Shostakovich Symphonies, Cycles & Otherwise

Started by karlhenning, April 25, 2007, 12:02:09 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

George

Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on June 10, 2007, 05:05:44 AM
So if I am looking for a second cycle should I get the M. Shostakovich or the Jansons. Please, no Haitink please.

Who's your first?

karlhenning

Quote from: Steve on May 29, 2007, 06:49:52 PM
You've piqued my interest, Karl. I'll have to take another listen of the Haitink Adagio. I've never really liked the Bernstein interpretation of this symphony, btw

The Seventh, yes, Steve? What about it has disagreed with you, do you recall?


karlhenning

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 09, 2007, 05:45:43 AM
Unfortunately, no. Just the symphonies. Some of the discs are very short; three come in around the 45 minute mark. They could have put the cycle on fewer discs but then they would have been forced to spread some works over two.

Curious.

karlhenning

Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on June 10, 2007, 06:03:26 AM
Barshai

I'll be interested in how you might compare either Maksim Dmitriyevich or Jansons to the Barshai.

FWIW, I have not heard either the Jansons or Haitink set in its entirety;  from what I have heard (i.e., color this plain speculative) I imagine I should find a complete Jansons set preferable to Haitink, overall.

karlhenning

FWIW, Steve, much though I enjoy it, if we take the most abstract of questions "If you could only have one recording of the 'Leningrad' . . ." I would not choose the Bernstein/CSO over others.

The strong argument of the CSO brass notwithstanding :-)

karlhenning

Quote from: Michel on May 29, 2007, 12:17:32 PM
Its not that, its the box set, its crap. Bloody Russians.

I should think the distributor should be more local to you than, say, Vladivistok  8)

PerfectWagnerite

Quote from: karlhenning on June 10, 2007, 06:11:07 AM
FWIW, Steve, much though I enjoy it, if we take the most abstract of questions "If you could only have one recording of the 'Leningrad' . . ." I would not choose the Bernstein/CSO over others.

The strong argument of the CSO brass notwithstanding :-)

And which one would you choose above the others Karl?
I think the Bernstein/CSO is one of the most devastingly beautiful and charged readings of any piece of music I know.

PerfectWagnerite

Quote from: karlhenning on June 10, 2007, 06:09:08 AM
I'll be interested in how you might compare either Maksim Dmitriyevich or Jansons to the Barshai.

FWIW, I have not heard either the Jansons or Haitink set in its entirety;  from what I have heard (i.e., color this plain speculative) I imagine I should find a complete Jansons set preferable to Haitink, overall.

Do you know who performs the big symphonies like 5, 7, 8, and 10 in the Jansons cycle?

karlhenning

Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on June 10, 2007, 06:21:14 AM
Do you know who performs the big symphonies like 5, 7, 8, and 10 in the Jansons cycle?

10 is Phila, and is excellent.  8 is Pbgh, and very good;  in the Eighth I might give Haitink a slightly higher mark than Jansons in this recording, but it's only by a nose.  (I know, it's not really a horse-race, but . . . .)

I haven't heard Jansons in the Fifth or Seventh yet . . . don't know which bands play them.

karlhenning

Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on June 10, 2007, 06:20:25 AM
And which one would you choose above the others Karl?
I think the Bernstein/CSO is one of the most devastingly beautiful and charged readings of any piece of music I know.

The question is impossible, as is, PW.  I have a great fondness and loyalty to the Ančerl.  The Bernstein/CSO is excellent, most decidedly a keeper.

karlhenning

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 08, 2007, 01:55:32 PM
Moving on to the Sixth tomorrow. Since I don't have a CD version of this symphony I fully love, I'm hoping Rostropovich will do it for me.

Also curious, Sarge!  For long, the Haitink was the only acccount I'd heard, and I liked it very well.  Better still, I'm finding both the Temirkanov/St Petersburg Phil and Maksim Dmitriyevich's.  I've certainly reached the stage where I wonder why I did not love this symphony as well as the Fifth, any earlier (of course, the Fifth has great sentimental attachment for me, anyway).

karlhenning


karlhenning

Quote from: Harry on May 11, 2007, 04:48:20 AM
Its good to hear, you are delighted with it.
If you think its good enough, its good for me, and I will order it. :)

Status report, Harry:)

karlhenning

Quote from: Greta on May 05, 2007, 09:15:30 PM
I'm watching this thread as I don't have a Shosty set, in fact despite loving this composer, I'm not familiar with all his symphonies yet.  :o

We're here for you, Greta  :)

With which symphonies are you not yet acquainted? Just curious . . . .

karlhenning

(Of course, that post was last month; maybe by now, Greta is at least acquainted with them all  0:))

Harry

Quote from: karlhenning on June 11, 2007, 04:45:32 AM
Status report, Harry:)

Its in a large pile my friend, lying under Tippett, so you understand I have not played it yet. :)
First two Mahler Cycles to go through.

Steve

Quote from: karlhenning on June 10, 2007, 06:02:43 AM
The Seventh, yes, Steve? What about it has disagreed with you, do you recall?

When I was first assorted through the incredible number of quality Shostakovich recordings, I came across Berstein's Leningrad one day, and found his interpretation to be inconsistent with how I'd conceived of he piece. I've since then read many reviews on this piece, and after hearing a remarkable 5th, I'm going to give this another chance.

karlhenning

Quote from: Harry on June 11, 2007, 04:49:23 AM
Its in a large pile my friend, lying under Tippett, so you understand I have not played it yet. :)

At the risk of veering off-topic, what Tippett have you got in the queue, mijn vriend?

karlhenning

Quote from: Steve on June 11, 2007, 04:50:21 AM
When I was first assorted through the incredible number of quality Shostakovich recordings, I came across Berstein's Leningrad one day, and found his interpretation to be inconsistent with how I'd conceived of the piece. I've since then read many reviews on this piece, and after hearing a remarkable 5th, I'm going to give this another chance.

Understood, especially what I've italicized above.  For myself, there was something of a watershed when I was at last convinced by the entire piece;  and then, at some subsequent point, a further watershed where I accepted that the piece could sustain to some extent a range of interpretation.  Which, one might say, is part of the measure of a great piece.