Best I've heard!

04/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've heard a couple different recordings of the famous Bminor cello concerto by some other more famous cellists and, while I liked the piece, was never crazy about it. That is, until I heard this wonderful recording. Excellent playing on all accounts by all the musicians. It really captures the Czech spirit in Dvorak's music. Excellent, vivid recording and sound. I've been listening to it over and over. Because of this recording, it is now one of my all time favorite concerti. The earlier A Major concerto is wonderful, too. I highly recommend this CD as well as Vaclav Neumann's Dvorak symphony recordings."

Dvorak's lost Cello Concerto REDISCOVERED--Pass it on!

Gary D. Warner | Saginaw, MI | 05/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"That's right folks, two, yes two, Dvorak cello concertos! Here's a treasure of a disc not to be missed, featuring Dvorak's OTHER Cello Concerto, aptly showcasing his early genius. Cellist Ludvík Peer, who commissioned the work in 1865, left Bohemia with the score, written for cello and piano accompaniment only. It did not reappear until the 1920s.* Make no mistake, while it may not display quite the same high degree of seasoned greatness-for-the-ages of his more famous work conceived in maturity, this after all is still the illustrious, mellifluous, delightful Dvorak. By the same token, shun any silly notions of this work being second rate or less than worthy. (See music critic, Victor Carr's review for further analysis and an explanation of its development).



Both orchestra and soloist turn in world class performances of both works. The Czech Philharmonic is one of the great Dvorak orchestras (not to mention, Mahler). Moreover, Milos Sadlo's resplendent account of the later concerto more than capably competes with the best of them (including Rostropovich, Ma, et al).



Although Carr assesses this 1976 recording as being of "limited dynamics", or in my opinion, a tad overly bright (somewhat thin sound), in every other respect, Supraphon has done a decent job with the sonics, thus making it a pleasingly satisfactory transfer.



The very legitimate question then remains as to why the Cello Concerto in A Major, in this brilliant orchestral conception by Jarmil Burghauser, has not been further raised from its still relative obscurity. Without question, it richly deserves greater notice, if not endorsement, via new state-of-the-art recordings and concert performances. Deryck Cooke's fully fleshed out rendering of Mahler's unfinished 10th has received critical acclaim, why not Dvorak in this case as well? Purists may scream foul but if you please, the obvious point is: with neither pretense nor dishonesty, these excellent orchestrations sincerely pay apt and loving tribute to the great composers by suggesting, I think authentically, what might have been had they endured long enough to complete the works.

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*It seems a remarkable coincidence that Dvorak's Symphony No. 1, under altogether different circumstances, likewise disappeared in 1865 and also resurfaced in the 1920s. Despite the unfortuitous double loss that year, not to mention never seeing the works again in his lifetime, Dvorak was undeterred in his ongoing creative exploits."