Shostakovich Symphony no.14 Op.135

[snyprrr]

I refuse to put too much effort into this Symphony until I have ploughed all the available fields (whaaat?), and studying this piece can be a bit wearying. And considering the forces involved (2 vocalists, strings, and odd percussion), the recordings available have a host of problems to deal with that others musics don't.

First off there is the matter of the singers. So many times, the pairings are off, and usually it is the Soprano who is at fault, squawking her way through an immensely difficult part. I would believe that Janson's Soprano falls into this category. Even the histrionic Mrs. Rostropovich fares much much better than some of the plucky lasses who have been wrestled to the ground by this part. Besides her, Haitink's (Decca), Slovak's (Naxos), and Currentzis(?;Alpha?) samples revealed singers with something a bit more than the ordinary. The Basses have struck me all as at least fairly competent, with Lieferkuss(?) and Aleksashian(?) being two singers who have extensively travelled through the terrain (Lieferkuss having 3 or 4 recordings under his belt).

I have been finding the strings a particular problem, with many way too distant to make for clear listening. I imagine that Bernstein's recording would not have this problem, but some seem to have gone for extreme dynamic range, and then play the music as a whisper, which only causes emotions to roil once the obligatory shock volume burst threatens to blow your speakers. The Lazarev on Virgin, touted by some as a model recording, I found to have 'The Classical Problem' to the point of dismissal, fine as it may be otherwise. I refuse to have an auditorium styled recording forced on me, the home listener, where the conductor then, purposely, plays things too quiet and too loud just because one is overtaken with some non-musical consideration (the opposite of DDG's '80s DDD practice of making their recordings sound good on ANY playback?... but, another Thread). Frankly, I would be suspicious off the bat with an SACD of this Symphony.

The percussion, too, can be a problem, what with that monstrous xylophone that can certainly do damage if it isn't positioned properly. And with some, the drums themselves sound wimpy and very un-death like. Listen tor Rostropovich to hear what rattling bones really sound like! I am not sure who has the most imaginative percussion ensemble.

Interpretively, I'd say that this might be in the "the quicker the better" category of Shosty music, and most do tend to not linger. One of the most important tests is the 2nd movement, 'Malaguena', which, in Rosty's 2:28 is white hot, but in Lazarev's 3:09 just doesn't ignite. The 'Cossak's Answer'. also, needs to be around the 2 minute mark, or less, to have that incisive thrust. It would seem that there's not much a Conductor could do to mess with this music, but some do seem to pull things this way or that.

I forgot the List I had in the other Thread, but here are the main contenders we have for the 14th:


Barshai1 (Premiere)
Barshai2 (2nd Premiere) - I forget which one it is, but one of these might as well be Definitive

[b]Rostropovich[/b] - Top3
                                                                                                                                                                        Britten- pending
                                                                                                                                                                       Bernstein - unbearable soprano
                                                                                                                                                                      Ormandy- surely three have bested him?

                       Rozhdestvensky - anyone? DarkHorse?




***Haitink*** (Decca) - acceptable BUT: love Soprano; F-D..take/leave - almost great (but it does have maybe the best ensemble; but BH not Lenny)EDIT: Haitink most certainly has the most world class ensemble able to produce The Sounds, and a recording to back it up.

                                                                                                                                                     Ashkenazy (Decca-Japanese)

                                                                                                                                                            Turovsky (Chandos)
                                                                                                                                                                   Jarvi (DG)- good, but not inspired;VG+Singing
                                           Inbal (Denon)- Perfect Sound,VG++Singing

                                                                                                                                    ?? ?? ??  Jansons vs Rattle?? ?? ??


Barshai (Brilliant)- perhaps not competitive against the next four?               
Petrenko (Naxos) The Contender's Op.135; 2nd-to-last instalment; Ray's Pick
Slovak (Naxos) - actually pretty good; check it out on YT
Caetani (Arts)- very very good in all departments SACD
Kofman (MDG)- maybe the best of his Cycle? very very good in all departments SACD


                          Currentzis - for many this is the current TopCoice, because of sublime singing and a HIP approach to the music



***Swensen (Ondine) - Gramophone Pick
**Wigglesworth (BIS) - some say he hits a home run with this one (is it still distantly recorded?)

***Chung (Koch) - no word on this tantalizing, and extremely expensive OOP
Lazarev (Virgin) - this is what I'm comparing now, and - well, I'd cut it due to ensembleEDIT: I'd give it just a little more credit after a few listens, but the ensemble is still a bit weak and the conductor isn't obviously pushing his forces to higher highs. It remains a good compare.VG+Singing






So, how do you come to grips with this music? Should you only listen at night?... in winter? How do you feel about it? Many claim it as his masterpiece; my personal listening enjoyment runs to about 50/50. mm? eh?

[Brahmsian]

One of the most important tests is the 2nd movement, 'Malaguena',

Petrenko (Naxos)

My favourite movement in Op. 135, and the Petrenko/RLPO/Gal James is particularly kick ass.  Scintillating, demonic strings!! 

Damn it, you make me want to listen to this again! 

[Brahmsian]

My favourite movement in Op. 135, and the Petrenko/RLPO/Gal James is particularly kick ass.  Scintillating, demonic strings!! 

Damn it, you make me want to listen to this again! 

Snyprrr, if you only ever buy one Petrenko/RLPO Shosty recording, make it the 14th. 

[Drasko]

Barshai1 (Premiere)
Barshai2 (2nd Premiere) - I forget which one it is, but one of these might as well be Definitive

Leningrad premiere was on 29.09.1969 and the singers were Margarita Miroshnikova and Evgeni Vladimirov.



currently available on Venezia label, from Japan

Moscow premiere was week later 06.10.1969 and the singers were Vishnevskaya and Mark Reshetin.



Again on Venezia (also on Russian Disc) but currently unavailable.

Vishnevskaya/Reshetin is live recording of actual event, while Miroshnikova/Vladimirov sounds like studio recording to me (probably recorded shortly after the premiere).
Miroshkina/Vladimirov is my preference of the two (and my favorite recording of the piece overall), Vishnevskaya tends to set my teeth on edge.

Barshai has one more live recording out there, from mid 70s from Japan on TokyoFM label, with Evgeni Nesterenko and soprano whose name escapes me at the moment. Haven't heard that one.

[snyprrr]

Snyprrr, if you only ever buy one

Ha! Too late for THAT!

Still, I think the short list is pretty well hewn out, and I'm sure Petrenko is on it! This seems to be very much the Conductor's music to make it come alive.

[snyprrr]

Leningrad premiere was on 29.09.1969 and the singers were Margarita Miroshnikova and Evgeni Vladimirov.



currently available on Venezia label, from Japan

Moscow premiere was week later 06.10.1969 and the singers were Vishnevskaya and Mark Reshetin.



Again on Venezia (also on Russian Disc) but currently unavailable.

Vishnevskaya/Reshetin is live recording of actual event, while Miroshnikova/Vladimirov sounds like studio recording to me (probably recorded shortly after the premiere).
Miroshkina/Vladimirov is my preference of the two (and my favorite recording of the piece overall), Vishnevskaya tends to set my teeth on edge.

Barshai has one more live recording out there, from mid 70s from Japan on TokyoFM label, with Evgeni Nesterenko and soprano whose name escapes me at the moment. Haven't heard that one.

Impressive!

Can you tell me which of those is the one currently on High Rotation on YT? I don't think they're supplying particulars. The one thing is that as soon as the Bass comes into the 1stmvmt.- he has quite a wonderful 'halo' around the voice- very present- yet very intimate. It's hard to tell if it's 'live' or not.

But yea, this music needs a '70s sound for the creep factor. You can't polish it too much.

Have to take a cold shower!

[Daverz]

My first recording of this was Kondrashin in the Aulos box, which blew me away.  But the nature of the work is such that I very rarely play it.

[Karl Henning]

Haitink (Decca) - acceptable BUT: love Soprano; F-D..take/leave - almost great

It's certainly a conflicting experience . . . F-D's is a rich voice, of course.

[snyprrr]

It's certainly a conflicting experience . . . F-D's is a rich voice, of course.

I'm actually quite curious about Rozh here- some say his Bass is awesome and his Soprano is "almost as good as Vishy" (I know, I know!! haha) They also say the sound quality is one of Melodiya's best, and that Rozh is mos def in charge. eh??

[Drasko]

Impressive!

Can you tell me which of those is the one currently on High Rotation on YT? I don't think they're supplying particulars. The one thing is that as soon as the Bass comes into the 1stmvmt.- he has quite a wonderful 'halo' around the voice- very present- yet very intimate. It's hard to tell if it's 'live' or not.

But yea, this music needs a '70s sound for the creep factor. You can't polish it too much.

Have to take a cold shower!

Both are on youtube:

Miroshnikova/Vladimirov (LP rip, though)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zooakKFzTjs

Vishnevskaya/Reshetin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-l-INpuzf8

[Sergeant Rock]

I'm actually quite curious about Rozh here- some say his Bass is awesome and his Soprano is "almost as good as Vishy" (I know, I know!! haha) They also say the sound quality is one of Melodiya's best, and that Rozh is mos def in charge. eh??

Rozh's 14th is very good and yes, it probably has the best sound of his cycle: the voices are nicely balanced against the strings, the percussion very present. Kasrashvili's voice is more attractive than Vishy's. If you buy the twofer you'll also get one of the best Fifteenths and four great song cycles: 6 Romances to Texts by British Poets op.62a, 6 Romances to Texts by Japaenese Poets op.21, 4 Romances after Pushkin op.46, and 8 English and American Folk Songs.

Edit: Re-reading your original post I notice you fault recordings with an extreme dynamic range. No problem with Rozh. It's neither overwhelmingly loud nor so quiet the strings lack presence. I didn't have to fiddle with the volume even once while listening to it this afternoon.



Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Psst! snypsss!

You're welcome

[snyprrr]

Rozh's 14th is very good and yes, it probably has the best sound of his cycle: the voices are nicely balanced against the strings, the percussion very present. Kasrashvili's voice is more attractive than Vishy's. If you buy the twofer you'll also get one of the best Fifteenths and four great song cycles: 6 Romances to Texts by British Poets op.62a, 6 Romances to Texts by Japaenese Poets op.21, 4 Romances after Pushkin op.46, and 8 English and American Folk Songs.

Edit: Re-reading your original post I notice you fault recordings with an extreme dynamic range. No problem with Rozh. It's neither overwhelmingly loud nor so quiet the strings lack presence. I didn't have to fiddle with the volume even once while listening to it this afternoon.



Sarge

Huh- wait a minute- Kasrashvili is the same soprano on my Lazarev/Virgin! Huh!

ok

I think I was unduly harsh on the Lazarev. I did some controlled listening and it's really fine. Sure, it's not daemonically charged, but the pristine recording does actually count for something here. Well well.... hmm... Rozh will go to the head of the list

Psst! snypsss!

You're welcome

Sure? In my initial sampling, this one (had high hopes) didn't register too much- I think there was something I didn't like, but I will go back and check those samples. I mean, yea, that's a nice coupling and I would expect ECM to deliver a sublime version-

do you have it or just going on the samples?

What's the first thing that pops into your mind when I say Brigitte Fassbaender for 14?

[snyprrr]

How am I ever going to get laid now?

[Karl Henning]

Sure? In my initial sampling, this one (had high hopes) didn't register too much- I think there was something I didn't like, but I will go back and check those samples. I mean, yea, that's a nice coupling and I would expect ECM to deliver a sublime version-

do you have it or just going on the samples?

I've got it in the player even as we speak.  It's fabulously good.

[Brahmsian]

Listening to this, again!

[asin]B00I3KAWQQ[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

I wonder if Snypss is looking for the recording for the best 'sneeze'. 

In the 6th movement "Madam, Look!".  Before I read the text, I thought the woman was sneezing.  khokhochu, khokhochu (which sounds more like ach-ach-choo, ach-ach-choo!)   

[jochanaan]

Both are on youtube:

...Vishnevskaya/Reshetin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-l-INpuzf8

Just listened to some of this, from the beginning through Loreleya, and then the ending.  Ferocious!  My only reservation is to wish for the slow sections to be a little slower; Rostropovich excels in this while maintaining ferocity in the fast parts.  Yet I think I'd rather not hear too much "prettiness" from the singers in this.  Reshetin and Vishnevskaya really define this symphony's vocals for me.

[André]

The first Barshai account with the MOscow Phil on Melodya was my baptism of fire and brimstone for that work, and still the benchmark by which I judge all others. It is a searing experience.

The only one that approaches this is the Currentzis version. Warmly recommended to those for which a 45 year old recording in glassy sound might be too much of an aural hardship.

[snyprrr]

The first Barshai account with the MOscow Phil on Melodya was my baptism of fire and brimstone for that work, and still the benchmark by which I judge all others. It is a searing experience.

The only one that approaches this is the Currentzis version. Warmly recommended to those for which a 45 year old recording in glassy sound might be too much of an aural hardship.

That's the one with Reshitin?

Just listened to some of this, from the beginning through Loreleya, and then the ending.  Ferocious!  My only reservation is to wish for the slow sections to be a little slower; Rostropovich excels in this while maintaining ferocity in the fast parts.  Yet I think I'd rather not hear too much "prettiness" from the singers in this.  Reshetin and Vishnevskaya really define this symphony's vocals for me.

So far, the Rostropovich has vanquished all in terms of 'ferociousness' and such good things. The recording isn't too 'dynamic'- so you can actually hear the accompaniment. The singing is... fine. The percussion sounds like the Band of the Dead. Only an extra, super special aura is missing. (which- aye aye- I'm trying to find- maybe it would be best NOT to find the best version of this (don't tempt God, haha))

I wonder if Snypss is looking for the recording for the best 'sneeze'. 

In the 6th movement "Madam, Look!".  Before I read the text, I thought the woman was sneezing.  khokhochu, khokhochu (which sounds more like ach-ach-choo, ach-ach-choo!)   

THAT'S funny!

"Pich-a-chu" "Pich-a-chu"

wtf??

haha!!

Actually, I used 'On Watch' as a test, since it has a lot of different sounds in a short (sample) time. Interesting results.




So, may I share my current research?

Well, I DID take a chance, and... drumroll please... Jarvi went IMMEDIATELY into the Sell Pile. Yes, I was brutal, expecting miracles, and, to just be nice and get it over with, Jarvi just isn't as incisive as others, or even as himself. I was expecting much quicker timings- 'Malaguena' is typical, and far far from Rostropovich's searing account (which is actually a bit fast, but, who cares?).

The percussion is the BIG story here: Jarvi takes a page from Barshai's drum adding, and makes for a BigBassDrum sound (like in the 'Conclusion'). Personally, I like a slightly better thought out instrument- here it's just kind of big and boomy.

Lieferkus is the male, and yet he makes much less of an impression than a lot of the bargain and boutique label singers (Kofman and Caetani come to mind, Slovak), and, as I thought Brigitte Fassbaender was the female, I was quite disappointed with Ljuba Kazarovskaya- she just had a certain tone, different from the norm, that I instantly said No! to. (now I'm suspicious of his 13th)

Some sections were superior, but in no way redeem this Hurwitz touted recording. This should have been TheOne, Transcendent, but I found it quite middlin'. Even the DDG sound wasn't anything out of the ordinary special- I mean, it's great DDG sound, but,... I want moreMoreMORE!! I compared directly with Rostropovich, who handily won every movement, and Lazarev, who, though he has moments, has a string ensemble that just isn't competitive (and a ;demonstration' recording that seems somewhat low wattage).

With my library Rostropovich due, and various copies of his performance either OOP or $$$, and the fact that both Jarvi and Lazarev are in TheSellPile, I am left without a 14th.

And yes, surely I am considering Petrenko here. BUT- I do want to point out that Slovak's 14th IS of a special quality, and may be the jewel in the crown of his Cycle (along with his 4th?). AND, I must report that I was REALLY IMPRESSED with samples of Caetani and Kofman, in all departments. AND, if we stockpile Petrenko, Slovak, Kofman, and Caetani, I think it's safe to say that they all beat out the newer Barshai. Fair?

Petrenko, Slovak, Kofman ,Caetani

So, JARVI DISMISSED.                                      Rozhdestvensky (good recording)                         Inbal ()

Currentzis
Kremer



So, I just want to point out that the Slovak is very good and should be given some consideration.