I once heard the anecdote that Dutilleux was known only for being the b-side of the requiem of Fauré. As many of his works, this one carries a poetic subtitle: Tout un monde lointain (a whole distant world). This cello concerto was written in 1968. Just like the one I wrote about yesterday, this work was also written for Rostropovich, and on this recording played by him.
The five parts are each called after lines of the poem Les fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire. Just as the poem, it carries with it the atmosphere of mystery and dreamy. This is a beautiful work, and is one of the highlights of 20th century cello repertoire. This is also the first recording. I don’t know if it is a live recording of the premiere, but it is the same performers as that event, in 1970.