Shostakovich Symphonies, Cycles & Otherwise

[Karl Henning]

Whereas I bought the Petrenko box partly on the strength of reviews that said how good he was at holding together some of the really big structures, and I agree with those reviews.

Tastes vary.

They do.

Me, I much prefer Petrenko to Barshai.

[Baron Scarpia]

Any particular reason?

[Karl Henning]

Any particular reason?

Clarity of the recording;  the sound of the respective orchestras;  preparation/performance.  Mind you, I have not heard all 15 by either conductor, so there may be room for negotiating the odd item.

[aukhawk]

• Petrenko (RLPO, Naxos)
• Barshai (WDR, Brilliant Classics)
• Jansons (Various, Warner/EMI)

Haitink was in the running, but I would prefer not to duplicate the few symphonies I already have by him separately (1&5 and 8, on Decca Virtuoso).

My main considerations are:

• Faithful to the score rather than individualistic interpretations
• Good sound quality (I understand they are all good, although perhaps Petrenko is best overall being so recent? And with the Jansons set being recorded over so many years with so many (8?) orchestras - is the sound uneven?)
• A sensible dynamic range (i.e. not having to change the volume during a particular symphony because the FFF annoys the neighbours but then ppp is inaudible...)

That last requirement is especially difficult in the 11th symphony, which starts pp and stays that way for about 19 minutes before any kind of a climactic moment, and doesn't reach peak loudness until about 34 minutes (timings taken from De Priest/Helsinki).  Inevitably the listener at home will turn the wick up and then have to turn it down again after 30-odd minutes and probably end up gain-riding for the remainder of the music.  It's not a comfortable listen.  All modern recordings of this work are problematic in this respect.  Possibly the best bet is Haitink which is an early digital recording with a slightly less extreme dynamic range.  You have to go back to the premiere recording by Stokowski to find something where the dynamics have really been tamed (probably too much).

But I'm not a fan of Haitink in Shostakovich generally - a bit westernised - I think it's desirable to keep hold of that Soviet 'edge' in this music - and of the names mentioned that means Barshai, or Rostropovich.  (I haven't heard either of those by the way!)  Petrenko perhaps a bit too young to qualify.  I'm not sure where that leaves the future of Shostakovich performance tradition  probably in the hands of Gergiev 

[Karl Henning]

[..] Petrenko perhaps a bit too young to qualify.

Ageist! 

Personally, I find (pivoting off, here) that Gergiev is unreliably erratic in Shostakovich.  I say that, even though I sat blissfully through a life-changingly magnificent performance of the Leningrad which Gergiev led in Worcester's Mechanics Hall.  When he is on (and the band have learnt to follow his tics), the result is amazing.

Since you suggest that you will only consider a Russian conductor, I'll go ahead and mention one of my favorite cycles:  Maksim Shostakovich.

[asin]B000I8OIHK[/asin]

[Roasted Swan]

I am currently about half way through a first listen to this cycle [asin]B077MQBZR6[/asin].  Not cheap but the first complete cycle in anything like modern sound from a Russian orchestra (the old Rohzdestvensky/Olympia set is too often let down by the dreadful one dimensional engineering).  I thought the Sladkovsky set of all 6 concerti was superb and this is proving to be very good as well.  Sound is good - less spot-lit and obviously hi-fi than some with very fine and idiomatic playing.  Interpretations are impressive too - very few quirks but powerful and dramatic.  I like the fact that this cycle was recorded complete in a very concentrated series of sessions just last year (I think it was). 

Petrenko I like but not as much it would seem as many.  Barshai at his finest - No.13 is a magnificent performance - is very good indeed.  I like many of the Caetani performances too although the SA-CD sound is a bit synthetic.  I like Kitaenko too but he can be more individual - and his approach works for me less in some symphonies than others.  The Maxim Shostakovich cycle in Prague is the only set I've ever sold - too often under-powered for me.

[Karl Henning]

For which symphonies does Kitaenko not ring your bell?

[Biffo]

For a time Shostakovich was discussed quite intensively in the Amazon UK forum but I gave up contributing because (1) I was always wrong and (2) I always had the wrong versions. This forum seems more open-minded so I can say that I only have one complete cycle, Barshai, already mentioned several times here and it suits all my needs. I have individual symphonies from Gergiev, Haitink, Rostropovitch, Polyansky, Elder, Stokowski, Silvestri, Sanderling, Martinon, Kondrashin, Pretre and Gozman.

If the Kondrashin cycle ever becomes available again at a sensible price I might be tempted.

[vandermolen]

For a time Shostakovich was discussed quite intensively in the Amazon UK forum but I gave up contributing because (1) I was always wrong and (2) I always had the wrong versions. This forum seems more open-minded so I can say that I only have one complete cycle, Barshai, already mentioned several times here and it suits all my needs. I have individual symphonies from Gergiev, Haitink, Rostropovitch, Polyansky, Elder, Stokowski, Silvestri, Sanderling, Martinon, Kondrashin, Pretre and Gozman.

If the Kondrashin cycle ever becomes available again at a sensible price I might be tempted.

Totally agree with Biffo about the Kondrashin box, although I have managed to pick up some of the individual releases of my favourites (4,6, 8, 11 and the underrated 12). Nothing wrong with the Janson's box and another vote for Maxim's Supraphon set. Haitink is unrivalled in No.13 as far as I'm concerned. His recording had a much grater emotional impact on me than any other version (as, incidentally, was the case with his recording of Vaughan Williams's 'A Sea Symphony' which brought this work alive for me). Maybe that was partly because I had recently visited the site of 'Babi Yar' in the Ukraine.

[Karl Henning]

The Haitink Babi Yar is terrific.

[Biffo]

Totally agree with Biffo about the Kondrashin box, although I have managed to pick up some of the individual releases of my favourites (4,6, 8, 11 and the underrated 12). Nothing wrong with the Janson's box and another vote for Maxim's Supraphon set. Haitink is unrivalled in No.13 as far as I'm concerned. His recording had a much grater emotional impact on me than any other version (as, incidentally, was the case with his recording of Vaughan Williams's 'A Sea Symphony' which brought this work alive for me). Maybe that was partly because I had recently visited the site of 'Babi Yar' in the Ukraine.

Kondrashin's coupling of No 9 and The Execution of Stepan Razin is probably my favourite Shostakovich album. I first heard it over 40 years ago but couldn't afford to buy it at the time and it has slipped on and off my radar for years. I finally bought a near mint LP online a couple of years ago at a very reasonable price. I also bought the Melodiya/Gozman recording of No 14 from the same source - fine performance but also complete with texts. One drawback with the Barshai cycle is the complete absence of texts.

[Roasted Swan]

For which symphonies does Kitaenko not ring your bell?

This is a bit of a generalisation; Kitaenko as a rule seems to prefer big epic interpretations.  This is true of his Rachmaninov, Scriabin and Tchaikovsky as well as the Shostakovich - less so in his Prokofiev but he's rarely ever a speed merchant.  So for DSCH I think he is at his best in 4/7/8/11/13.  But even when I'm not utterly convinced I find him an interesting conductor because he clearly has a strongly defined vision.  I know some find the engineering of this set rather variable - perhaps my system isn't good enough for that to be an issue.

[Baron Scarpia]

For which symphonies does Kitaenko not ring your bell?

The question wasn't directed at me, but recently I found myself dissatisfied with 4 (followed up with Haitink, which I liked a lot more) but very satisfied with 9.

[Karl Henning]

The question wasn't directed at me, but recently I found myself dissatisfied with 4 (followed up with Haitink, which I liked a lot more) but very satisfied with 9.

Thanks!  Now I should revisit, myself.

[Baron Scarpia]

It surprises me that no one seems to ever mention the Rostropovich cycle (which I recently got, but haven't listen to at all yet).

[Baron Scarpia]

Personally, I find (pivoting off, here) that Gergiev is unreliably erratic in Shostakovich.  I say that, even though I sat blissfully through a life-changingly magnificent performance of the Leningrad which Gergiev led in Worcester's Mechanics Hall.  When he is on (and the band have learnt to follow his tics), the result is amazing.

What I hear about Gergiev from a music business insider is that he can't be bothered to rehearse. He sends assistant conductors for that. Then he shows up at the hall to wave the baton, to accolades or gripes, depending on how the assistants did. (I guess if the assistants do too badly some polonium laced tea is in order.)

[Biffo]

It surprises me that no one seems to ever mention the Rostropovich cycle (which I recently got, but haven't listen to at all yet).

I have Rostropovich in Nos 8 & 11 (LSO Live). I vaguely recall that No 8 got tepid reviews (after I had bought it). I haven't listened to either for some time.

[Karl Henning]

It surprises me that no one seems to ever mention the Rostropovich cycle (which I recently got, but haven't listen to at all yet).

I don't know most of the cycle;  I've got the Fourth (which is very good, if not in my personal top tier) and the Thirteenth (probably does set in my p. t. t.)

[Karl Henning]

What I hear about Gergiev from a music business insider is that he can't be bothered to rehearse. He sends assistant conductors for that. Then he shows up at the hall to wave the baton, to accolades or gripes, depending on how the assistants did. (I guess if the assistants do too badly some polonium laced tea is in order.)

This is consistent with all my musical experience of Gergiev, in Petersburg and elsewhere.

[Karl Henning]

I have Rostropovich in Nos 8 & 11 (LSO Live).

As do I, and I need to spend time with 'em.