Dmitri's Dacha

Started by karlhenning, April 09, 2007, 08:13:49 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

relm1

Quote from: Karl Henning on March 18, 2023, 11:34:26 AMHolding this book in my hands, which is still rather a deliberate activity, while I recover the use of my left fingers, my muscle memory is reminding me of pleasures of the past. I was searching the index for Novorossiisk Chimes, which I knew would be there even though I remembered nought of it from when I read through the book years before. That task done, I found myself browsing the index with no definite aim. I am not saying by any means that it is impossible with e-books, only that I have never done so with e-books. Thus my eye came across an iconically politically incorrect entry, which rather piqued my curiosity. So here let me share another passage from the Fay.

The year 1926 began auspiciously. On New Year's Eve Shostakovich dreamed that he was walking in the desert when suddenly an old man appeared before him and predicted that he have a lucky year.  Shostakovich resolved to finish his Second Symphony quickly; he claimed he could already hear the whole work in his head. he also kept himself busy correcting the parts for his First Symphony and gratifying a passion for chess. He was delighted when Yavorsky [an influential figure in the musical life of Kiev and Moscow] helped expedite a professional trip to Moscow in early February, all expenses paid, to promote his music and that of other Leningrad student composers at the Moscow Conservatory, and he was pleased with his reception there. He reported that Myaskovsky and other luminaries at the Association of Contemporary Music (ASM) had promised had promised to include his symphony in their programs, that Yavorsky and  Myaskovsky were determined to put pressure on Leningrad musicians to find him more suitable employment, and that Tukhachevsky [a film director and pioneer of Soviet animated film who would later collaborate with Shostakovich on a number of projects] had found him a room and a job in Moscow, if he wanted it. when he showed the symphony, the Two Pieces for octet, and the Three Fantastic Dances to the music panel of the State Music Publisher on 9 February 1926 He was thrilled that everything was accepted for publication. he was finally beginning to make his mark in the world.

Shostakovich could no longer stomach the grind at the Picadilly [the cinema where he played as accompanist], and on his return to Leningrad he submitted his resignation. Relishing his freedom, he resumed attendance at concerts and other entertainments. He was impressed by Fritz Stiedry's performance of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. He judged Prokofiev's Love for Three Oranges, which received its Russian premiere in Leningrad in February 1926, exceptionally good.  The Jazz Band of Sam Wooding and the Chocolate Kiddies—who performed what was billed as a "negro operetta" at the Leningrad Music Hall during a three-month Russian tour—was, to Shostakovich, a musical revelation of America. The vitality and enthusiasm of the performers also made an indelible impression, and he was awe-struck by the twelve ferocious Bengal tigers that formed a pyramid rolled balls and leaped through Flaming hoops at the circus.

Laurel Fay,  Shostakovich: A Life, pp. 30-31.

Prokofievophiles will recall the peculiar turn of Fate, that the première of The Love for Three Oranges took place in Chicago.

I really loved this book.  Reading it made me feel like Shostakovich was someone I knew. 

Karl Henning

At the end of December 1928 the film directors Kozintsev and Trauberg invited him to write the music for the silent film New Babylon. The film the film called for the accompaniment of a large orchestra, but the complexities of the score proved too much for the cinema orchestras and the film had only a few showings with the music until it was revived in the 1980s. Shostakovich was able to reuse some of the score for the music to Mayakovsky's play The Bedbug, which he wrote more or less simultaneously ...
At the end of the year [1928] Meyerhold was looking for a composer to write music for his production of Mayakovsky's new play The Bedbug. After receiving a refusal from Prokofiev, the director turned to Shostakovich, who wrote most of the music for the play in January 1929, while simultaneously working on the music for New Babylon and on a commission from MALEGOT [Leningrad 'Maly' State Opera theatre] to compose an Overture and Finale to Erwin Dressel's opera Armer Columbus (Poor Columbus).

Elizabeth Wilson, Shostakovich, A Life Remembered (second edition) pp.84, 88-89
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

vandermolen

Quote from: Roasted Swan on March 18, 2023, 01:54:40 AMI had that CFP LP - I am still amazed how clearly I remember the cover after all these years (and can't remember what I had for tea yesterday - but that's another story). The version of 12 that hit me first/most was this one;



(someone will know if this is an authentic Russian Revolution era canon!).  Returning to this performance now I can understand why it made an impact.  Obviously not nearly as well recorded as the new Chandos bt I still prefer the performance - greater edge and urgency.  On CD it got released with a fine Stenka Razin;



which also wears its years well.  The symphony performance was the main choice (albeit a limited one!) in



which was my early-years bible for DSCH symphonies as it listed preferred recodings but also gave pretty basic (but helpful) analyses of the works......
The Philips CD was for many years the only one that I owned of the 12th Symphony. I think it's a fine performance.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Brahmsian

Now listening to the Volume II discs from this set for the first time.  Marvelous performances.  I've never heard such clarity as in the pizzicato passages in the 3rd Shostakovich quartet, as an example.

And a tremendous peformance of one of my favourite quartets of ANY composer, Prokofiev's 2nd.


DavidW

I'm glad that you're loving the set Ray, it is my favorite.  BTW I also recommend Pacifica's set of the Mendelssohn quartets.

Karl Henning

Quote from: DavidW on March 20, 2023, 11:56:10 AMI'm glad that you're loving the set Ray, it is my favorite.  BTW I also recommend Pacifica's set of the Mendelssohn quartets.
+ 1
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Brahmsian

Now listening to these performances for the first time.  Gripping performances!

Symphony No. 2 in B, Op. 14 'To October'
Chor und Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Symphony No. 12 in D minor, Op. 112 'The Year 1917'
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Mariss Jansons


Brahmsian

Now listening to this performance of Symphony No. 13 for the first time.  I have to be in the right mood for this one, which seems to be early this morning.  ;D   A good performance, although I prefer the Barshai in this one.




Roasted Swan

Quote from: OrchestralNut on March 22, 2023, 04:35:01 AMNow listening to this performance of Symphony No. 13 for the first time.  I have to be in the right mood for this one, which seems to be early this morning.  ;D   A good performance, although I prefer the Barshai in this one.





I agree with you on both counts.  I've always thought the Babi Yar was the highlight of the Barshai box

relm1

#3029
Quote from: OrchestralNut on March 22, 2023, 04:35:01 AMNow listening to this performance of Symphony No. 13 for the first time.  I have to be in the right mood for this one, which seems to be early this morning.  ;D  A good performance, although I prefer the Barshai in this one.





Have you heard Kamu's 13 with CBSO?  I adore that one but it's very hard to find.  Fabulous soloist too.  This is it:
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%208540

Brahmsian

Impressive performances of both the 3rd and 14th.  Musically speaking, there is very much to enjoy in the 3rd symphony (example being the beautiful 4th movement Andante).




Roasted Swan

A recent Charity Shop acquisistion was this pair of discs;

[img=350x350]https://i.discogs.com/LzTjY9BoiD5b9SsIAKZTTQ_U6gGAIAE3VOBGmZXEtQo/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE4MDkx/OTQ4LTE2MTcyMDI0/MzgtMzQzMy5qcGVn.jpeg[/img]

the British premiere from 1960 in the presence of an audience on day-release from the severe-bronchitus-sufferers-ward at London's Royal Festival Hall.  Some folk love the blistering intensity of the performance, others (it seems) feel that issues of intonation and ensemble reduce the "value".  To my mind there is one thing that is clear.  Surely this IS the orchestral sound and style that DSCH had in his inner ear when writing this type of awesome music. 

So when we return to works such as Symphony 12 (note written just a year after this performance and premiered by the SAME performers) is it not reasonable to think that when DSCH wrote certain passages he was expecting this type of Leningrad PO playing.  Hence, my return to the recent No.12 on Chandos and my sense that it is beautifully played with great refinement seems to me totally wrong - a Rolls Royce instead of a Ferrari.  Perhaps with greater music it can thrive in very different interpretative environments - but to my mind No.12 needs this kind of Leningrad PO grip-you-by-the-throat-and-never-let-go fury.

BTW - I thought this No.8 premiere was utterly compelling..... oh but that audience... aagh!!

Brahmsian

#3032
First listen to these performances, and they are wonderful!  Although the 11th isn't my favourite of his symphonies (probably middle of the pack or even a bit lower), I could not think of a symphony of his I would want to hear performed live more than this one!  I think it would be an absolutely thrill to hear a live performance.  :)

Again, I think this is a terrific performance, although my favourite is still Kirill Karabits with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (live), as a freebie BBC Music Magazine CD.  The bell at the end is very prominent!!

Symphony No. 11 in G minor, Op. 103 'The Year 1905'

Jazz Suite No. 1
Waltz from Jazz Suite No. 2
Tahiti Trot

Mariss Jansons
Philadelphia Orchestra




relm1

Quote from: OrchestralNut on March 27, 2023, 05:30:18 AMKirill Karabits with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Would love to hear it but doesn't look like it's available other than that free magazine disc.   >:(

Brahmsian

Quote from: relm1 on March 27, 2023, 05:39:08 AMWould love to hear it but doesn't look like it's available other than that free magazine disc.   >:(

Correct, I'm not aware of it being available outside of that.  :'(

Roasted Swan

QuoteWould love to hear it but doesn't look like it's available other than that free magazine disc.  >:(

If you can make do with a 320 kps MP3 version - here it is:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HRvf_kFNksrPQ9MRtHsaQbu1au-U4mpY?usp=sharing

Roy Bland

Here tells of a "Russian Disc" label but IMHO isn't older label

vandermolen

From WAYLTN thread:
New arrival/New release: Shostakovich Symphony No.10
I greatly enjoyed listening to Paavo Jarvi's Cincinnati performance the other day but this is in another league:

PS I like this extract from Harlow Robinson's excellent booklet note:
'In the finale's closing measures the timpani pound out D-S-C-H triumphantly with orchestra roaring, as if to announce [after the end of the Stalinist Terror] : 'I'm still here! I'm still here'.'

The inclusion of Casella's orchestration of Balakirev's 'Islamey' conducted by Kondrashin with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is an added bonus.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

Quote from: relm1 on March 27, 2023, 05:39:08 AMWould love to hear it but doesn't look like it's available other than that free magazine disc.   >:(
You can pick it up very cheaply on Amazon UK but you'd have to add on the postage. Haven't checked on Amazon.Com
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shostakovich-Symphony-No-Bournemouth-Orchestra/dp/B0035B49EE/ref=sr_1_2?crid=LJ18H7UVY8AM&keywords=shostakovich+karabits&qid=1680258982&s=music&sprefix=shostakovich+karabits%2Cpopular%2C69&sr=1-2
Those BBC Music Magazine CDs are often sold separately online. The Karabits performance of No.11 is excellent - very exciting.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: vandermolen on March 31, 2023, 02:40:03 AMYou can pick it up very cheaply on Amazon UK but you'd have to add on the postage. Haven't checked on Amazon.Com
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shostakovich-Symphony-No-Bournemouth-Orchestra/dp/B0035B49EE/ref=sr_1_2?crid=LJ18H7UVY8AM&keywords=shostakovich+karabits&qid=1680258982&s=music&sprefix=shostakovich+karabits%2Cpopular%2C69&sr=1-2
Those BBC Music Magazine CDs are often sold separately online. The Karabits performance of No.11 is excellent - very exciting.

Quote from: relm1 on March 27, 2023, 05:39:08 AMWould love to hear it but doesn't look like it's available other than that free magazine disc.  >:(

I found a copy of it (for cheap) here in the US.  Keep an eye out at record stores and book/music stores (used in particular).  If you're not desperate to get ahold of a copy quickly, one should pop up.  :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter