[DSD][OF] Pierre Fournier, cello; Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, George Szell - Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104 - 1961/2014 (Classical/Orchestral/Cello)

There are quite a few amazing performances out there regarding the Dvorak concerto. However, my 1st experience with Fournier’s really captivated me. It ranks right up there with DuPre/Chicago on EMI (mid 1970’s) & Casals/Czech on EMI (late 1930’s). The 1st movement is brilliant, with a beautifully mournful trumpet solo about 2 minutes in.
This recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto is a performance in which the accompaniment is fully half of the equation. Szell gives the contrasting moods of the orchestral part a symphonic tautness. The cellist holds his own magnificently, fully matching Szell’s electricity. The 1961 recording sounds amazingly good. Listen to the paired winds in the 2nd movement theme to get a good idea of how transparent the sound is. The technical playing of Fournier is without question particularly authoritative & impressive – the right hand/bowing phrasing is special in a way which is just unforgettable & rich in tone…. the left hand contact & articulation with the strings never less than brilliant & inspired – but beyond that, the romantic sweep, ultimate control & passionate throb of the playing on all 4 strings – even high on the fingerboard with the A string (& D) – is unmatched even after 40 years. For virtuosic cello playing & faultlessly sympathetic orchestral accompaniment from start to finish, only 1 recording offers perfection. The Pierre Fournier/George Szell rendition with the Berlin Philharmonic is that performance.
In over 50 years since the recording sessions for this disc were taped on the 3 days ending June 3, 1962 at Christ’s Church in Berlin, no cellist or conductor has bested this reading when it comes to integrating the highly complex solo part with the equally challenging orchestral accompaniment. This pervasive delight extends to the 2nd movement, which can sound maudlin in lesser hands than those of Fournier, who endows every note with a shimmering vivacity. His tone is like the elan of a young tenor’s voice on a spring morning, set to take on every challenge, full of life’s anticipation, as it blends lovingly with the counterpoint in Szell’s woodwinds & strings. Soloist & conductor open the 3rd movement briskly. Szell stirs the orchestra in a manner reminiscent of his recording of Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, a fitting counterpoint to the arching, wistful tone of Fournier’s cello.