Pierre Fournier - Dvorak, Elgar: : Cello Concertos (1962, 1967) [2017 SACD Vintage Collection]

New mastering of the Fournier Eternal Masterpiece from the basic master in the home country.
Elegant masterpiece Elgar is the world's first SA-CD!

Pierre Fournier, a famous French cellist, was nicknamed "Prince of Cello" for his graceful performance and sophisticated manners. He boasted a wide repertoire from Bach to contemporary songs, but in 1966 he said, "I like romantic and Impressionist music. I think ultra-modern works." I love the work of people who have blossomed modern personality on the basis of traditional beauty. "(From the Mainichi Shimbun January 11, 1966, evening edition, culture side). This SA-CD hybrid version contains two romantic works he liked. The Berlin Philharmonic, whose first appearance on January 11, 1939, was so successful that it became the name of Fournier throughout Europe, also enhances the value of this one.
Dvorak's session took place from 1 to 3 June 1961 under the command of Cell. A look at the Berlin Philharmonic record shows that there were no concerts in the vicinity of this date that featured Cer and Fournier, and they gathered purely for the session. Elgar's session took place October 20-23, 1966, but there are no Warrenstein or Fournier appearances in this area. Dvorak was recorded for 3 days and Elgar was recorded for 4 days without any trouble in the concert, and the performance and recording were extremely beautiful. Fournier's stagnation-free phrasing, richness and calming beauty are kept throughout. Although the singing and lyrical features are well-produced, the expressions and forms do not lose their neatness. The more beautiful and strongly persuasive performance, without excessive expression, proves his "prince".
In addition, ears that are accustomed to listening to cello recordings in recent years will also feel the changing taste of the times for cello sound. Recent cello recordings tend to record the sound sharply, probably because of the technical level of the performers and the expression has become more detailed, but the rich sound of Fournier here is captured straightforwardly The recorded sound will allow you to enjoy the original charm of a cello.

For the conductor, the stable rod handling, taking advantage of the heavy sound of the Warren Stein's Berlin Philharmonic at Elgar, is also great, but after all, the cell at Dvorak is a must-see. It seems that the nostalgia of the composer and the nostalgia of the cell, such as the rich tone of the horn and the rich singing of the second theme of the first movement, are coming in as a double reflection. Looking at the Berlin Philharmonic's performance record, Sel's first appearance was 19 on December 19, 1916. It's a year earlier than the older Furtwangler's first appearance. A successful cell in the United States after the war, it is also a sound proof that his musical hometown is in Central Europe.
These recordings are separated by four years, but are characterized by being slightly larger in sound image with the soloist standing in front. It is interesting to note that this is different from the trend of Dvorak, which Karajan recorded with Rostropovich, and it is interesting that there is a difference in thinking among engineers and producers. The recording of Fournier recorded with thick and heavy sound is wonderful even in modern times, and with this latest reprint you can enjoy the masterpieces of this century with clearer and more affordable sounds than ever before. In particular, the sound of Elgar, which has not been released on SA-CD, is particularly noteworthy.
~Google Interpreter



Tracks:

Antonin Dvořák
Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104
01. 1st.mov.: Allegro
02. 2nd.mov.: Adagio ma non troppo
03. 3rd. mov.: Finale. Allegro moderato

Edward Elgar
Cello Concerto in E minor, Op.85
04. Adagio - Moderato 7:06
05. Lento - Allegro molto 4:22
06. Adagio 4:12
07. Allegro 10:25

Personnel:

Pierre Fournier, Violonello
Berliner Philharmoniker
Conducted by George Szell
Conducted by Alfred Wallenstein