Customer Reviews

Mstislav Rostropovich plays Great Works for Cello and Orchestra

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With the possible exeption of Yo-Yo Ma, the great Mstislav Rostropovich is about the greatest cellist of our time. He plays in the great and sad Russian tradition; very soulful and expressive.

The pieces on these CDs also feature such outstanding collaborating conductors as Karajan, Ozawa and Bernstein. There are several Baroque pieces which are done very nicely with adequate "verve". Of course the Russian pieces by Tchaikovsky, Glazounov and Shostakovich are outstanding in that Rostropovich has innate insight into the suffering Russian soul.

This was my first hearing of the Cello Concerto #2 by Shostakovich (I am well familiar with CC#1). It is quite interesting and ultra-modern and it creates a very intersting mood of beauty and anguish. I am surprised to not see more recordings of it.

The Bernstein piece, "Three Meditations from Mass", is also very interesting in that it too is quite "modern" but also soulful as a transcription from excerpts of a Catholic Mass written by a Jewish-American composer, conducting the Israel Phil. Orch.-it just goes to show the ecumenical spirit of music. Also, the similarity in the Jewish and Russian essence of suffering.

It is that sad and naturally expressive quality that makes Rostropovich so great.