Pablo Casals speaking of the Schumann Cello Concerto:

It is one of the finest works one can hear – from beginning to end the music is sublime.

This, the first of the great romantic cello concertos, gives us a chance to compare the playing/interpretive skills of an older generation of cellists (Gendron, Piatigorsky, Fournier, etc.) – here represented by André Navarra – with the present generation of players (list too long to even contemplate) with Steven Isserlis as their representative.

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What do you think? Do you favour the old school or does the younger blood have more appeal? Maybe you think they’re different but equally valid. I know which I’d prefer, but there’s not a great deal in it.

Your comments are welcome.

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