Antonin Dvorak & Victor Herbert: Concerts from the New World/ Yo-Yo Ma/ New York Phiharmonic/ Masur

 

ANTONIN DVORAK & VICTOR HERBERT

CONCERTOS FROM THE NEW WORLD

Yo-Yo Ma (Cello); New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur



Cello Concerto in B minor, B. 191 (Op. 104)
Composed by Antonin Dvorak
Performed by New York Philharmonic
with Yo-Yo Ma
Conducted by Kurt Masur

 Cello Concerto No.2 in E minor, Op. 30
Composed by Victor Herbert
Performed by New York Philharmonic
with Yo-Yo Ma
Conducted by Kurt Masur


Amazon.com essential recording
Dvorák's Cello Concerto is quite simply the finest piece ever composed for cello and orchestra. Yo-Yo Ma's first performance was hampered by a sluggish, boring accompaniment from Lorin Maazel and the Berlin Philharmonic. This live recording featuring the New York Philharmonic under Kurt Masur has all of the excitement lacking in that first version but plenty of poetry as well, amply evident in the both the songful slow movement and rapt final minutes of the finale. The coupling is uniquely apt: Herbert's is the very concerto that inspired Dvorák to compose his own. --David Hurwitz


I am familiar with a great many of the recordings of this, the greatest of cello concertos and perhaps the greatest of all concertos. My recordings go as far back as Feuermann, Piatigorsky, Janiegro, Du Pre, Fournier, Wallfisch, Rostropovich, Shafran, Helmerson, Churchro, Starker, and others, including Ma's first recording featuring the execrable conducting of Lorin Maazel. This recording is revelatory, in my mind the greatest of all. Ma's cello playing is simply beyond belief, touched by the deepest of understanding of Dvorak's sentiments that went into the construction of the concerto (read: the historical novel nevertheless based on fact "Dvorak in Love" for more explanation). The playing is so unbelievably sympathetic, tender, recondite - yet when called for, so utterly dramatic. The final notes - including the way he languishes at the end - is spellbinding -- you'll feel like cheering. I had no idea the cello could be played like this until I heard this recording. The conducting is very good, almost up to the standard that I think was set by Neemi Jarvi in his recording on Bis. And the New York Philharmonic players, particularly the soloists (listen to the cello/violin duet in the 3rd movement, and the flutists!) are extraordinary - I'm no fan of NYC, but this is audibly one incredible orchestra, much better than the Berlin Philharmonic on Ma's first recording. If you only own one, or own many, you should own this: one of the great Dvorak recordings of all time, a performance that reminds us that just when you think you know a classical work, someone like Yo-Yo Ma can come along and redefine it in a way that only makes you wait for more from him. Put on your headphones to appreciate the subtlety of every note, the vibratto and rubatto, and treasure this gorgeous masterpiece.