Recordings That You Are Considering

[Mirror Image]

Close to pulling the trigger on a Russian chamber music extravaganza:

 

I already have some outstanding Taneyev recordings of chamber music w. piano and string trios, but this is an effective way to get the SQs. The Myaskovsky SQ are terra incognita. There's a "20% of $65" deal at an eBay seller I sometimes use...

I don't know the Taneyev (I'm not a big fan of his music anyway), but Myaskovsky SQs are okay --- they're not too memorable and rather inconsistent, but YMMV of course. I know you're not much a 'symphony guy' but the symphony was more of his forte.

[JBS]

Close to pulling the trigger on a Russian chamber music extravaganza:

 

I already have some outstanding Taneyev recordings of chamber music w. piano and string trios, but this would be an effective way to get the SQs. The Myaskovsky SQ are terra incognita. There's a "20% off $65" deal at an eBay seller I sometimes use...

I'm not completely sold on the music in either set, but there's at least some worthwhile stuff in them, and the sets are an efficient way of getting them.

[T. D.]

Thanks. I very much enjoy the Taneyev recordings I have (complex with lots of counterpoint, qualities I like), so despite some qualms about the performers and possible inconsistency that set ought to be OK.
The Myaskovsky qts. are a shot in the dark, but Russian + string quartet usually adds up to worth hearing for me.
Will put it out of mind for a few days and decide later.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks. I very much enjoy the Taneyev recordings I have (complex with lots of counterpoint, qualities I enjoy), so despite some qualms about the performers and possible inconsistency that set ought to be OK.
The Myaskovsky qts. are a shot in the dark, but Russian + string quartet usually adds up to worth hearing for me.
Will put it out of mind for a few days and decide later.

I love Russian SQs just not the Myaskovsky cycle but, yes, they're worth hearing at least.

[Brahmsian]

Close to pulling the trigger on a Russian chamber music extravaganza:

 

I already have some outstanding Taneyev recordings of chamber music w. piano and string trios, but this would be an effective way to get the SQs. The Myaskovsky SQ are terra incognita. There's a "20% off $65" deal at an eBay seller I sometimes use...

Pull the trigger at once, especially for the Taneyev. It is a marvelous set. 

[amw]

Thanks. I very much enjoy the Taneyev recordings I have (complex with lots of counterpoint, qualities I like), so despite some qualms about the performers and possible inconsistency that set ought to be OK.
The Myaskovsky qts. are a shot in the dark, but Russian + string quartet usually adds up to worth hearing for me.
Will put it out of mind for a few days and decide later.

I love the music in both sets so take with a grain of salt. If you already know and like Taneyev you know what to expect (and there are only two complete sets of the quartets, both of which are worth having, but I do prefer these performances slightly). Myaskovsky's style combines the melodic style and quasi-classical forms of the Kuchka (Borodin/Rimsky-Korsakov/Mussorgsky/etc) with the harmonic language of middle-period Scriabin and the rhetoric and narrative style of early-to-middle Sibelius. It can come across as an eclectic combination and the closest stylistic comparison is not Russian composers at all, but rather contemporary English students of French teachers: Arnold Bax, John Ireland, Rebecca Clarke, for example, as well as other "cosmopolitan" composers like Ernest Bloch—but with enough of an overlay of Russian/Soviet melodic rhetoric that he could stay out of trouble until the Zhdanovshchina and its crusade against "bourgeois culture".

Of the string quartets, this movement is a good test piece to see whether you'd like his style, and also gives a preview of the strengths and weaknesses of the Taneyev Quartet. (For example, you might notice that first violin Vladimir Ovcharek is often slightly to drastically out of tune, and that the musicians' individual technique was not extremely secure at this point. On the other hand you'll also notice the very tight ensemble, anchored much more around cello Josef Levinson, and the highly refined dynamic and tonal gradations.)

Both cycles still await advocacy by a crack modern ensemble of the calibre of the St. Petersburg Quartet or Gringolts Quartet but I doubt it'll be forthcoming, though I could see MDG or CPO investing in cycles at some point with one of their in-house bands (e.g. the Utrecht Quartet for Taneyev), or Naxos recruiting a young Russian ensemble for the Myaskovskys. The music is however very difficult to play and probably not going to sell extremely well.

[T. D.]

I love the music in both sets so take with a grain of salt. If you already know and like Taneyev you know what to expect (and there are only two complete sets of the quartets, both of which are worth having, but I do prefer these performances slightly). Myaskovsky's style combines the melodic style and quasi-classical forms of the Kuchka (Borodin/Rimsky-Korsakov/Mussorgsky/etc) with the harmonic language of middle-period Scriabin and the rhetoric and narrative style of early-to-middle Sibelius. It can come across as an eclectic combination and the closest stylistic comparison is not Russian composers at all, but rather contemporary English students of French teachers: Arnold Bax, John Ireland, Rebecca Clarke, for example, as well as other "cosmopolitan" composers like Ernest Bloch—but with enough of an overlay of Russian/Soviet melodic rhetoric that he could stay out of trouble until the Zhdanovshchina and its crusade against "bourgeois culture".

Of the string quartets, this movement is a good test piece to see whether you'd like his style, and also gives a preview of the strengths and weaknesses of the Taneyev Quartet. (For example, you might notice that first violin Vladimir Ovcharek is often slightly to drastically out of tune, and that the musicians' individual technique was not extremely secure at this point. On the other hand you'll also notice the very tight ensemble, anchored much more around cello Josef Levinson, and the highly refined dynamic and tonal gradations.)

Both cycles still await advocacy by a crack modern ensemble of the calibre of the St. Petersburg Quartet or Gringolts Quartet but I doubt it'll be forthcoming, though I could see MDG or CPO investing in cycles at some point with one of their in-house bands (e.g. the Utrecht Quartet for Taneyev), or Naxos recruiting a young Russian ensemble for the Myaskovskys. The music is however very difficult to play and probably not going to sell extremely well.

Many thanks, extremely helpful.
I enjoy the Myaskovsky passage, but it's a bit of a marginal purchase (there are enough jazz reissues ahead of it on my priority list to meet the purchase threshold), so still considering. The Taneyev set is likely.
Excellent points on the intonation. Sometimes I'm forgiving of this (e.g. Vegh Quartet), other times not (e.g. "Lindsays"), but the ensemble playing in the sample is strong and alternatives not likely forthcoming (per your last [emphasis added] paragraph with which I strongly agree).

[amw]

Will add Myaskovsky's finest achievements tend to be slow movements of spiritual-elegiac character, usually marked either something like con elevazione or something like con disperazione—example 1, example 2—but usually avoids these in the string quartets except for nos. 8, 12 and 13. This may be one of the reasons the quartets are not as favoured by the Myaskovsky obsessives on here; they are significantly "lighter" in this respect with more of a focus on scherzos/interludes and finales.

[T. D.]

I've been auditioning more Myaskovsky string quartets (2-5) via the same Youtube source (w. scores). Enjoying them a great deal, fine compositions IMO. Likely to purchase. Not going to scrutinize performance flaws (by Taneyev Qt.) due to the negligible probability of alternative recordings appearing.

[Added] Ordered both sets. If nothing else, after so much watching and research I might as well get them and quit wasting time. 

[Spotted Horses]

I have some interest in the Taneyev and have collected a few volumes of the Naxos series. Considering whether it makes more sense to get the remaining Naxos issues or spring for the Northern Flowers release. I seem to remember that the first volume of the Naxos series was met with overwhelming approval, but later volumes provoked some complaints of the performance quality. I've only heard volume I, as I recall.

[Valentino]

I just bought that rather new Norma with Bartoli without much consideradion. Is this post allowed?

[T. D.]

Book 1 was previously released on 1 short CD, this recent release has 2 books on 1 disc.

[vers la flamme]

Any great recordings of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto of the past 20 years worth listening to?

[Mirror Image]

Any great recordings of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto of the past 20 years worth listening to?

Yes! There's several of them, but votes go to Ibragimova/Jurowski on Hyperion and Widmann/Chamber Orchestra of Europe on ECM.

[Brian]

Ibragimova for the more HIP influenced tone and style, and Tianwa Yang for a pre-1950-type super romantic account (coupled to the youthful concerto and sonata).

[JBS]

Mullova/Gardiner.

[betterthanfine]

Mullova/Gardiner.

I love that one, but the finale is a smidge too slow for my liking. By contrast, Hilary Hahn does a fabulous job as well, but the finale is almost too fast. For a good middle of the road interpretation, Liza Ferschtman is worth listening to. For a period approach, I'd go with Isabelle Faust.

[Valentino]

I want a K. 375 for my terrasse beers come summer, and I think I should turn to the wind soloists of the BPO. Question is: The Orfeo with K. 388 from 82 or the Warner with K. 361 from 06?

[Rinaldo]

I'm shopping for my first Vespers and this twofer caught my eye while browsing the Outher Music website.



I already own – and have been delighted by – a few Dunedin Consort recordings and the samples sound lovely so this feels like a sure bet. Any competition I should consider before clicking 'order'?

[North Star]

I'm shopping for my first Vespers and this twofer caught my eye while browsing the Outher Music website.



I already own – and have been delighted by – a few Dunedin Consort recordings and the samples sound lovely so this feels like a sure bet. Any competition I should consider before clicking 'order'?

Concerto Italiano is certainly worth considering. This box has it paired with great Pergolesi and Allegri albums (not familiar with Minkowski's Bach) for the same price as the single issue, with the original albums in a cardboard box, so you get the liner notes etc. And it has the added benefit of being led by your namesake.