Gautier Capuçon in mesmerising form

Dvořák’s evergreen masterpiece brings out a streak of spontaneous fantasy in Capuçon’s playing that suits the music perfectly

Composer: Dvořák; Herbert
Repertoire: Cello Concertos
Artists:  Gautier Capuçon (cello), Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra/Paavo Järvi
Rating:  5/5
Genre: Orchestral 
Label: Virgin Classics 519 0352

Even among today’s stellar vintage of cellists, Gautier Capuçon is an amazing talent. His mastery of tone and line – powerful, lustrous, beautifully focused, yet never forced – is here never less than mesmerising. The Frankfurt Orchestra is spellbound too, to judge from their fired-up contribution to both works. The work was in part inspired by the Cello Concerto No.2 of Irish-born, New York-based Victor Herbert: although not in the same class, this is still a pleasing and characterful creation.