This was Yo-Yo Ma’s second go at the Dvorák Cello Concerto for Sony, and it marked a big improvement over the rather lackluster recording he made with Lorin Maazel and the Berlin Philharmonic. Ma clearly is inspired in this live performance, finely attuned to the music’s nuance and unashamed of its passions. His warm tone remains lovely throughout. Kurt Masur and the New York Philharmonic match Ma with their powerfully rendered but also sensitive accompaniment. The Victor Herbert concerto, which inspired Dvorák to compose his own work in the genre, also benefits from Ma’s brilliant and dedicated playing and from Masur’s highly musical conducting. It may not be a great work, but you could be forgiven for believing otherwise when the performance is this sympathetic. Sony’s recording needs to be played at high volume to reveal its solid presence, depth, and dynamic impact, but the performances are well worth the additional cranking. The disc also includes two bonus tracks featuring Ma’s moving renditions of Dvorák’s Silent Woods and Humoresque with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony. A fine reissue.
