Mstislav Rostropovich

Sony Classical's Great Performances Series has scored yet another winner with its coupling of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 1 and the First Cello Concerto. Previously released individually, the close proximity in the recording dates of these two works (1959 and 1960) makes them a natural choice for a pairing. Continuing in the Philadelphia Orchestra tradition, the performance of the Symphony No. 1 follows the 1928 United States premiere of the work, given by the same orchestra and conducted by Ormandy's predecessor, Leopold Stokowski. Inherited from him is the notably lush sound of Philadelphia's lower strings, which capture the essence of Shostakovich's weighty harmonies.

That the cello's repertoire has been so wonderfully enriched during the 20th century is due largely to Mstislav Rostropovich, the most influential cellist of his time, a champion of liberty, and also a noted conductor and pianist. Born In Baku on 27 March 1927 to a pianist mother and a cello-playing father who had studied with Pablo Casals, 'Slava' received early paternal grounding in his chosen instrument.

Sony Classical's Great Performances Series has scored yet another winner with its coupling of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 1 and the First Cello Concerto. Previously released individually, the close proximity in the recording dates of these two works (1959 and 1960) makes them a natural choice for a pairing. Continuing in the Philadelphia Orchestra tradition, the performance of the Symphony No. 1 follows the 1928 United States premiere of the work, given by the same orchestra and conducted by Ormandy's predecessor, Leopold Stokowski. Inherited from him is the notably lush sound of Philadelphia's lower strings, which capture the essence of Shostakovich's weighty harmonies.

Product Details
* Performer: Mstislav Rostropovich
* Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
* Conductor: Herbert von Karajan
* Composer: Antonin Dvorak, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Editorial Reviews
Mstislav Rostropovich is the world's greatest cellist, and he has actually made at least five recordings of this greatest of all cello concertos. I have a certain preference for his later version, with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra on Erato. This version has long been a prime recommendation, and in this new remastering at mid-price, it's an even better deal now. Herbert von Karajan accompanies with his usual expertise, and the Tchaikovsky performance is quite simply the finest around. This concerto is one of those pieces of which you'll want to have five or six copies. Just make sure this is one of them. –David Hurwitz

Mstislav Rostropovich - The Complete Decca Recordings (2012) {5CD Set, Decca 478 3577 rec 1962-1969}
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© 1962-69, 2012 Decca Music / Universal | 0289 478 3577 6
Classical / Contemporary / Impressionist / Modern / Romantic / Cello

In the early 1960s, when Rostropovich was just beginning his international career, he made a handful of recordings for Decca. This 2012 box – issued for what would have been his 85th birthday – brings those albums together. It includes all of the works Benjamin Britten specifically wrote for Rostropovich: the two suites, the sonata, and the Symphony for cello and orchestra, accompanied or conducted by the composer himself, making these definitive versions. There are also other sonatas they collaborated on, including Schubert's "Arpeggione" Sonata, which was apparently one of Rostropovich's favorites of all his recordings.

This is a peculiar work that is surprisingly not as pleasant as his other concertos, but nevertheless Prokofiev still has some good melodies to attract the listener. Compared to the wonderful Shostakovich First cello concerto with which this is paired, the Sinfonia Concertante is not as demanding technically. But Rostropovich, the dedicatee of this work, plays the solo part with such flair and authority that it is hard not to be persuaded by him. Ozawa is a typically sensitive accompanist, and the London Symphony support their distinguished soloist down to every man and woman. The digital recording is excellent, though Rostropovich's cello is given a little too much of the limelight in the overall aural picture. Coupled with an even finer account of the Shostakovich concerto, this CD pretty much leads the field at the moment (and possibly for quite a long time to come).

On one end of the continuum, there is Dvorák's Concerto in B minor for cello and orchestra, a composition that is among the composer's best known and has become a cornerstone of the instrument's repertoire. On the other end, the Piano Concerto in G minor, a work that had difficulty garnering acceptance even during the composer's lifetime and is still looked upon with less favor than other concertos written in the same period.