Dmitri's Dacha

[Brahmsian]

More Shostakovich from Petrenko due out soon:

Excellent news!  I, like John, have also enjoyed the Petrenko/Shostakovich symphony cycle (immensely, and a few so-so).  I think the Petrenko/RLPO recording of the 10th is simply amazing, one of the best I've heard so far.  The 5th, I thought I first was a major dud, but it has slowly grown on me and I like it much more now.

His 8th is great, I agree with Mirror John, but nothing comes close to me as well with Haitink's/RCO recording.  I've really anxious to hear Petrenko/RLPO's take on the 4th, as the 4th symphony has grown on me big time recently.

[vandermolen]

Excellent news!  I, like John, have also enjoyed the Petrenko/Shostakovich symphony cycle (immensely, and a few so-so).  I think the Petrenko/RLPO recording of the 10th is simply amazing, one of the best I've heard so far.  The 5th, I thought I first was a major dud, but it has slowly grown on me and I like it much more now.

His 8th is great, I agree with Mirror John, but nothing comes close to me as well with Haitink's/RCO recording.  I've really anxious to hear Petrenko/RLPO's take on the 4th, as the 4th symphony has grown on me big time recently.

I have really enjoyed this Naxos series. Can't wait to recieve No 4. I thought that the Leningrad was outstanding, both in terms of the performance and the recording. I like the production values too, with the outer cardboard sleeve and the photos of Shostakovich on the booklet.

[kishnevi]

I gave this a first hearing this morning.
[asin]B00DW7OQ1C[/asin]

Zoya is DSCH as the wartime patriot, very suitable for propaganda on behalf of the Great Patriotic War.  But Stepan Razin was the main attraction.   The Suite on Finnish Themes is an 11 minute collection of folk songs, here presented with a tenor and soprano and minimal forces in which a piano is noticeably prominent.

So now I have three questions:
1)Any other recordings of the Stepan Razin you would suggest?  I've got the Kondrashin already, as part of a box set of his DSCH symphony cycle, so that will be heard sooner rather than later,  but I'd be interested in other takes if they're worth hearing.

2)the liner notes say that DSCH "edited" the original text by Yevtushenko "because the romanticised picture of the Cossack leader did not correspond to his view",  but doesn't specify what changes he made beyond changing the name of the central figure from Stepan to Stenka "as being more suitable for a heroic leader of the people" (quotes are from the liner notes).  Does anyone know what DSCH's changes were, or at least have access to the original poem to make a comparison?

3)The Suite on Finnish Themes is more convoluted.  Apparently composed in 1939 on orders from the political division of the Leningrad Military District--the liner notes assume a connection to the Winter War, which began two days before Shostakovich's deadline for the commission--and not performed until September 1, 2001 at a concert in Finland (in connection with which a recording was made).

Quite clearly, some editorial intervention is necessary for any recording of this work.  Again from the liner notes:

The Suite consists of seven movement, five with one or two soloists.  It is scored for a small but unspecified ensemble.    The manuscript mentions neither the titles nor the words of the songs, nor does it indicate which songs are intended for male voice and which for female.

Which suggests to me that perhaps DSCH either never actually finished the composition for some reason, or that the final manuscript is buried in some military archive.   
At any rate, does anyone have more information on this Suite, or know of any other recording beyond the 2001 performance?

[Mirror Image]

I can answer this, Jeffrey, there are several fine performances of Stepan Razin available. One of the most recent I heard, and enjoyed, was Michail Jurowski's with the Cologne RSO on the Capriccio label. Another very good one is Schwarz's on Naxos.

[kishnevi]

John, thanks for the suggestions.   

Rereading my post, I noticed a possible sort of confusion.   The Suite on Finnish Themes is essentially an orchestration of Finnish folk songs;   presumably whoever edited/arranged the music would recognize the melody of each song and fit the words to Shostakovich's music

[Karl Henning]

2)the liner notes say that DSCH "edited" the original text by Yevtushenko "because the romanticised picture of the Cossack leader did not correspond to his view",  but doesn't specify what changes he made beyond changing the name of the central figure from Stepan to Stenka "as being more suitable for a heroic leader of the people" (quotes are from the liner notes).  Does anyone know what DSCH's changes were, or at least have access to the original poem to make a comparison?

Let me dig a bit.

[Karl Henning]

That Capriccio disc is good all around:

[asin]B001UUN9XE[/asin]

[kishnevi]

That Capriccio disc is good all around:

[asin]B001UUN9XE[/asin]

Yes--Google gave me the pleasure of reading your review of that CD when I was trying to dig up some information.

[Mirror Image]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DMITRI!!!!

[kyjo]

     



Sorry....that was the best I could do! We love you Dmitri!!!!

[Karl Henning]

2)the liner notes say that DSCH "edited" the original text by Yevtushenko "because the romanticised picture of the Cossack leader did not correspond to his view",  but doesn't specify what changes he made beyond changing the name of the central figure from Stepan to Stenka "as being more suitable for a heroic leader of the people" (quotes are from the liner notes).  Does anyone know what DSCH's changes were, or at least have access to the original poem to make a comparison?

I don't turn up actual changes, nor the Ur-text.  This is what I find in Fay:

A month after his return, however, on 14 September 1964, he put the finishing touches on a symphonic poem for bass, mixed chorus, and orchestra, The Execution of Stepan Razin, op. 119, based on an as yet unpublished poem by Yevgeniy Yevtushenko. as he wrote Glikman the next day, originally he had thought he might make it into something like the Thirteenth Symphony but had decided against extending it.  He also underscored that his approach to Yevtushenko's poetry was different from what it had been in the Thirteenth Symphony; here Shostakovich found himself taking a polemical stance toward some of the verses, as well as simply discarding those he found weak.  He did not expect to be able to convince Yevtushenko to make changes.  He did expect that some of the text he had set might cause problems with the censors.  And in this symphonic poem ("in the Russian style"), he predicted that critics both well disposed and stern would find plenty to latch on to -- the lapses into "coarse naturalism," for instance, not to mention the "depraved conception." Yevtushenko recalls that, while composing Stepan Razin, Shostakovich called him several times to probe: "What do you think, Yevgeniy Alexandrovich, was Razin a good man? After all, he killed people, let a lot of innocent blood."

[...]

Shostakovich's apprehension about censorship problems with Stepan Razin proved unfounded. Nevertheless, in the atmosphere of uncertainty following Khrushchev's ouster from power in mid-October 1964 (Shostakovich's reported reaction to this news was the rhetorical question: "Now we will most certainly enjoy an even better life?"), critics did not rush to register their opinion of Shostakovich's disturbingly graphic, allegorical reflection on the fate of Russia's notorious seventeenth-century peasant rebel.  Some initial reviewers took objection to his deprecating treatment of the Russian people, but more subtle appreciations soon appeared, placing the work firmly in the continuum of the distinctive tradition of Russian folk drama -- with conspicuous homage to Musorgsky -- as well as in clear relation to the composer's recent historical and vocal-symphonic interests.  In November 1968, nearly four years after its premiere, The Execution of Stepan Razin was awarded a State Prize. Shostakovich had anticipated misunderstanding of this opus.  That some ambiguity of perception persisted, however, even among those closest to the composer, is evidenced by Shostakovich's disappointment on realizing, in 1966, that he had failed to communicate to Glikman the mood he had intended in a particular passage.

Shostakovich: A Life, pp. 244-245

[kishnevi]

I don't turn up actual changes, nor the Ur-text.  This is what I find in Fay:

Thanks.  (And I've read that book; apparently it's in need of a re-read, since I don't remember a word of that passage.)

[Brahmsian]

Has anyone heard the complete Golden Age ballet?

Man, I can't stop listening to it.  It's that good (at least to my ears).

I know John (MI) will chime in on this one, but also want to hear from the other Shostakovians on the board for their thoughts on this wonderful work! 

[asin]B000IY068O[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

Still waiting for mine to land, Ray 

[kyjo]

Has anyone heard the complete Golden Age ballet?

Man, I can't stop listening to it.  It's that good (at least to my ears).

I know John (MI) will chime in on this one, but also want to hear from the other Shostakovians on the board for their thoughts on this wonderful work! 

[asin]B000IY068O[/asin]

I think it's an absolutely delightful work-good fun but not devoid of substance. Those tunes are very difficult to dislodge from the memory!

[Brahmsian]

More Shostakovich from Petrenko due out soon:



http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.573188

I've generally enjoyed Petrenko's Shostakovich, so chances are I'll get this when it comes out.

Just finished my first full listen to the Petrenko/RLPO take on Shostakovich's 4th.

I'm blown away............wow!!  Love it.  I know I 'can't trust a first listen', but this seriously may be my favourite recording of the Petrenko/RLPO Shosty cycle so far.   *sigh* 

[Mirror Image]

Just finished my first full listen to the Petrenko/RLPO take on Shostakovich's 4th.

I'm blown away............wow!!  Love it.  I know I 'can't trust a first listen', but this seriously may be my favourite recording of the Petrenko/RLPO Shosty cycle so far.   *sigh* 

Damn, really Ray? You think it's better than those smoldering 8th and 10th performances? It must be very good. I'll be acquiring this recording as well at some point.

[Karl Henning]

It really is a strong 'un.

[Brahmsian]

Damn, really Ray? You think it's better than those smoldering 8th and 10th performances? It must be very good. I'll be acquiring this recording as well at some point.

The 8th, 10th, 7th and 9th in the Petrenko cycle are bloody fantastic, but I was truly blown away by this 4th!  Especially that final movement.  Hope you'll check it out, John.

[Brahmsian]

It really is a strong 'un.

+1 Karl!