Best recording / performance Dvorak Cello conc.

I would heartliy recommend your #3 choice. Von Karajan's conducting was always, for me, a more dramatic presentation, involving and alive in ways others simply did not achieve. For me he is one of the few conductors that I can almost identify just by listening. Wheather that is good or bad depends on your point of view. For what it is worth Gramaphone rated this one a Gramaphone award winner and a recording of legendary status whereaqs pENGUIN AWARDS IT A rOSETTE its highest compliment to a recording. In any event enjoy the listening.

Well, just to mix it up some more, here are some CDs I have that I can recommend:
1. Dvorak & Walton Cello Concertos, Gregor Piatigorsky, Munch, Boston SO. RCA Living Stereo.
2. Dvorak Concerto & Bruch Kol Nidrei, Lynn Harrell, Ashkenazy, Philharmonia. Decca/London.
3. Dvorak & Elgar Cello Concertos, Pierre Fournier, Szell and Wallenstein, Berlin Philharmonic. Deutsche Grammophon.

These are all famous cellists. But to get away from the big names for a moment, I'd like to second the good words above for Maria Kliegel on Naxos. I haven't heard her Dvorak concerto, but her Naxos version of the two cello concertos by Shostakovich is very fine, and well recorded too. Finally, and perhaps my own favorite, a Swedish BIS CD features Frans Helmerson and the Gothenburg SO under Jarvi. This has excellent sound and is a very likable, rewarding performance, having more the feeling and sound of a live than a studio performance. Worth checking out. Happy listening.

Texasdave, Thanks for the recommendation on Helmerson/Jarvi. Jarvi's Dvorak on Chandos is pretty good, generally speaking, so I'm going to give this a try. :-)

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

Currently, they might be tough to find on either cd or lp, but I would opt for either Gendron/Haitink/London Philharmonic (Philips) or Harrell/Levine/London Symphony (RCA), especially the Gendron/Haitink, beautifully detailed and recorded.