Dmitri's Dacha

[Karl Henning]

Quite a memorable concert, indeed.

Hoy, John!

[Mirror Image]

Hoy, John!

Hello, Karl! Good to see you're on GMG and doing well. I was worried about you (as were many others here and elsewhere).

[Karl Henning]

Thanks!

[Mirror Image]

Thanks!

My pleasure.

[Overtones]

I've stumbled upon this wonderful, harrowing piece:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM0dB4b8daI

"Prelude for two cellos and piano"

However, I struggle to find consolidated info on this work. It's not even on IMSLP...?

Any help?

Thanks a lot.

[kyjo]

I've stumbled upon this wonderful, harrowing piece:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM0dB4b8daI

"Prelude for two cellos and piano"

However, I struggle to find consolidated info on this work. It's not even on IMSLP...?

Any help?

Thanks a lot.

It's a beautiful little piece indeed. As far as I know, it's an arrangement of the the first movement of the "5 Pieces for 2 Violins and Piano", which is, in turn, an arrangement by Lev Atovmian of 5 various short pieces with the composer's sanction. Additionally, I believe the "Prelude" in question is derived from his film score to "The Gadfly". Confusing, I know!

[relm1]

This is clearly from Gadfly which features so much gorgeous music. 

[Karl Henning]

It's a beautiful little piece indeed. As far as I know, it's an arrangement of the the first movement of the "5 Pieces for 2 Violins and Piano", which is, in turn, an arrangement by Lev Atovmian of 5 various short pieces with the composer's sanction. Additionally, I believe the "Prelude" in question is derived from his film score to "The Gadfly". Confusing, I know!

Thanks!

[Overtones]

Thanks a lot!

[amw]

Original is for guitar iirc.

[bhodges]

(Also posted in WAYLT thread)

Listening to 22-year-old violinist Hao Zhou, who just won the top prize at the Concours musical international de Montréal.

Here he is in the final round, with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and conductor Alexander Shelley, in Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.1.

https://youtu.be/XX71-b2EVG4

Link to article in The Strad:

https://www.thestrad.com/news/hao-zhou-wins-montreal-violin-competition/9068.article

--Bruce

[aukhawk]

The Leningrad Symphony is not by any stretch my favourite piece of music, but here's a recent impassioned rendition by the SWR SO under the waving arms of Teodor Currentzis, as a video stream.  It was recorded on June 28th 2019.  The same performance can also be found on YouTube, but the link below is to the SWR site, where the sound quality is certainly very good.

https://www.swr.de/swrclassic/symphonieorchester/Teodor-Currentzis-dirigiert-Schostakowitschs-Siebte,av-o1133219-100.html

[Andy D.]

I was both foolishly dismissive and underexposed to Shosty's music as a whole for many years; having listened to and found the Kammermusik too often histrionically morose, even morbid and tiresome. I listened only to the 4th symphony with any kind of ear and found that unsatisfactory as well...

I was deep into the writing of my own symphonies when I took a chance on the "Shostakovich Great Symphonies" compilation and once again not being wild about the 4th (and outright mortified by the 7th) I hit the 8th and everything changed; now HERE is a great symphony with so much to be gained upon repeated listenings! I went crazy reading up on and listening to it over and over again.

My next loves came in the form of #s 10, 11, 13, and 15. Those convinced me Shosty was undisputedly a truly great symphonist, at times capable of great feeling and supernaturally cool orchestration and counterpoint.

I soon after went cuckoo over Violin Concerto no 2, and am looking forward to trying out symphs 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 14. I even went further nutso and bought the more recent Petrenko recordings, and am waiting on a Barshai cycle as we speak.

I wonder if I was meant to discover this great composer right at this point in time; a horrible last five years had left me uninspired and full of depression and angst. Shostakovich helped me out of that.

[Andy D.]

(in a small voice): also, hello everyone!

[bhodges]

(in a small voice): also, hello everyone!

Feel free to use a larger voice, and welcome back!

And glad you had a Shostakovich epiphany. I mean, no one has to like any composer (including the usual suspects), but his voice and struggle resonate deeply with many, especially now.

Glad his music helped you find a better place -- that's a high rec.

--Bruce

[vandermolen]

Feel free to use a larger voice, and welcome back!

And glad you had a Shostakovich epiphany. I mean, no one has to like any composer (including the usual suspects), but his voice and struggle resonate deeply with many, especially now.

Glad his music helped you find a better place -- that's a high rec.

--Bruce

+1

[Andy D.]

Feel free to use a larger voice, and welcome back!

And glad you had a Shostakovich epiphany. I mean, no one has to like any composer (including the usual suspects), but his voice and struggle resonate deeply with many, especially now.

Glad his music helped you find a better place -- that's a high rec.

--Bruce

I read that sometimes starting old hobbies back up again, discovering new ones, etc. could help a person get out of the doldrums after a massively negative life experience. Well, for me it was actually listening to Shostakovich and watching old boxing matches (not sure how or if the two intersect, don't care...in the words of the immortally bald Hunter: "it works for me!)

[Karl Henning]

I was both foolishly dismissive and underexposed to Shosty's music as a whole for many years; having listened to and found the Kammermusik too often histrionically morose, even morbid and tiresome. I listened only to the 4th symphony with any kind of ear and found that unsatisfactory as well...

I was deep into the writing of my own symphonies when I took a chance on the "Shostakovich Great Symphonies" compilation and once again not being wild about the 4th (and outright mortified by the 7th) I hit the 8th and everything changed; now HERE is a great symphony with so much to be gained upon repeated listenings! I went crazy reading up on and listening to it over and over again.

My next loves came in the form of #s 10, 11, 13, and 15. Those convinced me Shosty was undisputedly a truly great symphonist, at times capable of great feeling and supernaturally cool orchestration and counterpoint.

I soon after went cuckoo over Violin Concerto no 2, and am looking forward to trying out symphs 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 14. I even went further nutso and bought the more recent Petrenko recordings, and am waiting on a Barshai cycle as we speak.

I wonder if I was meant to discover this great composer right at this point in time; a horrible last five years had left me uninspired and full of depression and angst. Shostakovich helped me out of that.

Completely delighted to read this!

[SymphonicAddict]

I was both foolishly dismissive and underexposed to Shosty's music as a whole for many years; having listened to and found the Kammermusik too often histrionically morose, even morbid and tiresome. I listened only to the 4th symphony with any kind of ear and found that unsatisfactory as well...

I was deep into the writing of my own symphonies when I took a chance on the "Shostakovich Great Symphonies" compilation and once again not being wild about the 4th (and outright mortified by the 7th) I hit the 8th and everything changed; now HERE is a great symphony with so much to be gained upon repeated listenings! I went crazy reading up on and listening to it over and over again.

My next loves came in the form of #s 10, 11, 13, and 15. Those convinced me Shosty was undisputedly a truly great symphonist, at times capable of great feeling and supernaturally cool orchestration and counterpoint.

I soon after went cuckoo over Violin Concerto no 2, and am looking forward to trying out symphs 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 14. I even went further nutso and bought the more recent Petrenko recordings, and am waiting on a Barshai cycle as we speak.

I wonder if I was meant to discover this great composer right at this point in time; a horrible last five years had left me uninspired and full of depression and angst. Shostakovich helped me out of that.

The 8th is a firm favorite of mine, too! In spite of its overwhelming bleakness and pessimism, it's consistently satisfying throughout, continuing the desolation found in the 4th Symphony (which I also adore), curiously in the same key, and it has one of the most brilliant Scherzos (3rd movement) I know in symphonies. The 12th has drawn my attention lately after I attended a concert of it. It's a blast! It shouldn't deserve the reputation it has. I find it thrilling and pensive in the quiet parts.

[Andy D.]

The 8th is a firm favorite of mine, too! In spite of its overwhelming bleakness and pessimism, it's consistently satisfying throughout, continuing the desolation found in the 4th Symphony (which I also adore), curiously in the same key, and it has one of the most brilliant Scherzos (3rd movement) I know in symphonies. The 12th has drawn my attention lately after I attended a concert of it. It's a blast! It shouldn't deserve the reputation it has. I find it thrilling and pensive in the quiet parts.

Super post! The eighth was my gateway drug, and since I've been thrilled by 10, 11, 13, and 15. Really looking forward to the 12th now.