Shostakovich Symphonies, Cycles & Otherwise

[Moonfish]

Hmm, why are there two major threads for Shostakovich?

[Moonfish]

Does anyone have an image of the Rozhdestvensky DSCH 10 on Melodiya-EURODISC?

Not sure if you still need it..? (or if it is the correct one?) I presume that you are looking for the "head" series on Melodiya?

[jlaurson]

Not sure if you still need it..? (or if it is the correct one?) I presume that you are looking for the "head" series on Melodiya?

Thanks much; I have that disc now... so I could/should scan it. But I skipped it for my compendium-cover...  and it's too much work right now, to fit it back in.

[Mirror Image]

Hmm, why are there two major threads for Shostakovich?

Because one is simply not enough!

[Moonfish]

Because one is simply not enough!

Yes, I can see that...   

[Moonfish]

Thanks much; I have that disc now... so I could/should scan it. But I skipped it for my compendium-cover...  and it's too much work right now, to fit it back in.

I like the album collages you made. They are inspiring!

[kishnevi]

Hmm, why are there two major threads for Shostakovich?

There are actually three.... this one, the Dacha, and snypp's quest for the perfect SQ cycle.

[Karl Henning]

There are actually three.... this one, the Dacha, and snypp's quest for the perfect SQ cycle.

He's on a mission from God ....

[Madiel]

Hmm, why are there two major threads for Shostakovich?

Because this is a music-specific thread. One of many. Quite a few composers have managed a thread or two in one of the other sections of the forum as well as their one in Composer Discussion.

[Madiel]

Back again, still haven't bought a cycle, still thinking about doing so (heck, still haven't listened to everything else I bought, what with a Holmboe-fest in Denmark and all that...)

I had previously settled on Janssons, but I'm now also thinking about Barshai and Petrenko. I'll be doing some sampling online methinks.

The question I wanted to ask, though, was about Barshai's sound. In particular, I've come across a review that says the background noise is a bit intrusive in a couple of symphonies. The comments seemed to particularly apply to symphonies 4, 7 and 15.

Any views on this? I do a lot of listening on headphones so background noise is a little bit of a concern.

[Moonfish]

Just wanted to post the deal on the Kitajenko cycle (19 euros) here as well in case anybody missed it in the bargain thread:

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B001GZ011Q

[Karl Henning]

Back again, still haven't bought a cycle, still thinking about doing so (heck, still haven't listened to everything else I bought, what with a Holmboe-fest in Denmark and all that...)

I had previously settled on Janssons, but I'm now also thinking about Barshai and Petrenko. I'll be doing some sampling online methinks.

The question I wanted to ask, though, was about Barshai's sound. In particular, I've come across a review that says the background noise is a bit intrusive in a couple of symphonies. The comments seemed to particularly apply to symphonies 4, 7 and 15.

Any views on this? I do a lot of listening on headphones so background noise is a little bit of a concern.

Personally, I find the Barshai set an overall disappointment compared to the Jansons, and I mean execution rather than sound quality.

I've not yet heard all of Petrenko's, but all that I have heard is excellent.

[The new erato]

Just wanted to post the deal on the Kitajenko cycle (19 euros) here as well in case anybody missed it in the bargain thread:

I din't miss it! It will join the Barshai, Kondrashin, Haitink and Janssons cycles on the shelf.

[Moonfish]

I din't miss it! It will join the Barshai, Kondrashin, Haitink and Janssons cycles on the shelf.

Ahh, the Kondrashin cycle is worth its weight in gold!       
Is the Rostropovich cycle any good compared to the Jansons or Barshai cycles? 

[Madiel]

I've been doing some sampling via iTunes.

Okay, Barshai is out of the running. Whether it's the recording or the performance, the other two sound far more atmospheric.

You're all just going to say I could always buy both... I must not cave to GMG philosophy!  I even found a reviewer who said Jansons and Petrenko were the best two cycles in his opinion, and basically it was a toss-up between them.

It might just come down to availability and price. Really, both sound pretty good from these samples. I might do a more careful comparison on the weekend.

The very last thing I'm sampling is Petrenko's 14th, and it sounds fantastic.

[Ken B]

Personally, I find the Barshai set an overall disappointment compared to the Jansons, and I mean execution rather than sound quality.

I thought I was the only one.

If I were buying I'd snap up that Kitaenko SDCB.

[Karl Henning]

Just wanted to post the deal on the Kitajenko cycle (19 euros) here as well in case anybody missed it in the bargain thread:

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B001GZ011Q

Thank you, I think    Just pulled the trigger on this;  for US$29, I really could not resist . . . though partly, the recent chat about the Barshai may have helped.  Long ago, 10-15 years probably, the Barshai set became available ridiculously cheap, $20 I think (might have been a BRO-specific deal).  Partly because I had never ordered anything online before, partly because (as one does at times) I doubted whether my own experience would necessarily match my friends' enthusiasm, I did not order the set . . . "It's not a bad price at all for the goods, but is it a set such that I will want to listen to it repeatedly?"

Anyway, as I remember holding back (and without regret, for I have had occasion to hear most of the set since) on the Barshai set at $20, I realize today that <$30 for the Kitaenko is a staggeringly good deal.

[kishnevi]

Enough of us have ordered it that it is on back order.  Even for me, who first posted it! My copy is scheduled to ship the week of 7/6.

AboutBarshai...I thought it overall a very good set, albeit with one serious pratfall...the Eleventh managed to sound dull and boring.

My favorite is probably Kondrashin, even with the classic Melodiya sonics .

[Karl Henning]

My favorite is probably Kondrashin, even with the classic Melodiya sonics .

Mine may well be (Minority Opinion Alert) the Maksim Dmitriyevich set.

[Moonfish]

Enough of us have ordered it that it is on back order.  Even for me, who first posted it! My copy is scheduled to ship the week of 7/6.

AboutBarshai...I thought it overall a very good set, albeit with one serious pratfall...the Eleventh managed to sound dull and boring.

My favorite is probably Kondrashin, even with the classic Melodiya sonics .

I wish Kondrashin would be reissued....