Dmitri's Dacha

[Karl Henning]

I have those three plus Fitzwilliam, Rubio, Sorrel, Borodin I and Borodin II. I too love 'em all. Usually the one I'm currently listening to is my favorite. But if I had to choose, it would be Mandelring.

Sarge

Thou wast ever a kindred soul.

[bhodges]

Just the fact that Karl and Sarge, between them, mentioned eight complete sets of these quartets -- right off the bat -- makes me shake my head in astonishment. Says a lot about the quartets themselves -- not to mention the age we live in, which is awash in great music.

--Bruce

[Pohjolas Daughter]

No venue, PD. I notice most if not all are recorded by Yuri Kokzhayan, who?! I hear you ask. 

I have banged on about this before. The original Borodin, along with Dubinsky, also recorded the 8th SQ in Poland on the Muza Polskie Nagrania label, coupled with the Szymanowski 2nd. IMO this performance is superior to both the Melodiya and Decca 8th's.

Oh, neat!  I didn't know about that recording Irons.  Nice to know, thank you! 

I have those three plus Fitzwilliam, Rubio, Sorrel, Borodin I and Borodin II. I too love 'em all. Usually the one I'm currently listening to is my favorite. But if I had to choose, it would be Mandelring.

Sarge

Ah, I just found your other comments here!  I had asked about how you liked the Sorrel Quartet's recordings, but then later noticed that you had been listening to a bunch of other recordings of the quartets. 

Just the fact that Karl and Sarge, between them, mentioned eight complete sets of these quartets -- right off the bat -- makes me shake my head in astonishment. Says a lot about the quartets themselves -- not to mention the age we live in, which is awash in great music.

--Bruce

I know!    Cool!

PD

[staxomega]

Just the fact that Karl and Sarge, between them, mentioned eight complete sets of these quartets -- right off the bat -- makes me shake my head in astonishment. Says a lot about the quartets themselves -- not to mention the age we live in, which is awash in great music.

--Bruce

Agreed, and hopefully we get many more complete cycles. Bartok, Haydn, Beethoven, Shostakovich and Schoenberg there is always at least one complete cycle of these on my phone, for Shostakovich right now that is Pacifica.

[JBS]

Just the fact that Karl and Sarge, between them, mentioned eight complete sets of these quartets -- right off the bat -- makes me shake my head in astonishment. Says a lot about the quartets themselves -- not to mention the age we live in, which is awash in great music.

--Bruce

Also the Brodsky Quartet, Danel Quartet, and Shostakovich Quartet.

Of the cycles mentioned, including the above three, I have all but the Sorrel and Borodin I. My two favorites are Borodin II and Emerson, but they're all worth hearing.

[aukhawk]

Ah, I just found your other comments here!  I had asked about how you liked the Sorrel Quartet's recordings, but then later noticed that you had been listening to a bunch of other recordings of the quartets. 
PD

On the Sorrels - I don't usually 'do' cycles (I like to kid myself my listening is more selective) but I did break my rule for the Sorrels set, available at the time at a price I couldn't resist.  I really like them, they have a wonderful hushed intensity when called for, and big dynamics at other times.  I consider their 8th to be the best quartet recording (any music) in my collection.
However - and its a big but - the huge, sumptuous Chandos sound will not be to everybody's liking in this music.  If you expect and want the sort of raw-edged Shostakovich that you get with the Borodins, Beethoven, Pacifica and Yggdrasil Quartets among others - part of that is the edgy soundscape they bring, and these recordings by the Sorrels are probably not going to work in that way.
Like Sarge I think another very strong candidate is the Mandelring Quartet.  Even though I have to admit part of the pull here is the lovely cover art - not terribly appropriate but very pretty 

[Mirror Image]

My first choice in SQ cycles will always be the Borodins on Melodiya. My second pick would be the Borodins on Chandos. But then probably the Pacifica Quartet on Cedille.

[Herman]

I have the early Borodin (1 - 13) and the ca 1980 Borodin recording. Additionally I have the Emerson Box and the Pacifica and some singles by other quartets.

Just like Sarge said (did he?) usually the one I listen to I like best. I'm mostly into the double digit quartets, the ones he dedicated to the quartet members he worked with, and, lastly, one for himself.

Couple years ago I figured whom I liked best in which quartet, but these preferences do shift over time. If someone put a gun to my head I'd say A "not again, please" and B I guess I prefer the 1980 Borodin of the early set.

I have seen the Brodsky live in the entire cycle and I did not come away from that with the idea they'd changed my life, so to speak, the way a concert by the Borodin around 1985 did, where they played LvB 132 and DSCH 15.

[Herman]

It must have been around that time that I saw them play the same programme in London, which for me also was a life-changing moment.

Did they light the large candelabra on stage?

[Roasted Swan]

I know I shouldn't laugh at poor translations into English but this one did make me chuckle.  Regarding the Solti/Decca set of 5 discs of DSCH symphonies this was written;

"In his later years Shorty became actively involved in the performance of Shostakovich's work but this time he compiled the live recorded symphonies album. The overwhelming exquisite performance of the huge organized "Symphony No. 8" is one song that can fans the fans in conjunction with the powerful ensemble of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra."

Did anyone every call Solti "Shorty" to his face and live to tell the tale......?

[Daverz]

I know I shouldn't laugh at poor translations into English but this one did make me chuckle.  Regarding the Solti/Decca set of 5 discs of DSCH symphonies this was written;

"In his later years Shorty became actively involved in the performance of Shostakovich's work but this time he compiled the live recorded symphonies album. The overwhelming exquisite performance of the huge organized "Symphony No. 8" is one song that can fans the fans in conjunction with the powerful ensemble of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra."

Did anyone every call Solti "Shorty" to his face and live to tell the tale......?

Of course I googled for Solti's height.  The New York Times says he "was of medium height, trim and bald", but I couldn't find any quantification of his height. 

[Herman]

TBH I don't remember that detail, but quite possibly they did - I do remember the performance taking place in semi-darkness.  I was a long way back in the hall so my view would not have been that great.  Nonetheless it was a very moving and remarkable experience.

Edit: My partner thinks she remembers the musicians walking onstage with instruments in one hand and candelabra in the other.

And they extinguished the candles at the end, dramatically.

It's when I understood DSCH's late chamber music has a serious theatrical component. Consider the start of the viola sonata for instance. That's not just music. It's also gesture.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Did they light the large candelabra on stage?

TBH I don't remember that detail, but quite possibly they did - I do remember the performance taking place in semi-darkness.  I was a long way back in the hall so my view would not have been that great.  Nonetheless it was a very moving and remarkable experience.

Edit: My partner thinks she remembers the musicians walking onstage with instruments in one hand and candelabra in the other.

Love the idea of candelabra on the stage; a bit dangerous however--probably old wooden stage (building?), sheets of music (paper), and fire (flames).     Very theatrical though!

PD

[aukhawk]

In the listening thread I mentioned the recording by the Borodins of the 4th and 8th Quartets, recorded in Moscow in 1962 for Mercury:

Don't omit to turn the wick up when you get to No.8 
In fact, why not go the whole hog and wallow in this version by the Borodins, recorded in 1962 using the splendid Mercury Living Presence (35mm) technology but in Moscow.  A very special document.


Shostakovich Quartets 4 & 8, Borodin Quartet, Mercury Living Presence 35mm

I wish I hadn't mentioned it!    I had a listen to the 8th yesteday to remind myself - and it's AWFUL  The musicians just sound as though they're sight-reading a run-through.  And even the sound is not very good, by any standards let alone Mercury's very high ones. 
I then played the 8th from the Sorrels, and this is just a searing, white-hot performance.  Especially the 2nd and 4th movements which are played with huge attack and brio.  What a contrast!


Shostakovich Quartets 8, 9 & 13, Sorrel Quartet, Chandos

I suppose the music was still quite new at the time of the Mercury recording - less than 2 years from composition date - could account for the wooden performance by the Borodins on this occasion.

[Herman]

I suppose the music was still quite new at the time of the Mercury recording - less than 2 years from composition date - could account for the wooden performance by the Borodins on this occasion.

Bingo! Many people often assume that the closer a recording is to the source and the premiere, the better it is.
Often this is not the case.

[vers la flamme]

Dmitri Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No.1 in E-flat major, op.107. Torleif Thedéen, James DePreist, Malmö Symphony Orchestra

First listen. Sounds good. Excellent '90s digital sound (I'm a sucker for the BIS sound). Good playing. Happy to have this recording to complement the Rostropovich/Ormandy that I also have.

[foxandpeng]

Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartets 3 and 8
Novus Quartet
SWR

I like this new release, streaming from Spotify, as usual. Recording values are excellent and the performances seem really accomplished. I don't know whether it captures the rawness of emotion present in some of the cycles I have particularly got to know in the last 12 months, but enjoyable nevertheless. Maybe Holocaust Memorial Day leaves me wanting more angst, and less polish.

In any case, I'd like to hear the Novus Qt perform more from the less frequently recorded DSCH SQs. 3 & 8 almost seem too easy.

[calyptorhynchus]

I just realised something amusing. I have two go to recordings of the 24 Preludes and Fugues, Scherbakov on Naxos and Tatiana Nikolaeva on Hyperion. I find these two fine except that Nikolaeva takes the first p & f too fast and Scherbakov takes the last p & f too fast! 

[Karl Henning]

I just realised something amusing. I have two go to recordings of the 24 Preludes and Fugues, Scherbakov on Naxos and Tatiana Nikolaeva on Hyperion. I find these two fine except that Nikolaeva takes the first p & f too fast and Scherbakov takes the last p & f too fast! 

(* chortle *)

[Madiel]

Scherbakov seems to be one of the pianists who gets tricked by the wrong metronome marking on the first fugue, and follows his eyes instead of his ears, though he's uncomfortable enough about the metronome marking to be a bit faster than those who try to follow the wrong marking religiously.

It's Nikolayeva who is in the right ballpark, though she's a little faster than most other 'right' pianists.

I still have 4 prelude & fugue recordings to test out when I can focus on it. Maybe in the new house...