Dmitri's Dacha

[Karl Henning]

They're on top of it!

[Karl Henning]

Rediscovering how keen I am for the Thirteenth Symphony (which was one of the first I heard, back when I was a mere slip of an undergraduate).  This comparative listening of the first movement is eye- and ear-opening in unforeseen ways.

[Mirror Image]

Rediscovering how keen I am for the Thirteenth Symphony (which was one of the first I heard, back when I was a mere slip of an undergraduate).  This comparative listening of the first movement is eye- and ear-opening in unforeseen ways.

Which performances are you comparing, Karl?

[Karl Henning]

So far, just the first movement, John:

Keen to do this again, and taking a deep breath, all the same:

Дмитри Дмитриевич [ Dmitri Dmitriyevich (Shostakovich) ]
Symphony № 13 « Babi Yar », Op.113
Mvt i. Babi Yar. Adagio

Nicola Ghiuselev; Men of the Choral Arts Society of Washington; National Symphony Orchestra; Slava
Sergei Leiferkus; Men of the New York Choral Artists; New York Philharmonic Orchestra: Masur
Artur Eizen; Basses of the Russian State Choral Cappella; Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra; Kondrashin (a prior acquisition)
Peter Mikuláš; Male Choruses of the Prague Philharmonic Choir and of the Kühn Mixed Choruses; Prague Symphony Orchestra; Максим Дмитриевич [ Maksim Dmitriyevich (Shostakovich) ] (a prior acquisition)

[Mirror Image]

So far, just the first movement, John:

The only ones from your list I have yet to hear are Kondrashin's and M. Shostakovich's. I own both of their cycles but haven't explored them in depth (yet).

[Karl Henning]

So far, just the first movement, John

The back of yet another envelope . . . .

Slava &al. – The opening has a plaintive, sorrowful cast;  he has them play it, as if (you see this coming, but it’s true) they were collectively, one great cello.  The men’s choir comes in like a delicate eulogy.  The horns and trumpet, sweetly lyrical in the passage after the choir sing “I feel as old today / as the Jewish race itself.”  Ghiuselev comes in, singing on the monotone in character very like a Deacon intoning a Psalm in the Russian Orthodox liturgy; I like his delivery throughout the movement, a very great deal.  More than a little strange to find that the National Symphony brass are more than holding their own against the NY Phil;  but, that’s what my ears tell me.  Overall, this performance grabs me as intensely emotive, without slamming the gas pedal.  Marvelous quiet entrance for “Above Babi Yar the wild grass rustles,” emerging from the tam-tam crash. [duration: 16'17]

Masur &al. – The initial entrance of the men’s choir is a bit on the martial side, which right away strikes me as different (not at all wrong, mind you).  Leiferkus is as ever in excellent voice;  perhaps a bit operatic compared to ‘the field’ here.  (Again, not to suggest that this is anything like wrong.)  Orchestra strikes me generally as restrained;  I don’t want them to play with abandon, mind you, but I often feel they are not quite present and accounted for.  Chief complaint on this head:  the build-up and climax after “They are knocking down the door!” – “No, it’s the ice breaking.” is under-powered.  Was he saving up for the very close of the movement?  Still, I think there should have been more juice there. [duration: 15'14]

Kondrashin &al. – One obvious disadvantage from the outset:  Unfortunately the exposed muted trumpets right away sound less in control of their instruments, I won’t say merely in comparison to this field, but generally.  Eizen has a wonderful voice.  He opens rather declamatory & fiery – which is entirely good (without negating other good approaches);  it’s a poem, and (a) the poem sustains a variety of deliveries, as well as (b) the music of that passage being written in a way which is equally flexible.  On the whole, Kondrashin takes a brisk view of the movement.  (It is worth remembering that upon Mravinsky’s demurring, it was Kondrashin who conducted the symphony’s première, 18 December 1962;  this recording dates from 1967.)  In the Kondrashin cycle, this symphony (with the Leningrad) suffers the most from flare and distortion during the fortissimo sections.  The “Above Babi Yar the wild grass rustles” chorus mentioned above, which is so breathtakingly quiet in Slava’s account, here is a bit on the matter-of-fact side – which it is hard for me not to find a little disappointing, anti-poetic.  (Maybe I’ll feel otherwise to-morrow, hey.) [13'40 – yes, that’s right!]

Shostakovich fils &al. – The trumpet-&-bassi opening is, I think, a marvelous discovery here.  It has not the dourly purposeful tone of the Masur, nor the unhurried malevolence which seems not far below the surface in Kondrashin.  Nor elegiac, like Slava’s (which is still such a pleasant sonic memory).  But Maksim Dmitriyevich has found a brilliant pace, like a slow ritual dance – it’s the yurodivy, dancing without heeding whether anyone else nearby is dancing, as well.  The entrance of the men’s choir is delicate, not greatly unlike Slava; yet the size of the choir generates a certain mass so that, although the keening strings are a bit louder, the choir do not suffer any seeming of being in the background: they are the musical matter, and the strings are a highlight.  Mikuláš’s voice is lovely, timbrally a fine instrument for the role;  he seems to be a Slovak, and at times his Russian enunciation seems a bit west of center, but that is no serious quarrel. The orchestra is by turns powerful, sweetly lyrical, subtle.  Maksim Dmitriyevich’s shaping of the movement, and handling of the band, are masterly.  At the point already referred to, with the chorus singing “Above Babi Yar the wild grass rustles,” they sing with such touching weariness (I mean, dramatized weariness, not a choir who have run out of steam) that the text is illuminated yet more richly. [duration: 16'45]

Although I have more than once in the past pounded the table for Maksim Dmitriyevich’s set, I came to this task without a dog in the race, as it were – if anything, my ears were keen to take in what Slava and Masur did with the piece, on their own terms.  That said (and honestly said, too): of the four, Maksim Dmitriyevich grabs my musical collar as a clear favorite.  You’ll note that his account of the first movement is easily the longest in duration by the clock, but there is no flagging of intensity in the least.  While both Masur and Kondrashin certainly give a fine account of the piece, I’ve got to give Slava the palme d’argent here, largely for an extra degree of poetry, that musical intangible.

[Mirror Image]

Most interesting, Karl. I recall you giving M. Shostakvoich's cycle high praise. I really need to listen to that cycle.

[TheGSMoeller]

The back of yet another envelope . . . .
...
I've got to give Slava the palme d'argent here, largely for an extra degree of poetry, that musical intangible.

HA!

[Karl Henning]

Those were the four I had to hand, yesterday. Yestereven, I rooted about for the Haitink and Barshai accounts of the Opus 113. Will spin the first mvt from each this morning, probably after orbiting Uranus.

[Mirror Image]

These landed today:



So far I'm greatly impressed with Previn's Shostakovich. Listening to his 4th performance right now.

[Mirror Image]

Rostropovich looks like he's about to take a bite out of his fist.

[eyeresist]

So far I'm greatly impressed with Previn's Shostakovich. Listening to his 4th performance right now.

I have singles of Previn's 4 and 5, and recall the sound being pretty harsh. Possibly you have remasters?

[Mirror Image]

I have singles of Previn's 4 and 5, and recall the sound being pretty harsh. Possibly you have remasters?

Yes, they are remasters and they sound quite good.

[Karl Henning]

I bought the Masur 7th and 13th, so I'm really anxious to hear them. I heard both were great performances. I've come to really enjoy the 13th. I'm still wrapping my mind around the 14th.

Part of the temptation at BRO to which I yielded yesterday was another recording of the Fourteenth, with Kremerata Baltica, and a singleton from your well-liked Caetani cycle, John: the Ninth & Tenth.  At $3.99, I couldn't ask for a better risk:reward profile ; )

[Mirror Image]

Part of the temptation at BRO to which I yielded yesterday was another recording of the Fourteenth, with Kremerata Baltica, and a singleton from your well-liked Caetani cycle, John: the Ninth & Tenth.  At $3.99, I couldn't ask for a better risk:reward profile ; )

Cool, Karl. Let me know your thoughts of the Caetani once you've heard it.

[eyeresist]

Cool, Karl. Let me know your thoughts of the Caetani once you've heard it.

Yes, definitely looking forward to a second opinion on this.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, definitely looking forward to a second opinion on this.

Even though I own the box set and enjoy it, I look forward to hearing Karl's thoughts on this recording of the 9th and 10th.

[kishnevi]

Finished a first run through of the Fitzwilliam SQ box of the Quartets.  First impression is that, other than the last CD of the set (SQs 14 and 15),  I'll be reaching for my other boxes (Emerson, Mandelring) more than I will this one.  The last two quartets, however, better performed than I remember from the other two cycles, although now of course I'll need to go back to those to be sure.

And I still have (possibly) tomorrow,  the second installment of the Pacifica Quartet cycle in progress to listen to.

And after that I have the box of song cycles/Lady Macbeth to go through, although there are other things in the listening pile that have been waiting longer for my attention.  But I haven't forgotten you, Eyeresist.

[Mirror Image]

Tonight, I've been digging this performance a lot:



Previn knows his Shostakovich. I should have explored these Previn recordings sooner, but I suppose now is better than never. I really like his 4th and 5th. I thought the 10th was good but could have used more firepower in the finale. I haven't heard his Babi Yar yet. Kondrashin's Dresden performances landed today so I'm going to be digging into those as well.

[Mirror Image]

Finished a first run through of the Fitzwilliam SQ box of the Quartets.  First impression is that, other than the last CD of the set (SQs 14 and 15),  I'll be reaching for my other boxes (Emerson, Mandelring) more than I will this one.  The last two quartets, however, better performed than I remember from the other two cycles, although now of course I'll need to go back to those to be sure.

And I still have (possibly) tomorrow,  the second installment of the Pacifica Quartet cycle in progress to listen to.

And after that I have the box of song cycles/Lady Macbeth to go through, although there are other things in the listening pile that have been waiting longer for my attention.  But I haven't forgotten you, Eyeresist.

How is the Mandelring Quartet box set, Jeffrey? I own the Emerson's and the partial cycle from the original members of the Borodin Quartet on Chandos. I'm not a big fan of SQs, but the Mandelring has had me intrigued for awhile.