Mstislav Rostropovič patril k najvýznamnejším violončelistom 20. storočia. Zameriaval sa na klasickú hudbu od barokových predlôh po súčasnú tvorbu a spolupracoval s poprednými dirigentmi svojej doby.
Kompilácia Cellist Of The Century na 3 CD v digipaku prináša výber zo štúdiových nahrávok celého Rostropovičovho umeleckého rozsahu, zahŕňajúci diela od 17. po 20. storočie. Medzi nahrávkami nájdete koncerty od Dvořáka, Schumanna, Šostakoviča, Prokofieva, Haydna či Brahmsa, sólové suity od Bacha a Brittena či skladby venované priamo Rostropovičovi (Šostakovičov Cello Concerto No. 1, Prokofievova Symphony-Concerto, Le Grand Tango od Astora Piazzolly, Tout un monde lointain Henriho Dutilleuxa). Na nahrávkach sa objavujú David Oistrach, Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Carlo Maria Giulini, Kyrill Kondrašin a ďalší. Nahrávky boli novo remasterované.
Skladby
CD1
1. Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104: II. Adagio ma non troppo [11:53]
2. Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129: III. Sehr lebhaft [8:07]
3. Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33: Allegro non troppo - [5:32]
4. Double Concerto in A Minor, Op. 102: III. Vivace non troppo [8:55]
5. Don Quixote - Fantastic Variations, Op. 35: Epilogue - Sehr ruhig - Don Quixote's mind clears (Death of Don Quixote) [5:59]
6. Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 [17:34]
7. Sinfonia concertante in E Minor, Op. 125: III. Andante con moto [9:43]
8. Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, Op. 107: I. Allegretto [6:03]
9. Cello Concerto (Tout un monde lointain): V. Hymne (Allegro) [4:39]
CD2
1. Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prélude [2:06]
2. Cello Concerto in D Minor, RV 406: III. Minuetto [3:30]
3. Cello Concerto in D Major: IV. Allegro (Arr. Wolff) [3:03]
4. 7 altfranzösische Mädchenbilder: III. La lionnoise (Arr. Längin) [2:27]
5. Toccata (in the Style of Frescobaldi) [4:44]
6. Concerto in D Minor After Alessandro Marcello, BWV 974: II. Adagio [5:08]
7. Cello Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, H. 436: III. Allegro assai (Arr. Wolff) [6:17]
8. Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Hob. VIIb, 1: III. Allegro molto [6:23]
9. Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major, Hob. VIIb, 2: III. Rondo (Allegro) [4:57]
10. 12 Variations on "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen" (from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte), Op. 66 [10:31]
11. 12 Variations on "See the conqu'ring hero comes" (from Handel's Judas Maccabaeus), WoO 45 [13:39]
12. Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65: IV. Finale (Allegro) [5:25]
13. Cello Sonata No. 2 in F Major, Op. 99: II. Adagio affetuoso [7:35]
CD3
1. 14 Romances, Op. 34: XIV. Vocalise (Arr. Rostropovich) [6:50]
2. Le Grand Tango [9:33]
3. El amor brujo: VIII. Danza Ritual del Fuego (Arr. Piatigorsky) [3:02]
4. 3 Chorale Preludes: III. Christus, der uns selig macht, BWV 747 (Arr. Kodály) [5:14]
5. Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major, BWV 564: II. Adagio (Arr. Siloti) [4:02]
6. Impromptu No. 3 in G-Flat Major, D. 899 (Arr. Heifetz & Rostropovich) [4:59]
7. From the Bohemian Forest, Op. 68: V. Silent Woods (Arr Piatigorsky) [5:22]
8. 12 Etudes, Op. 8: No. 11 in B-Flat Minor (Arr. Piatigorsky) [4:00]
9. The Love for Three Oranges (suite), Op. 33b: III. March (Arr. Rostropovich) [1:44]
10. Cello Suite No. 2, Op. 80: III. Scherzo (Allegro molto) [1:45]
11. Adagio con variazioni, P. 133 [10:43]
12. Priere, Op. 158 [5:28]
13. 3 Songs, Op. 7: I. Apres un reve (Arr. Casals) [3:22]
14. Préludes, Book 1, L. 117: XII. Minstrels [2:57]
15. Suite bergamasque, L. 75: III. Clair de lune [4:52]
16. Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 136: III. Joyeux [3:09]
