Dmitri's Dacha

[vandermolen]

I thought the Petrenko No. 5 was very good.  But some others weren't so strong and I forgot which ones those were!  I think No. 11 wasn't so good so as a cycle in a whole I didn't think it was a go do compared to the greatest ones like Haitink or Barshai but there were a few that were quite good.

Thank you Karim. Much appreciated.

[Roasted Swan]

I'm reading this at the moment;

[asin]0857383027[/asin]

which is a very powerful book.  Not sure Moynahan writes with the insight someone steeped in music would - he 'reports' the musical side of things well - oddly the Lengingrad Philharmonic swaps between being a Philharmonic and (mainly) a Philharmonia.  Other bits of proofing are not so hot too Gauk becomes Gaul on the same page!  But the essence of the story of the siege is gripping.  Contrary to a book such as Anthony Beevor's Stalingrad which is primarily a military history this - while dealing of course with the military side of the siege of course - focuses on the appalling consequences for the people of the city at the hands of Hitler AND Stalin.  The DSCH Symphony is something of an adjunct to that but valuable too.  At the price this book can be found in the Amazon Marketplace it is well worth a read.

It led me to dig out Svetlanov's 1968 recording which I enjoyed a lot - brazen and exciting but heartfelt too.  If anyone ever says "music has no meaning - its a purely abstract art form" this piece dispels that theory.  As a last thought - when checking the Svetlanov recording I looked up his discography - according to his own website he never recorded 4 (no real surprise given when and where most of his recordings were made), 11,12 (more surprising given their 'propaganda' status/style) & 14.......

[vandermolen]

I'm reading this at the moment;

[asin]0857383027[/asin]

which is a very powerful book.  Not sure Moynahan writes with the insight someone steeped in music would - he 'reports' the musical side of things well - oddly the Lengingrad Philharmonic swaps between being a Philharmonic and (mainly) a Philharmonia.  Other bits of proofing are not so hot too Gauk becomes Gaul on the same page!  But the essence of the story of the siege is gripping.  Contrary to a book such as Anthony Beevor's Stalingrad which is primarily a military history this - while dealing of course with the military side of the siege of course - focuses on the appalling consequences for the people of the city at the hands of Hitler AND Stalin.  The DSCH Symphony is something of an adjunct to that but valuable too.  At the price this book can be found in the Amazon Marketplace it is well worth a read.

It led me to dig out Svetlanov's 1968 recording which I enjoyed a lot - brazen and exciting but heartfelt too.  If anyone ever says "music has no meaning - its a purely abstract art form" this piece dispels that theory.  As a last thought - when checking the Svetlanov recording I looked up his discography - according to his own website he never recorded 4 (no real surprise given when and where most of his recordings were made), 11,12 (more surprising given their 'propaganda' status/style) & 14.......

I enjoyed that book as well.

[Karl Henning]

I thought the Petrenko No. 5 was very good.  But some others weren't so strong and I forgot which ones those were!  I think No. 11 wasn't so good so as a cycle in a whole I didn't think it was a go do compared to the greatest ones like Haitink or Barshai but there were a few that were quite good.

I think it good, certainly better than some critics allowed, but I wouldn't call it competitive in so large a field.

[relm1]

I think it good, certainly better than some critics allowed, but I wouldn't call it competitive in so large a field.

That's fair.  It did make me stand up and take notice though.  Most don't.  I believe (going off memory so I might be wrong) that it was the first in the cycle so it did promise a lot of the cycle and wasn't a disappointment but karl sets a different bar, does it knock off the best of a crowded field?  No.

[Madiel]

Actually no.11 was the first in the Petrenko cycle.

[Madiel]

I've just been listening to the Two Fables of Krylov, op.4.

These were always intended to be orchestral, and the recording by Jarvi landed in my letterbox today.



I've also got the piano version.



They're good songs in the piano version, but the orchestral rendition really shines with music depicting a dragonfly and ant in the first song, and an ass and a nightingale in the second.

Excellent music that deserves to be better known. And how old is the composer? 15.

[SymphonicAddict]

I've just been listening to the Two Fables of Krylov, op.4.

These were always intended to be orchestral, and the recording by Jarvi landed in my letterbox today.



I've also got the piano version.



They're good songs in the piano version, but the orchestral rendition really shines with music depicting a dragonfly and ant in the first song, and an ass and a nightingale in the second.

Excellent music that deserves to be better known. And how old is the composer? 15.

Agreed. I only know the orchestral ones and they are fantastic. Short but very tasty.

[Karl Henning]

Indeed.

[Madiel]

Does anyone have recommendations for the 2 most significant chamber works that I don't yet have?

1. The piano quintet
2. The cello sonata

[Karl Henning]

Does anyone have recommendations for the 2 most significant chamber works that I don't yet have?

1. The piano quintet
2. The cello sonata

2. Mischa Maisky & Martha Argerich.

[Mirror Image]

Does anyone have recommendations for the 2 most significant chamber works that I don't yet have?

1. The piano quintet
2. The cello sonata

Yes...

1. Takács Quartet with Marc-André Hamelin (Hyperion)
2. Alban Gerhardt and Steven Osborne (Hyperion)

[Madiel]

Of course. Chamber music. The answer is often Hyperion.

Can't stream those but will sample on iTunes (along with other suggestions, thanks Karl).

[Mirror Image]

Of course. Chamber music. The answer is often Hyperion.

In many cases, yes, but not all the time.

[Karl Henning]

Yes...

1. Takács Quartet with Marc-André Hamelin (Hyperion)
2. Alban Gerhardt and Steven Osborne (Hyperion)

Those must be good.

[JBS]

Does anyone have recommendations for the 2 most significant chamber works that I don't yet have?

1. The piano quintet
2. The cello sonata

For the PQ, other versions I found to be good
Julliard Quartet with Bronfman
Borodin Quartet with Richter
Artemis Quartet with Leonskaja

Amazon shows a recording by the Beethoven Quartet with Shostakovich himself as pianist, btw. Haven't heard it.

Don't have a preference for the sonata, but it appears Rostropovich recorded it three times, with Shostakovich, Britten and Richter as pianists.

[Mirror Image]

Those must be good.

Oh yes, quite fine but Jeffrey and your choices were of equal measure to be certain. We're spoilt for choices in both of these works thankfully.

[Alek Hidell]

For the Cello Sonata, I like this one too (and the concerto is good as well):

[aukhawk]

I agree with Takács Quartet for the Quintet, and Sol Gabetta for the Sonata.  And the Vienna Trio for the Trio No.2, while we're in this territory - these are all very fine works but I think the Trio is the weightiest of the three.
An old-skule alternative for the Sonata could be Pierre Fournier, but for the Quintet and the Trio those first choices are untouchable, for me.

This YouTube link is Gautier Capuçon & Yuja Wang playing the Cello Sonata, from 2013:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYFDBCCx7eg

All three works are available to stream with Shostakovich himself playing, in the recently-released 'Shostakovich plays Shostakovich' compilation, recordings not too dated - early 60s mainly, I think.

[BasilValentine]

Does anyone have recommendations for the 2 most significant chamber works that I don't yet have?

1. The piano quintet

I like the Borodin Quartet with Richter