Antonin Dvorak: Cellokonzert op.104 auf CD

Here, coming in a newly designed cover, is Supraphon´s successful analogue recording of two cello concertos by Antonin Dvorak (1841 - 1904). Notwithstanding cello´s ranking as the solo stringed instrument with the most limited repertoire, Czech music is lucky in having produced, in Dvorak´s B minor Concerto, the truly pivotal, essential, most widely popular as well as likely the most artistically pregnant work in this particular format. A »symphonic« type of concert, it does not strive to dazzle the audience by soulless display of the solo instrument´s brilliance, but rather to bring into play sophisticated symphonic music featuring a purposefully and tastefully conceived solo part. For its part, Dvorak´s first, youthful cello

Concerto is not admired so much for ripeness of form and flawless balance between technique and expression, as for its heartfelt impassioned message sent out by a budding major talent. Only a piano reduction of the concert has survived, which was orchestrated with great feeling for this occasion by Jarmil Burghauser, a leading Dvorakian scholar and compiler of the authoritative catalogue of his works. The solo parts were played here by Milos Sadlo, backed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra under Vaclav Neumann.