Gennady Rozhdevstvensky R.I.P.

[RebLem]

I remember attending a memorable Chicago Symphony concert where Rozhdestvensky did an all-Prokofiev concert--Chout & Alexander Nevsky with, of course, the magnificent CSO Chorus. One thing unusual about him--he conducted without a podium because he didn't want to be standing over the other musicians. Some orchestra members complained that they couldn't see his hand motions with him so far down, so risers were built for them.

Let me also suggest a recording that too few have given much attention. Among my 20 recordings of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps is one by Rozhdestensky. Its on a 2 CD Nimbus set with Petrouchka (1911), The Firebird Suite (1910), and the Symphony in 3 Movements, all with the London Symphony. Its not my favorite version, but I would say its the most underrated and the least known of my really good versions. I highly recommend it.

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/the-conductor-gennady-rozhdestvensky-has-died

[Hattoff]

I'm sorry to hear this news. I always liked his choice of repertoire, he was the first to record many of the rarer works of Prokofiev and Shostakovich. R.I.P

[vandermolen]

Sad news indeed but a long and productive life.
He recorded all the Vaughan Williams's symphonies for Melodiya - Amazing!
And was something of an Anglophile.
Great conductor of Shostakovich's music and much else.
RIP Maestro.

[André]

He also conducted and recorded an hyper complete set of Bruckner symphonies, first, second or third versions all included. He even did the Romantic in Mahler's truncated and reorchestrated version. His curiosity with fringe repertoire (danish and swedish music for example) was indeed quite surprising. His DSCH symphonies are among the very best ever made.

[vandermolen]

He also conducted and recorded an hyper complete set of Bruckner symphonies, first, second or third versions all included. He even did the Romantic in Mahler's truncated and reorchestrated version. His curiosity with fringe repertoire (danish and swedish music for example) was indeed quite surprising. His DSCH symphonies are among the very best ever made.

Very much agree with DSCH point.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I heard him conduct several times, in both Moscow and Chicago. His live performances always felt like special events - yes, the podium antics were fun to watch, but they also had a point, and got results. One of those conductors who put his own stamp on everything, for better or worse (usually better).

He played an important part in pushing Soviet music of the post-DSCH generation, Schnittke most notably, often in the teeth of bureaucratic opposition. He was also noteworthy for promoting composers that don't get a lot of live play in Russia (Bruckner, Nielsen, Vaughan Williams for example).

Here's a review of the last concert I attended by him:

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2016/02/from-first-to-last-rozhdestvensky-cso-deliver-memorable-shostakovich/

[The new erato]

He even did Shostakovich's The Nose. A very inventive, exploring and likeable man. RIP.

[david johnson]

His recording of Swan Lake is great fun.

[Dima]

Very sad.
This was played as bis on one of the last concert of Gennadiy Rozhdestvensky in Moscow.
It was the second part of 23 Mozart Concerto, played by Victoriya Postnikova (his wife).
Here is video of this bis: https://cloud.mail.ru/public/CvmT/eJeGDWoYe

[flyingdutchman]

His set of Glazunov symphonies on the Olympia label was my introduction to him.

[André]

A fine movie by Bruno Monsaingeon. Very interesting. Russian, with English subtitles.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p6Z7ay8dpQ

Part 2:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p0wIw-tHm8