The Definitive Shostakovich VC No. 1

[MishaK]

Me, too.

Another instance of you stalking me at Carnegie, Bruce? 

Others on my favorites list: Vengerov, Repin and Salerno-Sonnenberg, and of those, Repin might be the current front-runner. 

Really? I have heard Repin play this live, too. And it was completely uneventful and forgettable. I'd take Vengerov or Hahn over him any day.

[karlhenning]

Really? I have heard Repin play this live, too. And it was completely uneventful and forgettable.

I heard him play it, and it was an event, and I haven't come anywhere near forgetting it.

[Sergeant Rock]

Yet, this remains, for me, my definitive Shostakovich piece. I have a couple recordings, yet this one, in rich mono tops the list for me.

Interesting....I just ordered that less than an hour ago.

Sarge

[bhodges]

Another instance of you stalking me at Carnegie, Bruce? 

Yes, if you look over your shoulder just now, I'm about 50 yards away...

Really? I have heard Repin play this live, too. And it was completely uneventful and forgettable. I'd take Vengerov or Hahn over him any day.

Maybe he had an off night?  I was very impressed with his recording with Nagano -- Repin has a huge sound -- and when I heard him he was even better.  (Sorry, at the moment I can't recall exactly when.)

--Bruce

[MishaK]

Yes, if you look over your shoulder just now, I'm about 50 yards away...

You'd have to be hovering twenty-two stories above the Chicago River for that to be true.

Maybe he had an off night?  I was very impressed with his recording with Nagano -- Repin has a huge sound -- and when I heard him he was even better.  (Sorry, at the moment I can't recall exactly when.)

Maybe. He's doing the Brahms VC this weekend with the CSO and Chung. Wasn't really planning on going, but who knows.

[Sergeant Rock]

I know this will shock everyone, but I do NOT claim Hilary Hahn's Shostakovitch recording to be the definitive one. 

The seventh seal has been broken! The end is near!!!



I own several versions of the concerto: Mullova/Previn, Hahn/Janowski, Palmer/Wallfisch, Vengerov/Rostropovich and this one:



The combination of father, son and dedicatee just seems to work. I don't think this is generally available though...not sure it was ever released on CD. My CD fave is Vengerov but I'm looking forward to hearing that first Oistrakh version.

Sarge

[sidoze]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Yulian-Sitkovetsky-Vol-5/dp/B000GQL8QS

amazing performances

[karlhenning]

The combination of father, son and dedicatee just seems to work. I don't think this is generally available though...not sure it was ever released on CD.

Now, who's responsible for keeping this light hid beneath a bushel, Sarge? 

[Sergeant Rock]

Now, who's responsible for keeping this light hid beneath a bushel, Sarge? 

The ways of the classical music industry are hard to fathom, Karl.

Sarge

[Rabin_Fan]

Sarge - that Oistrakh/Shos VC 1 is on CD now. I also have the LP. EMI have now released it on a 4 CD-box set as well as an EMI Encore. Details are below:-

DAVID OISTRAKH, Les Introuvables De Works by Beethoven, Szymanowski, Shostakovitch, Franck, Mozart, Lalo, Taneyev. EMI France 4cds 5868412

SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Concerto No. 1, Violin Concerto No. 1. Paul Tortelier, David Oistrakh, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Paavo Berglund, New Philharmonia Orchestra / Maxim Shostakovich EMI Encore 3724932

Regards - R-F

[BorisG]

I heard him play it, and it was an event, and I haven't come anywhere near forgetting it.

Maybe O stubbed his toe on his event's morning.

In reference to his Hahn, I do not think she has the power for this composer. He may think what he likes of course.

[MishaK]

Maybe O stubbed his toe on his event's morning.

Hardly. I think he just had an off-evening. The applause was minimal, too. Quite in contrast to Vengerov and Hahn.

In reference to his Hahn, I do not think she has the power for this composer. He may think what he likes of course.

"My" Hahn? I have no property rights over her. She does actually have power if she wants to, but she doesn't use it here. It's a different approach to the piece, as I said. And I think it is valid in its own right. Shostakovich doesn't have to be constant in your face anger and despair. There is more to that music and I think Hahn finds something that others don't. It's not a standard interpretation, but that is exactly what makes it worth listening.

[Steve]

Interesting....I just ordered that less than an hour ago.

Sarge

You will enjoy it, friend. 

[hornteacher]

There is more to that music and I think Hahn finds something that others don't. It's not a standard interpretation, but that is exactly what makes it worth listening.

That's exactly the point I was trying to make, since the question was asking for the "Definitive" version (if indeed there is such a thing).  Hilary's account is not "standard", therefore it should not be the ONLY recording one owns, however, it is a great recording none the less and deserves attention.

[Steve]

That's exactly the point I was trying to make, since the question was asking for the "Definitive" version (if indeed there is such a thing).  Hilary's account is not "standard", therefore it should not be the ONLY recording one owns, however, it is a great recording none the less and deserves attention.

I've got to take a look at Hilary's rendition, then. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Sarge - that Oistrakh/Shos VC 1 is on CD now. I also have the LP. EMI have now released it on a 4 CD-box set as well as an EMI Encore. Details are below:-

DAVID OISTRAKH, Les Introuvables De Works by Beethoven, Szymanowski, Shostakovitch, Franck, Mozart, Lalo, Taneyev. EMI France 4cds 5868412

SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Concerto No. 1, Violin Concerto No. 1. Paul Tortelier, David Oistrakh, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Paavo Berglund, New Philharmonia Orchestra / Maxim Shostakovich EMI Encore 3724932

Regards - R-F

This is good news indeed. Thanks, Lee.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

You will enjoy it, friend. 

I'm really looking forward to it, Steve.

Sarge

[Harry Collier]

Adding to the discussion, below is a short commentary on the recordings I actually own. Order is alphabetical by violinist. I've skipped over the off-air performance details since most readers won't have access to them.

Sarah Chang, (Simon Rattle, Simon, Berlin PO, 2005) Well played. Badly recorded. Interesting, but not really competitive.

James Ehnes, (Marin Alsop, Bournemouth SO, 2006). Off-air.

Michael Erxleben, (Claus Peter Flor, Berlin SO, 1990). Weirdly slow – the cadenza lasts for hours. I like it for the incredibly dark sound of Erxleben's violin, which almost sounds like a viola. It's also a "different" reading from the emotional Russians.

Ilya Gringolts, (Vassily Sinaisky, Vassily BBC Philharmonic, 2002). Off-air
HC 107

Alina Ibragimova, Alina (Stefan Solyom, BC Scottish SO, 2007). Off-air. An encouraging testimony to the future of the Shostakovitch concerto over coming decades from this very young artist.

Leila Josefowicz, (Sakari Oramo, Birmingham SO, 2006). Very fine indeed. Josefowicz digs deep into this concerto. Her coupling – the difficult Shostakovitch violin & piano sonata – is a classic performance. Highly recommended CD. I also have her off-air a few months later, but the earlier commercial CD is a better performance

Oleg Kagan, (Alexander Lazarev, Moscow Philharmonic, 1981). Has its fans, but I think the field is too competitive to spend long on this.

Ilya Kaler, Ilya (A. Wit, Polish National Radio SO, 1996). Decent routine recording.

Sergei Khachatryan, (Kurt Masur, Orchestre National de France, 2006). A very fine performance from a very young violinst. Up with the best. The coupling (second concerto) is not at the same level, however.

Leonid Kogan, (Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic, 1959) or (Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic, 1962) or (Erich Leinsdorf, Boston SO, 1964) or (Svetlanov, USSR SO, 1976) or (Irwin Hoffman, Chicago SO, 1966). Kogan is one of my very favourite violinists. I am usually pretty disappointed by his playing in the first Shostakovitch concerto, however. Perhaps it was because he was embarrassed by Shostakovitch's depiction of Soviet suffering in this concerto? Best of the bunch is the 1966 Chicago recording.

Stoika Milanova, (V Stefanov, Philharmonica Bulgarica, 1975). I am very fond of this performance. Milanova was an Oistrakh pupil

Viktoria Mullova, (Andre Previn, RPO, 1988). Also off-air in 2001 with Salonen and the Philharmonia. The later off-air performance is better.

David Oistrakh, (Mravinsky, Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, 1956) or (Mravinsky, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, 1957) or (Maxim Shostakovitch, Philharmonia, 1972) or (Mitropoulos, NY Phil, 1956) or (Maxim Shostakovitch, USSR Radio Orchestra, 1972). Take  your pick; Oistrakh was a very consistent performer with little variation in his playing between performances here. It all comes down to recording, with the "famous" New York performance receiving an awful recorded balance – and an orchestra that, understandably, didn't sound too familiar with the music. Best of the Oistrakh bunch is probably the 1957 Czech recording.

Vadim Repin, (Kent Nagano, Hallé, 1994). One of the best of the bunch. Repin often plays this concerto and really digs down into it. I also have off-air recordings (with Masur, Paris in 2004) and with (Daniele Gatti, London, 2000). Always fine, and in the later recordings Repin has -- advantageously -- re-thought his speed for the first movement and for the passacaglia.

Dimitri Sitkovetsky, (Andrew Davis, BBC SO, 1989). Pretty routine.

Julian Sitkovetsky, (Alexander Gauk, USSR SO, 1956). Great performance; dim recording.

Sergei Stadler, (Martinov, Leningrad, 1983). Not competitive in this crowded field.

Viktor Tretyakov, (Temirkanov, State SO of USSR, 1981). Another OK Russian performance.

Mikhail Vaiman, (Kurt Sanderling, Leningrad Philharmonic, 1957). Yet another OK Russian performance.

Maxim Vengerov, (Rostropovich, LSO, 1994). Recorded back in the days when Vengerov was a more serious violinist. An excellent performance, and amongst the leaders.

Desert Island

I really love this concerto, so I'd need to be very careful in my choices. Both Repin and Vengerov would go with me, and I'd try to sneak Khachatryan on to my raft. But my first choice would probably be Leila Josefowicz who really seems to me to be thoroughly inspired in her playing in this concerto. (And, for the Hahn fan: yes, I have heard Hilary play this in concert. Beautiful playing, lovely sound, impeccable musicality. But I was left with the feeling that most girls growing up in Baltimore in the 1980s and 90s just didn't have the emotional background to comprehend those living in the Soviet Union in the 1940s and 50s.)

[Guido]

I know this will shock everyone, but I do NOT claim Hilary Hahn's Shostakovitch recording to be the definitive one. 



It's technically incredible but IMHO a little unsure when it comes to interpretation.  Granted this is one of her earlier recordings and I think she would benefit from recording it again at some point.

However, the pairing on this CD is the Mendelssohn VC which I do uphold as one of the finest accounts of this concerto ever.  No one will ever convince me otherwise.  This Mendelssohn recording is what made me fall for this chick, it's simply divine.  So buy this CD for the Mendelssohn (and for the Shostakovitch try Oistrakh).

You don't buy the 'perfect but icily apollonian' criticism then!?

[beclemund]

And, for the Hahn fan: yes, I have heard Hilary play this in concert. Beautiful playing, lovely sound, impeccable musicality. But I was left with the feeling that most girls growing up in Baltimore in the 1980s and 90s just didn't have the emotional background to comprehend those living in the Soviet Union in the 1940s and 50s.

As opposed to growing up in Los Angeles and Philadelphia as your preferred performer does? This is hardly a fair criticism. For many of the performers you mentioned, they almost universally share a similar musical upbringing from one prestigious institute of learning to another and come from families of means.