Shostakovich Symphonies, Cycles & Otherwise

[jlaurson]

Not sure what you mean by "earlier recordings".  Maxim's Soviet era recordings of 5 and 15 were somewhat famous.  I don't think the 15th ever made it to CD.

Precisely those. Whatever it was that I heard those recordings being described as (not that the 5th turned out to be all that, once I got my hands on it), was not what I hear in the cycle... which is, if anything, rather cool-eyed and level-headed, as Karl intimates.

[Daverz]

Precisely those. Whatever it was that I heard those recordings being described as (not that the 5th turned out to be all that, once I got my hands on it), was not what I hear in the cycle... which is, if anything, rather cool-eyed and level-headed, as Karl intimates.

I think Maxim's old 15 does hold up.  I remember my friends were unimpressed with the 5th (RCA-Melodiya).  I think the first movement was described as "soggy".

[aukhawk]

I've got that 15th on LP - perhaps I'll make an effort and rip it to FLAC, would be interesting to hear it again.  I always formed the impression that it was a bit 'immature' in the sense that the work was still very new when this recording was made, and it was a few years before some conductors (Sanderling springs to mind) really began to plumb the depths.

[vandermolen]

Not sure what you mean by "earlier recordings".  Maxim's Soviet era recordings of 5 and 15 were somewhat famous.  I don't think the 15th ever made it to CD.

Maxim's No 15 is my favourite - especially for the pitter-patter ending. Outrageous that it never made it to CD.

[The new erato]

Maxim's No 15 is my favourite - especially for the pitter-patter ending. Outrageous that it never made it to CD.

As opposed to the set on Supraphon?

[The new erato]

Anybody have any opinions on these?

[Octave]

I forgot to thank Jens and Karl for the cycles feedback; thanks, guys

[Daverz]

Anybody have any opinions on these?

We could probably come up with better performances for each recording (some of them by Sanderling!), but I think any Shostakovich fan will want this box.  Good sonics (as usual from this source) and good playing.

I have these in an cheap Edel box of Sanderling things (no notes at all).  I also had a couple of the original single issues, which came with excellent notes, so I should have kept them.  I don't know whether this box includes the notes.

[alkan]

Anybody have any opinions on these?

I too have this set and I find it to be really excellent.     My highlights are nos 5, 10 and 15, but the others are also pretty good.    Excellent sound and the performances are very intense and concentrated.    The start of the 5th is really gripping .... quite fearsome and unsettling.   I've already posted earlier about Sanderling's interpretation of the ending of the work.    It makes a tremendous contrast to Kondrashin's version.    Following the earlier discussion with Karl, I think that both styles of interpretation (dissident sarcasm versus triumph) are valid.   It's incredible that such music can be played in such opposite ways and still remain coherent.

The set is actually a collection of individual CD's in ther own cases and with individual booklets.    The notes are excellent, consisting mainly of interviews with Sanderling, who was close to Shostakovich.

I cannot compare with many of the cycles by other conductors (except Kondrashin)   I just know that I am very happy with this set and I dip into it quite often.   

[alkan]

Maxim's No 15 is my favourite - especially for the pitter-patter ending. Outrageous that it never made it to CD.

Pitter-patter !     Well, actually I admit that I used to see it this way too until I read Sanderling's program notes for the 15th  (below an excerpt from an earlier post). 

Sanderling had some interesting views.   He also said that the percussion at the end of the 15th symphony represents (I quote) "an intensive care ward in a hospital: the person is attached to various contraptions, and the dials and screens indicate that heartbeat and brain activity are gradually expiring, then comes a last convulsion and it's all over"     This transforms a rhythmic and snappy percussion ballet into something quite chilling ....

Although I still enjoy the interplay of the percussion rhythms, I can't get Sanderling's disturbing image out of my head when listening ....

I too have Maxim's recording on LP .... a historical document and an excellent recording.

[jlaurson]

Anybody have any opinions on [Sanderling's Shostakovich]?

Yes. Essential DSCH from someone who never made any loud-mouth proclamations about authenticity-by-contact but just delivered the deeds, instead. Central, in a supplemental way, to any good DSCH symphony collection.



  DSCH
Symphonies 1, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15
K.Sanderling / Berlin SO
Edel
German link - UK link

You might feel compelled, afterwards, to seek out all the other Sanderling DSCH recordings, too... so be forewarned.

[Karl Henning]

Well, I have the warm feeling for having fetched that 'un in, and now need to see about listening : )

[Brian]

Anybody have any opinions on these?

It's in my top three Tenths, alongside V. Petrenko and Jansons.

[Mirror Image]

Anybody have any opinions on these?

Excellent set overall. Sanderling's BSO 15th isn't as good as his Cleveland, but the other performances are all spot-on and incredibly intense. I do like this 8th and 10th a lot. The 5th is good, but nobody beats Bernstein's Live in Japan performance here. The 6th is handled well with a brooding opening movement and that only becomes more gripping as it progresses. The last movement (aka 'demonic circus music' as I like to call it) is great fun here. I really have enjoyed these performances, erato and I'm sure you will too.

[The new erato]

Excellent set overall. Sanderling's BSO 15th isn't as good as his Cleveland, but the other performances are all spot-on and incredibly intense. I do like this 8th and 10th a lot. The 5th is good, but nobody beats Bernstein's Live in Japan performance here. The 6th is handled well with a brooding opening movement and that only becomes more gripping as it progresses. The last movement (aka 'demonic circus music' as I like to call it) is great fun here. I really have enjoyed these performances, erato and I'm sure you will too.

Thanks, John. They're moving upwards in my list(s).

[Karl Henning]

The Sanderling Sixth is the first I've listened to in that set, very nice indeed.  In tone, reminds me of the Temirkanov/St Petersburg recording.

Anyone have an opinion about the Slatkin recording of the Eighth & Tenth?

[TheGSMoeller]

Anyone have an opinion about the Slatkin recording of the Eighth & Tenth?[/font]

My favorite 8th, haven't heard 10th.

I like Slatkin, Haydn, Shostakovich, RVW, Orff, Elgar, Barber, Ives, etc... all solid performances from him. Orchestras just seem to play with extreme precision when under Slatkin, especially the St. Louis SO during his tenure with them.

[jlaurson]

Orchestras just seem to play with extreme precision when under Slatkin, especially at least the St. Louis SO during his tenure with them.

Never mind the snarkification.

[Brahmsian]

Has anyone heard the recently released Petrenko and RLPO's account of the 7th?

I've been listening to it the last couple of days.

Overall, I like it.

Particularly the final two movements.

I'm slightly disappointed by the 2nd movement.  I find it does not quite enough of a good pace to it.  Too slow for my tastes, I guess? 

[kishnevi]

Has anyone heard the recently released Petrenko and RLPO's account of the 7th?

I've been listening to it the last couple of days.

Overall, I like it.

Particularly the final two movements.

I'm slightly disappointed by the 2nd movement.  I find it does not quite enough of a good pace to it.  Too slow for my tastes, I guess? 

I've given it one listen, when it arrived.  It seemed fine,  but made no real impression.  I remember the second movement seeming more softer edged and lyrical than I remember from other performances, so I'm guessing I liked the pacing better than you. Still, it didn't grab me as a must have recording.

On a related note, has anyone had a chance to hear the new recording of the 10th by Janssons and the Concertgebouw,  on their in house label (RCO Live)--or the concerts at which it was recorded, for that matter.
(Jens, I seem to remember a review or two of yours featuring Janssons on Ionarts--was this one of them?)