Far Far prefer Pierre Fournier & George Szell with the BPO, also on DG. Great recording from 1960s and a wonderful performance without Karajan overblowing everything. Its even available on new vinyl. it was also BBC R3 building a library top choice. On CD its available at budget price.
This is my favourite cello concerto of all time and Dvorak's concerto is really a epitome of the cello instrument itself.
Cello, like the Double-bass is inherently not a show-off instrument quite unlike a violin. To me, it is more like a heart beat. It's always there and it's important but was hardly noticed. I consider it the most important instrument in a quartet.
Elgar and Prokofiev might have managed to make it a little more showy with the concertos but I thought the heart and soul of a cello still belong to being that smooth communicator rather than the star of the room.
It is therefore very apt that Dvorak's concerto, widely considered the greatest cello concerto of all time do not have a cadenza but had allowed the cello to do what it does best, using deep and rich tones to touch your soul.
I do not know much about Fournier's playing but reading about it, understand that he was formidable.
