These Silent Woods

Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto is considered the finest of his concertos, and arguably the greatest of all such works for the cello, with its majestic character, imposing themes and moods of intense drama and warm lyricism. The nostalgic Silent Woods and the sprightly, eloquent Rondo in G minor both predate the concerto, while the songful Romance in F minor contrasts with the virtuoso brilliance of the Mazurek in E minor. Conducted by Walter Susskind and performed by soloists who were legends in their lifetime – violinist Ruggiero Ricci and cellist Zara Nelsova – these recordings are acclaimed classics. The Elite Recordings for VOX by legendary producers Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be amongst the finest sounding examples of orchestral recordings.

Antonín Dvorák famously complained about the sound of the cello, but if he had heard this album by Swiss-born cellist Christian Poltéra and his wonderfully sympathetic British accompanist Kathryn Stott, he might have written more for the instrument. Most of the music here was transcribed for cello and piano by Poltéra himself, with a couple of small Dvorák originals and two transcriptions by the composer rounding out the program. Poltéra has an extraordinary way with Dvorák's melodies, which require a distinctive kind of tempo flexibility: not full-fledged tempo rubato, but something of the caressing delivery of the café singer.

With adventurous crossover projects coming one after another from Yo-Yo Ma, it's nice to be able to revisit some of the performances that brought him to the top of the heap among cellists and among classical musicians in general. This disc includes Dvorák performances by Ma from various 1990s discs, with his lovely 1995 reading of the Cello Concerto in B minor, with Kurt Masur leading the New York Philharmonic, as the centerpiece.

The great B minor Cello Concerto of Antonín Dvorák remains, more than 115 years after its composition, one of the cornerstones of the cello repertoire and by far the most successful of all Dvorák's concertos. Much less known is the Cello Concerto in A major – Dvorák's first – that was written some 30 years prior to the B minor. The A major was composed as a gift, one Dvorák did not have opportunity to rework as he aged or to orchestrate himself. Lost and forgotten until the 1920s, the First Concerto has been subjected to many different orchestrations, cuts, and versions.

Colin Davis - The Concertgebouw Legacy [18CDs Box Set] (2024)
MP3 320 Kbps | Run Time: 00:16:12:11 | 2.18 Gb
Genre: Classical | Label: Eloquence Australia

LIMITED EDITION. A meeting of minds in Amsterdam: the complete Philips recordings of Sir Colin Davis and the Concertgebouworkest made in the orchestra's acoustically optimal home and featuring classic accounts of Haydn, Berlioz, Dvorák and Stravinsky. Davis lends these readings rhythmic impetus and unassuming authority; the orchestra and audio engineers respond with sonic warmth and transparency. Colin Davis made his debut with the Concertgebouw in 1966, and conductor and orchestra quickly established a mutual affinity. Interviewed by Niek Nelissen for a new appreciation of their legacy on record, a Concertgebouw violinist recalls his 'typically British' humour in rehearsal.

The young Argentine cellist Sol Gabetta has emerged at the top of the heap with some speed in the 2010s. She merits the double greatest-hits album represented by this release, and it will be welcomed by listeners who haven't quite focused on her meteoric career. You get only one full-scale concerto, but it's a good one: Gabetta has a real way with Elgar, and the compilers did well to feature his music on most of disc one. You get the fresh interpretations of repertory recital and encore pieces that have really endeared Gabetta to ordinary concertgoers. Sample the marvelous Fauré Pavane, Op. 50, an excellent example of how with Gabetta, less is often more.