This deluxe edition comprises 40 CDs and 3 DVDs. ü It comprises both studio and live recordings (ratio of studio to live is c.50/50).It includes a number of works that Rostropovich premiered. ü The repertoire includes solo works, works for cello and piano, cello and chamber group and concertos/concertante works with orchestra.The list of the composers featured conveys the extraordinary range and variety of music in the box, which ranges from the early 18th century to the latter 20th century.The box contains no fewer than three versions of the Dvořák Cello Concerto, often considered the greatest of all concertos for the instrument. The version conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini (1977) is generally considered to be the essential version in the entire catalogue.Another highlight is the recording that in many senses represents the culmination of Rostropovich’s recording career: the Bach Cello Suites, recorded in Vézelay in France in 1991; this was his only studio recording of these landmark works. They appear in both audio and video versions in the box.A number of the live performances in the box originate from Russian tapes that were saved from destruction by resourceful Soviet archivists when Rostropovich was exiled from the USSR (1974-1990). They came back to light in the late 1990s.Other celebrated musicians appearing with Rostropovich include Leonard Bernstein, Benjamin Britten and such great Russians as David Oistrakh, Sviatoslav Richter, Gennady Rozhdestvensky and Yevgeny Svetlanov.The box also contains a previously unpublished audio interview with Rostropovich, in which he discusses Shostakovich with the journalist Jon Tolansky. The interview dates from 2006 and represents Rostropovich’s testament as a musician.The recordings are complemented by a lavishly illustrated 200-page hardback book with a chronology and fascinating articles by Elizabeth Wilson, a student of Rostropovich and Claude Samuel, a former head of Radio France who knew Rostropovich well. The book contains reproductions of many rare photos and documents (including the open letter of support for Alexander Solzhenitsyn) from Rostropovich’s personal archive.All audio recordings in the box have been remastered. Analogue recordings have been remastered in 24 bit-96khz from the original tapes
J**R
Two Boxes in One - Now in Original Jacket Format
The new "Cellist of the Century" box is a combination of two older boxes:EMI: Mstislav Rostropovich: The Complete EMI Recordings plusWarner: Mstislav Rostropovich Plays Cello WorksA combined total of 35 CDs + 2 DVDs.The "Cellist of the Century" is 40 CDs + 3 DVDs:-- 17 EMI CDs, recorded 1956-1999-- 9 Erato and Teldec CDs, recorded 1968, 1982-1995-- 13 CDs "Rostropovich: The Russian Years" recorded "live" in the Soviet Union 1950-1974 and 1996-- 1 CD Rostropovich interview-- 3 EMI DVDs (Bach Suites + Dvorak & Saint-Saens Concerti)There is one new recording that appears here for the first time:- David Matthews: Romanza for Cello & Small Orchestra, recorded in 1990 at the Queen Mother's 90th Birthday Concert,but the the rest of the five CD difference is accounted for by the fact that the new box is an "original jacket" collection with shorter playing times per CD.The cardboard jackets reproduce the artwork (and timings) of the original LPs.One thing they do not reproduce is program notes: the back of each jacket is devoted to track listings.-- The 1956 recording of Saint-Saens Cello Concerto with Malcolm Sargent is released in stereo for the first time.-- Contrary to Warner's advertising, the Rostropovich interview was in the old EMI box. The new box adds a 13 minute poem (in French!)-- You get one additional DVD not in the original EMI box (Dvorak & Saint-Saens Concerti) but it's available separately.REMASTERED SOUNDThe early reports were mixed.Warner's press release made extravagant claims for the analog recordings (1956-1979):"Wherever possible, the engineers of Art et Son studios have refined the sound, always with scrupulous respect to the original sources. The analogue recordings originating from EMI and Erato (CD1-15) have been remastered in 24 BIT – 96 kHz from the original tapes. These are, therefore, the first recordings where the presence and definition of sound are heard in such detail."The digital recordings (1983-1999) were only described as "remastered" in the press release.No details.Warner no longer identifies the remastering engineers(Warner has also dropped the ADD and DDD codes).ANALOG OR DIGITAL?CDs 1-15 are analog originals - according to Warner.The label side reproduces a black vinyl record (groovy).The cardboard jacket reads "Remastered from original tapes - Published 2017".ButI'm almost certain that CDs 14 (recorded 1982-83) and 15 (1985) are digital originals.The major record companies had already switched to digital recording in 1980.It's possible that CD 14 (Landowski), a co-production with Radio France, was recorded by radio engineers still using analog tape in 1982.but when CD 15 (the Dvorak Concerto with Ozawa and the Boston Symphony) was released in 1985, Erato proudly advertised it as DDD.CDs 16-27 are definitely digital originals, recorded 1985-1999.The label side is shiny silver with a small painted area in the center.The cardboard jacket reads "Remastered - Published 2017" (no longer "remastered from original tapes.)The undisputed analog originals on CDs 1-13 (and part of CD 26) were recorded between 1956 (Myaskovsky & Saint-Saens) and 1979 (Brahms Double Concerto with Perlman).Warner seems to have done a conscientious job.The new analog remasterings are an improvement over those in the old EMI box,with a deeper bass (mixed blessing - you can hear some groans that were masked in the old box).But the new digital remasterings sound a lot like the "old" digital remasterings.POSITIVE: If you missed out on the old EMI box, the new "Cellist of the Century" box will save you a lot of money.Expensive as it is, it still costs less than used copies of the old EMI box.That box was issued in 2008, but withdrawn soon after (apparently there was a dispute over ownership of the Soviet recordings), and it became incredibly expensive.Now it seems the problem has been overcome - the Soviet recordings are included in the new box.POSITIVE: You get a 200 page book of (mostly) photos.NEGATIVE: I had hoped that the missing program notes would be reprinted in the book, but they are not.NEGATIVE: The oversized box offers clumsy CD storage, and won't fit on most shelves.POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE? One-third of the contents is contemporary music commissioned by Rostropovich (sixteen composers).Up to you whether this is a positive or negative.This is in contrast to the competing box from DG, where less than ten percent is contemporary music (Bernstein, Britten, Shostakovich and Messiaen)The composers in the Warner box are a lot more avante-garde (program notes would have helped).ROSTROPOVICH: THE RUSSIAN YEARSI have not included the thirteen CDs of Soviet recordings in this EMI/Warner discography.These recordings are not EMI/Warner originals, but were licensed from a Russian source.A lot of nice stuff, in particular premiere or near-premiere recordings of music by Prokofiev and Shostakovich (1950s mono).The thirteen CD "Russian Years" box was originally released in 1997 (see the end of this review for a link + the contents list).PART ONE: BASIC REPERTOIRE (stereo unless otherwise indicated)C.P.E. BACH- Concerto for Cello Wq.171: Hugh Wolff, Saint Paul Chamber Orch. 1992J.S. BACH- Suites (6) for Cello Solo 1991 (also on DVD)BEETHOVEN- Concerto for Piano, Violin & Cello with Sviatoslav Richter & David Oistrakh: Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic 1969- Variations on Handel's "See the Conquering Hero Comes" with Vasso Devetsi piano 1974- Variations on Mozart's "Ein Madchen oder Weibchen" with Vasso Devetsi piano 1974BLOCH- Schelomo: Leonard Bernstein, ORTF National Orch. 1976BRAHMS- Concerto for Violin & Cello---- with David Oistrakh: George Szell, Cleveland Orch. 1969---- with Itzhak Perlman: Bernard Haitink, Amsterdam Concertgebouw 1979- Sonata for Cello & Piano No.2 with Alexander Dedyukhin 1957 monoDEBUSSY- Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamesque with Alexander Dedyukhin piano 1957 mono- Preludes Book 1, No.2 'Minstrel' with Alexander Dedyukhin piano 1957 monoDVORAK- Concerto for Cello Op.104---- Adrian Boult, Royal Philharmonic 1957---- Carlo Maria Giulini, London Philharmonic 1977 (also on DVD)---- Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony 1985HAYDN- Concerti (2) for Cello: Rostropovich soloist & conductor, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields 1975HONEGGER- Concerto for Cello (premiered 1929) Kent Nagano, London Symphony 1989MILHAUD- Concerto for Cello No.1 (premiered 1934) Kent Nagano, London Symphony 1989MYASKOVSKY- Concerto for Cello: Malcolm Sargent, Philharmonia Orch. 1956POPPER- Elfentanz Op.39 with Alexander Dedyukhin, piano 1957 monoPROKOFIEV- Symphony-Concerto for Cello (premiered 1952) *---- Malcolm Sargent, Philharmonia Orch. 1957---- Seiji Ozawa, London Symphony 1987RACHMANINOV- Vocalise Op.34, No.14 with Alexander Dedyukhin piano 1957 monoSAINT-SAENS- Concerto for Cello No.1---- Malcolm Sargent, Philharmonia Orch. 1956---- Carlo Maria Giulini, London Philharmonic 1977 (also on DVD)SCHUMANN- Concerto for Cello: Leonard Bernstein, ORTF National Orchestra 1976SCRIABIN- Etude Op.8, No.11 in B Flat Minor with Alexander Dedyukhin piano 1957 monoSHOSTAKOVICH- Concerto for Cello No.1 (premiered 1959) * Seiji Ozawa, London Symphony 1987- Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok (premiered 1967) * with Galina Vishnevskaya soprano, Vasso Devetzi piano, Ulf Hoelscher violin & Rostropovich cello 1974R. STRAUSS- Don Quixote: Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic 1975- Sonata for Cello & Piano with Vasso Devetsi 1974TARTINI- Concerto for Cello: Hugh Wolff, Saint Paul Chamber Orch. 1992TCHAIKOVSKY- Variations on a Rococo Theme: Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony 1985VIVALDI- Concerto for Cello RV406: Hugh Wolff, Saint Paul Chamber Orch. 1992ANTHOLOGYMusic for cello & organ by J.S.Bach, Caix d'Herelois, Frescobaldi, Handel, Marcello, Rheinberger & Saints-Saens with Herbert Tachezi 1993* Prokofiev's Symphony-Concerto (1952) and Shostakovich's First Cello Concerto (1959) + Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok (1967) were commissioned by Rostropovich.Contemporary music that has entered the basic repertoire.Objective standard: Basic repertoire is anything recorded more than ten times.PART TWO: CONTEMPORARY MUSIC COMMISSIONED BY ROSTROPOVICH (stereo)DUTILLEUX- Concerto for Cello 'Tout un monde lointain': Serge Baudo, Orchestre de Paris rec.1974GAGNEUX- Triptyque pour violoncelle et orchestre: Seiji Ozawa, London Symphony rec.1994GUBAIDULINA- Canticle of the Sun: Ryusuke Numajiri, London Voices rec.1999HALFFTER- Concerto for Cello No.2: composer, Orchestre National de France rec.1985HODDINOTT- Noctis Equi, Scena for Cello & Orchestra: Kent Nagano, London Symphony rec.1989JOLIVET- Concerto for Cello No.2: composer, ORTF National Orchestra rec.1969KNAIFEL- Chapter Eight for Cello & Chorus: Norman Scribner conductor rec.1995*LANDOWSKITwo works for Soprano (Galina Vishnevskaya), Cello & Orchestra:- "Un enfant appelle": composer, ORTF National Orchestra rec.1982- "La Prison": composer, Orchestre National de Lille rec.1983LUTOSLAWSKI- Concerto for Cello: composer, Orchestre de Paris rec.1974MATTHEWS- Romanza for Cello & Orchestra: Raymond Leppard, English Chamber Orchestra rec.1990MORET- Concerto for Cello: Paul Sacher, Collegium Musicum de Zurich rec.1989PENDERECKI- Concerto for Cello No.2: composer, Philharmonia Orch rec.1986PROKOFIEV- Symphony-Concerto for Cello (premiered 1952) *SHCHEDRIN- Concerto for Cello 'sotto voce': Seiji Ozawa, London Symphony rec.1994SCHNITTKE- Concerto for 3 (Violin, Viola & Cello) with Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet: Moscow Soloists rec.1995- Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello with Kremer, Bashmet rec.1995- Menuet for Violin, Viola & Cello with Kremer, Bashmet rec.1995SHOSTAKOVICH- Concerto for Cello No.1 (premiered 1959) *- Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok (premiered 1967) ** Prokofiev and Shostakovich are listed under Part One: Basic Repertoire.PREVIOUSLY RELEASED CDs MENTIONED IN THIS REVIEW:-- "The Russian Years": Rostropovich - The Russian Years 1950-1974The best analysis of "The Russian Years" was done by "Discophage" - see his review dated November 21, 2012.Review titled "The Russian Years of Rostropovich vs his Brilliant days: Russia wins"(includes detailed contents list)-- DVD of Dvorak/Saint-Saens Concerti:Dvorak/Saint-Saens: Cello Concertos - Mstislav Rostropovich, Carlo Maria Giulini, London Philharmonic OrchestraANALYSES OF COMPETING ROSTROPOVICH BOXES ON OTHER LABELSSee Comment One (dated March 24, 2017). Click on "Sort by oldest".PART ONE: DG, DECCA & PHILIPS RECORDINGSPART TWO: SONY RECORDINGS OF ROSTROPOVICHPhotos: The old EMI and Warner boxes.
S**.
A complete collection of Slava
After debating for quite a while which set to choose from so many impressive recordings of Slava, I decided to go for this one as I really want to have all four recordings by Slava on Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor. It’s a big surprise to see the collection coming in a beautiful box with all 40 CD/DVD plus a 200 pages of book in three languages. I only got the chance to listen to a couple of CDs thus far, and the quality of sound is as good as it can be considering that the much of yge work was recorded more than half century ago. In short, worth of every penny as a birthday present to myself.
R**N
Excellent collection
Very nice cloth covered box, hard cover book contains interesting background on "Slava," The CDs have heard so farhave all been excellent. Overall, the set is well worth its price.
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5 days ago
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