Album

While cellist Pierre Fournier is best remembered for his supreme lyrical elegance, the fact of the matter was that Fournier could be and often was just as rough toned and passionate as Pablo Casals in the right repertoire. And as he demonstrates in this 1973 recording with Colin Davis conducting the BBC Symphony, the right repertoire for Fournier was Dvorák's Cello Concerto. Because while there are passages of supreme lyrical elegance in his playing here, Fournier is for the most part supremely passionate with a huge tone, a strong bow, and an overwhelming sense of urgency. With the steady support of Davis and the BBC, Fournier creates a performance to rival the best of Casals'. The 1955 recording of Brahms' Violin and Cello Concerto with violinist Zino Francescatti and Malcolm Sargent leading the BBC Symphony is just as impressive with Fournier and Francescatti singing together in the central Andante like it's the end of the Second Act of Othello and only Sargent's unprepossessing accompaniment failing to catch the mood. The BBC's 1955 sound is barely serviceable and the 1973 effort is only a bit better.

© James Leonard, Rovi

CD 1
Antonín (Leopold) Dvořák Composer Cello Concerto in B-, Op.104 Work Recorded 1973 37:47 BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis Conductor, Pierre Fournier Cello
1	1.Allegro	14:56			$2.49
2	2.Adagio ma non troppo	10:45			$1.99
3	3.Finale: Allegro moderato	12:06			$1.99
Johannes Brahms Composer Double Concerto in A- for Violin and Cello, Op.102 Work Recorded 1955 34:09 BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Zino Francescatti Violin, Malcolm Sargent Conductor, Pierre Fournier Cello
4	1.Allegro	17:17			$2.99
5	2.Andante	7:56			$1.49
6	3.Vivace non troppo	8:56			$1.49