Cello Concerto in A major (Dvorák)
Encyclopedia
Background
Unlike its brother, the B minor Concerto, Op.104Cello Concerto (Dvorák)
The Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, B. 191, by Antonín Dvořák was the composer's last solo concerto, and was written in 1894–1895 for his friend, the cellist Hanuš Wihan, but premiered by the English cellist Leo Stern.- Structure :...
, the A major Concerto has been more than overlooked. Written for cellist Ludevít Peer, it was discovered by composer Günter Raphael
Günter Raphael
Günter Raphael was a German composer. Born in Berlin, Raphael is the grandson of composer Albert Becker. His first symphony was premiered by Wilhelm Furtwängler in 1926 in Leipzig. From 1926 to 1934 he taught in Leipzig, but illness and the rise of National Socialism - he was declared a half-Jew -...
years later. Raphael orchestrated and heavily edited the work in the late 1920s, making it more his own than Dvořák's. The Concerto was left un-orchestrated by Dvořák, existing only in piano-score form. Over an hour long, the Concerto's outer movements are around 25 minutes long, each, with a short (c. 8 minutes) slow movement.
The 1970s brought another editor of the Concerto, a Dvořák expert Jarmil Burghauser
Jarmil Burghauser
Jarmil Michael Burghauser was a Czech composer, conductor, and musicologist....
. He, along with the great cellist Miloš Sádlo
Miloš Sádlo
Miloš Sádlo , a Czech cellist, was born in Prague, Czech Republic. Born Miloš Zátvrzský he took the name Sadlo after "Karel Pravoslav Sádlo", his teacher and mentor....
, prepared another version of the Concerto. This time the editing was light. The new edition was published in two versions: In an original piano-score form (with appropriate cuts that correspond to the orchestrated version), and an orchestrated version by Burghauser, who took the liberty of cutting the extensive opening and final movements.
Today, one can get a taste of all three versions, since there are two Supraphon recording available (Original and Burghauser), as well as Steven Isserlis
Steven Isserlis
Steven Isserlis CBE is a British cellist. He is distinguished for his diverse repertoire, distinctive sound and total command of phrasing. He studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music and was much influenced by the great iconoclast of Russian cello playing, Daniil Shafran...
' frequent touring with the Raphael version.
Recordings
- CPO
- Ramon Jaffé, Cello. Rhine Philharmonic State Orchestra. Jarmil Burghauser version.
- SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
Label- Jiří Bárta, Cello. Original form, for Cello and Piano.
- Miloš SádloMiloš SádloMiloš Sádlo , a Czech cellist, was born in Prague, Czech Republic. Born Miloš Zátvrzský he took the name Sadlo after "Karel Pravoslav Sádlo", his teacher and mentor....
, Cello. An orchestrated version by Jarmil Burghauser.
- Koch Classics
- Werner Thomas-Mifune, Cello. Burghauser version.