Shostakovich String Quartets

[snyprrr]

Cool! Let me know what you think!

[Karl Henning]

The Fitzwilliams Quartet cycle is darned good and usually cheap.  The Borodin Q recordings (both cycles) are good but a little overhyped, and honestly I liked the Fitzwilliam Q recordings better than the Borodin.  I like a more modernist, transparent playing (and in better sound) and I love (so many don't though) the Emerson Quartet for these works.  They really made those SQs sing by dumping romanticized affections that are found in so many other recordings such as the Borodin Q and Fitzwilliam Q.

(* pounds the table *)

[kishnevi]

(* pounds the table *)

+1

[Karl Henning]

I am thinking lukewarmish thoughts of bringing in a third cycle, hence my revisitation of this slumbering thread.

[kishnevi]

I am thinking lukewarmish thoughts of bringing in a third cycle, hence my revisitation of this slumbering thread.

"Gordon" is very bullish on this one
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Jens would probably say these guys (although the full cycle seems at the moment to be priced very dearly)
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and I like
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Although 1) the other two I have are Fitzwilliam and Emerson, and 2)I don't particularly care for the Fitzwilliams.

ETA:  Spurred on by this, I just ordered the Shostakovich Qt.  Not quite an impulse buy, since it's been sitting on my wishlist for quite some time.

[jlaurson]

Re: Mr. Smith
True, Borodin II is probably my no.1 recommendation. But there's an embarrassment of riches for DSCH Quartet cycles...  and the DSCH Quartet is certainly one of the top choices for the slightly gruff, Russian-Russian DSCH.


For a good recommendation for Karl, it'd be helpful to know what you, K.H. already have. I wouldn't add DSCH-Quartet to Borodin II (and possibly not even vice versa); nor Mandelring to a set of non-Russian cycles (Fitz & Emerson, for example). But I would add Mandelring to Borodin or DSCH...

Borodin II can be had for a reasonable price, actually... (if you're not too spoiled with Mega-Budget releases.

-

D. Shostakovich,
SQ4ts, PQ5t, 2 Pieces, Octet
Borodin Quartet, S.Richter et al.
Melodiya

German link - UK link
Best deal: French link

[Karl Henning]

For a good recommendation for Karl, it'd be helpful to know what you, K.H. already have.

Emersons & the Borodin set you've linked. Thanks!

[Brahmsian]

Emersons & the Borodin set you've linked. Thanks!

May I suggest as a third set, Karl - The Fitzwilliam Qt or Eder Qt? 

[San Antone]

I've been sampling some recordings by Aviv SQ, they've recording three discs-worth of the quartets and have performed the complete Shostakovich cycle at the 2007 Verbier Festival.

They are pretty good.

I'm listening to #8 from this

[asin]B004LB5WTS[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

May I suggest as a third set, Karl - The Fitzwilliam Qt or Eder Qt? 

Thanks, mon ami . . . I actually did an (unscientific) comparison earlier, listening to samples from each of the Fitzwilliam and Shostakovich quartets.

[Brahmsian]

Thanks, mon ami . . . I actually did an (unscientific) comparison earlier, listening to samples from each of the Fitzwilliam and Shostakovich quartets.

Tres bien!  Unfortunately, I haven't yet heard the Shostakovich Quartet's performances.

[jlaurson]

Emersons & the Borodin set you've linked. Thanks!

Hmm... ok. I hate the Emerson set (probably one of the few DSCH-cycles I actively dislike)... but that's neither here nor there. How do YOU like their approach?

It's certainly a good stylistic spread. And yes (re: Chambernut), the Fitzies (Decca) are an alternative that comes to mind as complimentary to those two. They're a superb bargain right now... only issue is that then you might be a bit on the dated-sound spectrum in your collection. (Although I wouldn't let that count as an argument against Borodin II, if you had Emerson & Fitzies instead, so never mind. :-) )

The Pacifica Quartet cycle-in-the-making has much promise, and great added boni (Weinberg and Prokofiev et al.), but isn't out as a cycle yet.

The Jerusalem Quartet, from who I'd actively want a new cycle, have only recorded two discs to date. (But better slow and good than rushed!!) On the upside, HMU has JUST put them together and released them as a mid-price 2-CD set.


Brodsky and Sorrel are very fine, both, but maybe not knock-your-socks-off category. Rubio is not so hot. St.Petersburg is quite good... but their cycle is OOP and would be competitive only at a budget price.
That leaves the Danel Quartet as a modern alternative, since the other one  I know and love is another Russian oldie,  the Beethoven Quartet.

Eder (Naxos, not issued as a box), Manhattan, and what ever else is out there I don't know. The bits of Hagen I have I love; a kind of "Emerson ++" version. DSCH with green lasers.
,

[Karl Henning]

Thank you, both!

I am leaning to the Fitzwilliams.  I like the Emersons very well in these, Jens.

[San Antone]

I believe the Alexander Quartet has recorded a complete cycle - and judging from their Beethoven cycle, it should be very good.  I will be listening to it after I finish with the Aviv SQ discs.

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[SonicMan46]

I also decided to pick up a 3rd set of Shosty's SQs recently, and have the one below 'in the mail' from across the pond (MDT) - my other two sets are the DSCH & Rubio - now, I have the Alexander SQ in the Beethoven works and will follow the reviews closely -

[Kontrapunctus]

I also decided to pick up a 3rd set of Shosty's SQs recently, and have the one below 'in the mail' from across the pond (MDT) - my other two sets are the DSCH & Rubio - now, I have the Alexander SQ in the Beethoven works and will follow the reviews closely -

I really like the Manderling set. For starters, the sound, especially on a multi-channel system, is just stunning. I had read a review or two that stated they were a bit too "polite" at times, which made me hesitate, but I eventually bought it. Mmm...maybe a little relaxed here and there, but when the music really heats up, such as the 2nd movement of the 8th or 10th Quartet, they are plenty vicious!

[Brahmsian]

Borodin II can be had for a reasonable price, actually... (if you're not too spoiled with Mega-Budget releases.

-

D. Shostakovich,
SQ4ts, PQ5t, 2 Pieces, Octet
Borodin Quartet, S.Richter et al.
Melodiya

German link - UK link
Best deal: French link

I think this will be my 3rd set that I go with.  I was not overly impressed years ago with the Chandos Historical Borodin 1-13 (although I am ga-ga over their Tchaikovsky recordings including Souvenir de Florence).

I'd love to sample the Borodin II before buying, but I might just dive in.  "It had me at cow on the CD cover!"   

[kishnevi]

Thank you, Jens.  Amazon France's shipping charge was not nearly as high as some of the other European Amazons, so I ordered the Borodin II there.  So now I'll have five DSCH quartet cycles, plus what's been issued by the Jerusalem and  Pacifica Quartets, and two-fers by the Juillard and the Borodins (recorded after the Borodin II, and not the same exact members, IIRC).    Among the complete cycles,  my preference remains the Emersons, although Mandelring nips at their heels.

Any word on when the next installment of the Pacifica cycle will be out?

I should mention that some individual CDs from the St. Petersburg SQ cycle have shown up from time to time on Hyperion's "Please buy me!" page: http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/o.asp?o=1016&vw=al

[Mirror Image]

For me, it doesn't get much better than these two sets:





Everybody has their favorites, but, like DavidW and Karl, I like more Modern readings of Shostakovich that dilute Romantic leanings.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I'm still partial to the Danel set, despite owning both the Emerson and Shostakovich sets, as well as various Borodin recordings.