It is difficult to respond very enthusiastically to Rostropovich's 1978 recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto. There is no doubt about his charisma or his ability to create and hold tension—witness the closing section of the finale—but too often the expressive feeling is so overt that one feels almost overwhelmed by it, in the wrong way. Rostropovich is very forwardly balanced, his image dominating the sound picture almost to the point of obscuring detail. But Giulini is still a strong factor in the interpretation, setting slow, deliberate tempos and relishing detail rather than letting the music find a strong flowing forward current of its own. This is immediately obvious at the first movement's second subject with the horn solo indulgent in its expressive feeling. Of course there is much very fine playing—the opening of the slow movement has a noble contour to which anyone will warm, but there is a less attractive element of deliberation in the finale. The recording is made much more vivid by its digital remastering, but in tuttis the massed orchestral strings are shrill, even if the orchestra does not lack weight. The Saint-Saens is much more successful, played with great bravura (the opening of both outer movements especially involving), yet the delicate little minuet which forms the Allegretto is given with stylish affection. The feeling of over-projection comes to the fore at times, but for the most part this is enjoyable in its warmth and easy virtuosity. The recording still displays some upper-range shrillness in the remastering, but it is less of a drawback here, whereas the passionate intensity of the Dvorak orchestral climaxes underlines any fault of this kind.
For the CD issue of the 1979 Tortelier version EMI have chosen the same coupling as Rostropovich's early DG recording with Karajan (which remains a clear first choice at premium price, as the later Erato/RCA re-make is in no way its match). The performance of the Dvorak has exactly the kind of simple flowing eloquence that the Rostropovich/Giulini performance misses. Previn's pacing and momentum are admirable—the slow movement is songful and lyrically persuasive with some lovely contributions from the orchestral woodwind (and horns). Tortelier's performance is not as strong in personality as Rostropovich's, but its easy warmth and Dvorakian feeling give consistent pleasure throughout. The engaging Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations are elegantly characterized and Yan Pascal Tortelier provides excellent support. At mid price this CD is undoubtedly attractive, for the remastering is much less severe and although greater clarity has taken the place of the more diffuse ambience of the old analogue LP masters, the orchestral glow remains and there is not too much loss of body in the strings. The Tchaikovsky Variations were recorded in 1974, and the balance placed Tortelier well in front on the orchestral group, so that the cello image is very tangible and the lovely timbre warmly realistic.'