Valery Gergiev

[kishnevi]

My brother recently delved into some of Gergiev's recordings of Mahler symphonies, finding them exciting at times, and then maddening.  He commented that sometimes within a few measures Gergiev goes from brilliant to ...why did he do that?

I found some scathing reviews of his Ring cycle from a few years ago in England.

See for example:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/damianthompson/100001908/gergievs-covent-garden-ring-is-a-primary-school-travesty-so-i-walked-out/

On the other baton, here is a rave for a performance of the Mahler Seventh:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/arts/music/25mahler.html

The only Gergiev recording I have is of a live performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Invisible City of Kitezh.  I find it most excellent.

I like most of Gergiev's Mahler, although there is at least one colossal dud (the Fourth).  The Seventh, however, is a superior performance--one of my top three (the other two are Abbado/BPO  and Thomas/SFO)--and his Sixth is my favorite performance so far of that symphony.  His Ninth is not one of the top performances, but it's still decidedly a good one.  His Third and his Adagio from the Tenth (he didn't record any of the completed versions) are also superior, while the First and Eighth are not quite as good but still impressed me.  The Second and Fifth are sort of bland--but it's only the Fourth I would talk you out of getting.

I have most of the Shostakovich he's released to date (not The Nose, but all the symphonies both with Philips and Maryiinsky's own label); his recording of the Fourth remains my favorite performance of that symphony, and the others, while not quite so good, are certainly worthwhile (including 7 and 8, which seem to have drawn the most negative reviews).

[Renfield]

I agree with Jeffrey, re: the Mahler. It's good, sometimes very good indeed. However, I also agree with Cato's brother (who must be Caepio - at least according to Wikipedia) about Gergiev's stylistic eccentricities, despite not finding them bothersome.

The closest comparison to his Mahler I can think of is Kondrashin.


Since opera was mentioned, I recently attended a very impressive performance of Die Frau ohne Schatten under his baton. In fact, I'd now very much look forward to hearing his thoughts on purely orchestral Strauss, as well - particularly Zarathustra.

[kishnevi]

On sites whose fiability has not been ascertained it is said Gergiev's uncle was a tank maker whose close friend was Joseph Stalin. Violence runs through the family.

Doubtful.  For one thing, Stalin had no close friends....

[Herman]

I'm very ambivalent about Gergiev. I have been at too many shoddy performances and a couple of no-shows, too.

That being said his Russian operas for Philips are landmark recordings. I like his Prokofiev piano concertos with Toradze very much, and his Nutcracker.

I thought his Tchaikovsky 5 and 6 were so disappointing I gave them away. His Sleeping Beauty recording is good in the climactic pas-de-deux numbers, for the rest (and there is a lot of that) it is indifferently done.

In most cases I would say he's not so good. If you compare him to conductors from the recent past like Giulini and Kubelik, and to Abbado, who feel an obligation to give everything they do their best effort I cannot help but think that Gergiev doesn't even come close, and I have stopped going to Gergiev concerts and stopped buying Gergiev records, because I find the whole VG hoopla disturbing.

[Mirror Image]

I'm not a big Gergiev fan, but he's done some good recordings. He's just so damn inconsistent with his performances. One minute he'll turn in a great performance, then he'll turn right around and fall flat on his face. It's so disappointing how people think he's one of the best things to happen in classical music. I do like his Mussorgsky Pictures At An Exhibition recording with the VPO. I also enjoyed the new Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet on LSO Live. But he's not a conductor I think about or return to very often.

[Kontrapunctus]

I used to be a huge fan, but his more recent recordings, especially his Mahler Symphonies, have greatly disappointed me. The tempos are too rushed as if he just wants to get through the works and go home! There's precious little drama, too. However, I attended a performance of the Shostakovich 11th that just about blew the roof off Berkeley's Zellerbach Auditorium, but the CD (SACD, actually) that he later released on the Mariinsky label was tepid and rather poorly recorded. I approach him with caution these days.

[Cato]

Many thanks to all for the comments!

After reading those observations of his concerts and recordings, one wonders if he is not a manic depressive.

Or perhaps an alcoholic?   

Or...

I attended a performance of the Shostakovich 11th that just about blew the roof off Berkeley's Zellerbach Auditorium, but the CD (SACD, actually) that he later released on the Mariinsky label was tepid and rather poorly recorded. I approach him with caution these days.

...just erratic, following wrong impulses about a work, and then suddenly changing everything around, and vice-versa as noted above.

[Superhorn]

   I am a big fan of Gergiev. True, he can be uneven and even erratic at times, but at his best,  he is absolutely thrilling and unforgettable.
  You don't always get the most polished orchestral playing from him, but with  the edge  of your seat excitement he can generate, who cares !
   I have the DVD of his live War and Peace with the Kirov, and I recommend it highly.  The whole cast is superb, and it's a great team effort.
    His Philips Prince Igor is  without a doubt  the best on CD.  His Philips recording of the original version of Verdi's La Forza Del Destino shows that he can handle Verdi very well,too. 

[Herman]

  You don't always get the most polished orchestral playing from him, but with  the edge  of your seat excitement he can generate, who cares !

Well, I do. And it's not about the polish, but about not showing up.

In Rotterdam traditionally a programme is performed three times, thursday, friday and sunday. VG systematically was so ill prepared that going to the Thursday show was like sitting in on a public runthrough. By the time of the Sunday matinee one could count on a well prepared performance. But there was one snag. Often VG was in a big hurry to make it to the airport for his next gig.

[listener]

But there was one snag. Often VG was in a big hurry to make it to the airport for his next gig.

That probably explains the unusal for here start time of 7pm. 
With the Maryiinsky Theatre Orch.,: ptogram is Strauss Metamorphosen, Shostakovich piano cto 1 with Toradze, Tchaikowsky String Serenade.

[ririiii]

Well, I do. And it's not about the polish, but about not showing up.

In Rotterdam traditionally a programme is performed three times, thursday, friday and sunday. VG systematically was so ill prepared that going to the Thursday show was like sitting in on a public runthrough. By the time of the Sunday matinee one could count on a well prepared performance. But there was one snag. Often VG was in a big hurry to make it to the airport for his next gig.

When on tour with the Rotterdam Orchestra in Athens, another conductor was preparing the orchestra and Gergiev arrived by plane 1 hour before the concert. Nothing special occured in the concert.

Sometimes he is good and more often not. He could have been more constantly excellent. His Mahler cycle is generally hugely dissapointing, sadly.

[jowcol]

I have to concur- His Scheherazade and Prokofiev cycle did not wow me-- I'm happy to have his Boris Gudenov. 

I had to buy the Rite of Spring when a reviewer said parts sounding like a cannonball crashing through drywall-- parts of it are great, and I don't regret getting it all all.  He seems to want to put a mark on most everything, so he'll take chances and shake things up.

His Pictures is solid, and I also like the Firebird disc.   His take on the end of Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy I really like, and also like his Prometheus.


One thing you can generally count on is that his versions will not be as predictable-- which is good and bad.


Of course, your mileage may vary.

[Hattoff]

I like his choices of repertoire.......he can do anything else he likes.

He doesn't tread the well trodden paths......Well, except, just a little bit, more recently.

Add your own smiley.

[The new erato]

The great thing about Gegiev is the Russian (and Soviet) operas he's given us. Unfortunately, that seems to be a thing of the past.

[Herman]

One thing you can generally count on is that his versions will not be as predictable-- which is good and bad.

Sorry, I think VG is totally predictable.

What he wants to do in any piece of music was already described, eight or ten years back in a The New Yoker profile.

[Carnivorous Sheep]

Went and saw Gergiev/Mariinsky in Tchaikovksy's 1st and 6th last night.

It was a quite enjoyable concert overall for me. Gergiev was certainly audacious about it - everything was done with great drama and forthrightness and conviction, if that's the right word. The orchestra was uneven at parts, especially dynamically - could barely hear the cellos at points. Tchaikovksy loved his lower strings, but that doens't mean the double bass should drown out the cellos!

Nonetheless, as a live concert, it was if nothing else -exciting-. The phrases were clearly delineated and drastic shifts in mood could be heard even within movements. The two symphonies were presented simultaneously in contrast but also in unison, which is kinda cool for Tchaikovksy's 1st and 6th, something you don't often see. winter Daydreams certainly had the whimsical aspect, but it also had a lot of brooding depth that foreshadowed the sixth in the way Gergiev presented it. Great energy in the third movement of sixth, as should be. applause was quickly cutoff as Gergiev jumped without pause into the fourth movement.

Again, enjoyable overall, the live atmosphere probably helped Gergiev's approach.

Also saw a lady sitting two rows in front of me jump quite literally 2 feet into the air at a fortissimo chord that followed right after a piannisimo fade into nothing halfway through the first movement of the sixth. A man sitting a couple seats down almost choked trying to not laugh out loud 

The NY Times review - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/08/arts/music/mariinsky-orchestra-at-carnegie-hall-review.html?_r=1&ref=music

[DavidNY]

I attended all three performances by Gergiev and the Mariinsky at Carnegie Hall of Tchaikovsky's six symphonies.

I found all three performances to be fantastic.  The orchestra sounded exceptional,  And Gergiev handled the variations in tempo and dynamics in a way that perfectly showcased the many moods of each symphony.  I also attended several years ago Gergiev conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in Tchaikovsky's 5th and 6th at Carnegie.  The sound of the VPO is so distinct, lush strings and rich brass.  Everything the VPO plays sounds beautiful.  But these performances with the Mariinsky were much superior.  The tonal character of the Mariinsky and Gergiev's pacing were much more suited to Tchaikovsky's music.

A very memorable experience.  They are on tour so go see them if you can.  And hopefully their recordings come close to capturing what I just experienced.