January is also Shostakovich Symphony Month

[TheGSMoeller]

Shostakovich Symphony Month.

Symphony No.1 in F minor, Op.10
Jansons/Berlin Phil.




Dmitri Shostakovich was 19 years old when he completed his Op.10. There's a lot to admire in this early effort, the solo instrument-heavy first movement, the prominent use of the piano throughout, a second movement Allegro that foreshadows some of the memorable brisk excitement found in No.10 and No.11, the brass-heavy fortissimos, and of course an edge-of-your-seat coda. I don't have many No.1 recordings to compare, but the Jansons has good sound with some spot-on playing.

[Karl Henning]

The Jansons is good. At some point I sat down to do a comparison of the Firsts I then had to hand . . . ah here it is.

[TheGSMoeller]

The Jansons is good. At some point I sat down to do a comparison of the Firsts I then had to hand . . . ah here it is.

Thanks for sharing, Karl. You nailed it about Lobos-Cobos and the sonics, as with most Telarc recordings. As far as I know, Telarc has stopped producing new records, which is a shame.

[Brian]

Thanks for sharing, Karl. You nailed it about Lobos-Cobos and the sonics, as with most Telarc recordings. As far as I know, Telarc has stopped producing new records, which is a shame.

Actually it looks like they have a new recording out this month.

[TheGSMoeller]

Actually it looks like they have a new recording out this month.

Hmm, interesting. My brother was with the Cincinnati SO a few years ago when this began, which is how I knew about it...

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009/02/telarc_international_will_cut.html

...that was the last I heard. I love many of Telarc's discs, would love to see them back.

[Brian]

Hmm, interesting. My brother was with the Cincinnati SO a few years ago when this began, which is how I knew about it...

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009/02/telarc_international_will_cut.html

...that was the last I heard. I love many of Telarc's discs, would love to see them back.

Many labels do not 'produce' their own recordings anymore. Deutsche Grammophon is notable among them - some of the recent Daniel Barenboim CDs were produced and copyrighted by Barenboim and actually licensed to DG. Looking at ArkivMusic's recent Telarc releases CD, they're only doing about five recordings a year, and I guess the producers for those might be freelancers.

[Mirror Image]

Telarc was a good label for a long time, but they seem to have dwindled down the pipeline in recent years. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra definitely needs to stop using Telarc I think, but don't get me started on Spano's lack of success on getting the ASO recognized again. I think this conductor has sucked all the life out of this once prominent orchestra. All my opinion of course.

[Karl Henning]

For to-day, I am thinking the Third.

[TheGSMoeller]

For to-day, I am thinking the Third.

I'll join you, well, eventually. The only recording of the 3rd I own is Rost on Teldec coupled with the 2nd. So I'll go in order. Two symphonies I'm not very familiar with so it will be fun to revisit.

[aukhawk]

The Jansons is good. At some point I sat down to do a comparison of the Firsts I then had to hand . . . ah here it is.

I have four Firsts here too.  Alphabetically -
Bernstein /Chicago
Caetani /Milan
Gergiev /Marinsky
Ormandy /Philadelphia
(scratches head - I must have Haitink somewhere - one of those LPs mouldering in the cellar I expect ...)

I've lived with the Ormandy version for over 50 years and nothing else comes close, for me.  Very good recording too, for its time, and of course coupled with Rostropovich in the Cello Concerto 1 - a classic LP release, back in the day.
Caetani though really rips it up and is the version I've been turning to recently.  The others don't get a look-in.

[Sergeant Rock]

I've lived with the Ormandy version for over 50 years and nothing else comes close, for me....

That was my first First. Still have the LP but haven't heard it in 25 years. I'll have to dig it out. In the meantime, I'll listen to Järvi.

My Firsts:

ORMANDY/PHILADELPHIA
WELLER/SUISSE ROMANDE
JÄRVI/SNO   
HAITINK/LPO
JANSONS/BERLIN PHIL
ROSTROPOVICH/NATIONAL SO
SANDERLING/BERLIN SO
BARSHAI/WDR SO
BERNSTEIN/CHICAGO
KITAJENKO/GÜRZENICH O KÖLN
CELIBIDACHE/MUNICH PHIL


Sarge

[Karl Henning]

I have four Firsts here too.  Alphabetically -
Bernstein /Chicago
Caetani /Milan
Gergiev /Marinsky
Ormandy /Philadelphia
(scratches head - I must have Haitink somewhere - one of those LPs mouldering in the cellar I expect ...)

I've lived with the Ormandy version for over 50 years and nothing else comes close, for me.  Very good recording too, for its time, and of course coupled with Rostropovich in the Cello Concerto 1 - a classic LP release, back in the day.
Caetani though really rips it up and is the version I've been turning to recently.  The others don't get a look-in.

Most interesting, thanks!

[Fafner]

I'm in!
I will give it a go in this random order and these arbitrarily selected versions:

I may change my mind along the way if anyone gives a compelling argument. 



4 Kitayenko / GO Köln

9 Bernstein / NYP

12 Petrenko / RLPO

6 Mravinsky / LP

7 Bernstein / NYP

11Lazarev / RSNO

13 Kondrashin / Moscow PSO

1 Berglund / Bournemouth SO

14 Haitink

3 Petrenko / RLPO

2 Haitink

10 Karajan / BP

15 Gergiev ??

8 Mravinsky (BBC)

5 Rozhdesvensky

[Mirror Image]

Symphony No. 1 - Bernstein, CSO, DG
Symphony No. 2 - Haitink, LPO, Decca
Symphony No. 3 - Haitink, LPO, Decca
Symphony No. 4 - Previn, CSO, EMI
Symphony No. 5 - Bernstein, NY Phil., Sony (1979 Live in Japan)
Symphony No. 6 - Litton, Dallas SO, Delos
Symphony No. 7 - Masur, NY Phil., Teldec
Symphony No. 8 - Haitink, RCO, Decca
Symphony No. 9 - Levi, ASO, Telarc
Symphony No. 10 - Jarvi, RSNO, Chandos
Symphony No. 11 - Caetani, Orchestra Sinfonia di Milano Giueseppe Verdi, Arts Music
Symphony No. 12 - Rostropovich, National SO, Warner Classics
Symphony No. 13 - Masur, NY Phil., Teldec
Symphony No. 14 - Rattle, BPO, EMI
Symphony No. 15 - Kondrashin, Dresden Staatskapelle, Profil Hanssler

Okay, 11 more to go. Pretty good for somebody who said that he wasn't going to have time to participate, eh?

[Karl Henning]

Must say that, actually, Petrenko's recording of the Fifth strikes me overall as excellent.

There are a number of places where Petrenko takes a markedly deliberate tack.  The first this becomes apparent, is the start of the development of the first movement — and in this case, the result is not entirely successful . . . there is some hesitancy/uncertainty in the band, I think, and it comes off sounding almost like a false step.  This does not last long, as there are stepped accelerandi through the ensuing passage, and the band regains its footing.

Now, it seems to me that an 'unforgiving' listener may be apt to judge the later instances of tempi which feel slower than one may be accustomed to, as 'equally unsuccessful'; but actually, I think they all carry well.

As to the mixed (or negative) reviews, this is my take:

1) For some, there are 'classic' recordings which 'define' the symphony, for them.  To these, Petrenko's 'deviations' from their 'standard text' of the piece, will be unpardonable misdemeanors.

2) That aside, there are near-flawless 'classic' recordings of the piece, and the fact that there is this one mis-step is an easy 'disqualification'.

To my ears, though, apart from a few seconds of wishing that the transition had been better secured before the performance, this is a genuinely fine account of the piece.  The Largo particularly, and the tension in the coda of the last movement, I think are successes that miore than justify the risk-taking.

[Mirror Image]

Interesting take on Petrenko's 5th, Karl. I'm inclined to disagree with your sentiments though. I personally found the performance lacking much drive and emotional commitment from, not only Petrenko, but the RLPO as well. The centerpiece of the work, the Largo, didn't have an intensity whatsoever. It sounds watered down really, especially that huge crescendo towards the beginning of the work where the tension is continuously being built. This is where Bernstein's 1979 performance still reigns supreme with me, though there have been many good 5ths on record.

[Karl Henning]

Well, I listened to the Largo with particular attention this morning, John, and I found it both intense and focused. Chacun à son goût!

[TheGSMoeller]

Petrenko's 5th is on Spotify, I think I'll have a listen.

[Mirror Image]

Well, I listened to the Largo with particular attention this morning, John, and I found it both intense and focused. Chacun à son goût!

Maybe I need to give the Pentrenko 5th a fresh listen. If I remember correctly, though, the timpani roll in that afore mentioned crescendo towards the beginning of the movement isn't well-heard. Is this correct? Being a percussionist myself, I found this aspect all too prominent in many of performances of the 5th I've heard. I remember hearing Haitink's and Gergiev's and thinking "Okay, I guess the timpanist is at lunch!"

[kishnevi]

Just finished  a listen to the Barshai/WDR Seventh.
He seems to  bring out the lyrical elements of this symphony more than other performances.