Shostakovich String Quartets

[jlaurson]

Best Recordings of 2013 (#7)

Shostakovich, Mendelssohn
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2014/01/best-recordings-of-2013-7.html

[San Antone]

It's been too long since I listened to all the Shostakovich string quartets.  So, I will spend the next week or so listening (from a variety of cycles) to all of the works.

Right now, No. 1 (a good place to start  )



Mandelring Quartet 

[amw]

Hello DSCH (s)experts,
If I said I was looking for a Shostakovich quartet cycle played by the London Haydn Quartet, what would you direct me to buy? I'm not sure Borodin, Emerson or Fitzwilliam is really my "thing" (though I haven't sampled the newer Borodin set with 14 & 15 and the Quintet, it predates the Kopelman/Aharonian switcheroo so I doubt it'll be interpretively very different). St Petersburg is somewhat intriguing but doesn't seem to be talked about much.

[Brahmsian]

My votes go to the Borodin, Fitzwilliam and Eder Quartet sets.  I'm not a particular fan of the Emersons for their Shostakovich cycle (even though I like the Emersons in most other recordings).

Many people will suggest these (but I haven't heard them):  Rubio, Sorrel, Mandelring and the on-going Pacifica.

There are many others I'm sure people will recommend. 

[jlaurson]

Hello DSCH (s)experts,
If I said I was looking for a Shostakovich quartet cycle played by the London Haydn Quartet, ...

Say no more. You need this:

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2008/05/shostakovich-with-mandelring-quartett.html

Cheers & best,

Jens

[Karl Henning]

I do love that Mandelring set.

[kishnevi]

Hello DSCH (s)experts,
If I said I was looking for a Shostakovich quartet cycle played by the London Haydn Quartet, what would you direct me to buy? I'm not sure Borodin, Emerson or Fitzwilliam is really my "thing" (though I haven't sampled the newer Borodin set with 14 & 15 and the Quintet, it predates the Kopelman/Aharonian switcheroo so I doubt it'll be interpretively very different). St Petersburg is somewhat intriguing but doesn't seem to be talked about much.

Hmmm.  Borodin II is my top set, Fitzwilliam my least favorite set,  in large part because   I like the Borodin approach and do not like the Fitzwilliam approach, and find them  different enough to impact my opinion.he Emersons are most like Fitzwilliams, but edgier, so I like them much more.  Of my other cycles, Pacifica and Shostakovich (on Alto...the ensemble is named after the composer) are Borodinish,  Mandelring less so. There is also the partial cycle from the Jerusalem Quartet and a doubleCD of the late quartets by the Juilliards worth looking at. 

[NorthNYMark]

I have been exploring these quartets on and off for the past several weeks now, and have completely fallen under their spell.  Since I subscribe to a music streaming service, I've been able to compare several versions (since they do not have the Borodin sets that everyone raves about,  I recently bought that the more recent one, though haven't had much time with it yet).  So far, my favorite (among the Shostakovich, Pacifica, Emerson, and Danel quartets) is the Mandelring Quartet.  They bring out more delicacy, fragility, and mysteriousness in the music than any of the other quartets, without losing the required intensity (IMHO, or course).  Now I'm debating between ordering the Mandelring set on individual SACDs--though I have yet to buy a great SACD player, I may do so at some point--or the much less expensive CD box.

[amw]

Say no more. You need this:

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2008/05/shostakovich-with-mandelring-quartett.html

Hmm. I'm co-testing them (via spotify) with Borodin II, St Petersburg and Shostakovich (the ones my library had copies of).

Mandelring checklist
- Real sfffz at the end of 13 - close, but could be better
- 12/ii - interesting. Plenty of weirdness but no hysterics. Could stand to hear more of this. Definitely prefer it to Borodin
- Articulation of the diggydum-diggydum rhythms - somewhat legato-ized as a rule
- 3/iii - steak
- 3/v - Hey, an optimistic finale. That's a rarity. Manages to be nicely ambiguous by approaching the ambiguity from the opposite direction (vs. "lost innocence" from the St Petersburg/Borodin approach).
- Pizzicati - very solid
- misc - they seem really loud. Maybe it's just spotify and its 128kbps MP3s? I'm not hearing very many true "pianissimos".

St Petersburg checklist
- Library didn't have 12 or 13
- Articulation - on the short/brusque side
- 3/iii - sawblades
- 3/v - very soft w/excellent dynamic control; ensemble doesn't have the bloom to make the climax truly climactic, but wind-down is the best of the lot
- Pizzicati - could be better
- misc - I guess this is the Real Russian approach—they picked up the trick of varying the vibrato from the Borodins, but at the same time don't go overboard with romanticisms the way the Borodins do. I'm sounding like snyprrr amn't I?

Borodin checklist
- Real sfffz at the end of 13 - close, could be better, but probably the best I'm likely to get
- 12/ii - a little shrill; plays up the wackiness a bit too much for my tastes
- Articulation - variable, often tenuto with vibrato, but not quite as bad as the Fitzwilliams
- 3/iii - steak covered in sawblades
- 3/v - hmm, I see why people like this. A bit too Romantic/extroverted at times for me, but powerful. Ending lacks that last touch of ambiguity imo.
- Pizzicati - don't stand out as much, but i can live with that
- misc - Weirdly, though the playing is better (and the ensemble sounds fuller in spite of dated sonics), and I know this is "objectively" the best cycle, I think I'd pick St Petersburg over this if I wanted this kind of approach

Shostakovich checklist
- Library didn't have 12 or 13
- Articulation - tenuti, but not Fitzwilliam-sized tenuti
- 3/iii - very dance-like, interesting
- 3/v - I'm not sure, this is sort of like Borodin but not as good. Their pps aren't soft enough.
- Pizzicati - nothing special

Borodin 7 vs. Shostakovich 7 vs. Mandelring 7 vs. Hagen 7 vs. Taneyev 7—Taneyev is untouchable here, even by Borodin (maybe Beethoven would be on the same level), but Hagen offers enough of a contrasting view... those being the two I already had. I'm not sure I really need a third one. Unless it does something really different.

Actually, come to think of it I should try to find the Taneyev complete cycle. I like everything else they've ever done well enough. Predictably, it is OOP.

(When is there going to be a Taneyev Quartet mega box set? I would buy the fuck out of a Taneyev Quartet mega box set)

Anyway... I think I like Mandelring and St Petersburg the most, and of course Hagen (but they have no complete cycle, nor does it seem likely they'll record one). I think Mandelring may be at their best in the late quartets, actually, though the 1st movement of 15 needs a more "viol-like" sound than they give it imo... More spotifying I guess.

[Karl Henning]

So today, after neglecting the c minor quartet for too long a time, I listened to the Mandelring Quartet, the Emersons, the Borodins, and the Pacifica Quartet.

Of these lot, I prefer the Pacifica by a fair margin.

[snyprrr]

Hello DSCH (s)experts,
If I said I was looking for a Shostakovich quartet cycle played by the London Haydn Quartet, what would you direct me to buy?

Brodsky or Manhattan


that's right


Brodsky or Manhattan


I hear what you're saying. For the Manhattan, try my AllTimePersonalFav 4/5. If you don't like that you won't like them. The Brodsky were pretty well... you maaay like them,... check some samples.

[Sergeant Rock]

So today, after neglecting the c minor quartet for too long a time, I listened to the Mandelring Quartet, the Emersons, the Borodins, and the Pacifica Quartet.

Of these lot, I prefer the Pacifica by a fair margin.

I listened to Borodin, Fitzwilliam, Mandelring, Emerson and Rubio. Borodin "won" followed by Fitzwilliam. Earlier today I listened to samples of the Pacifica...liked what I heard. I ordered 1-8. Nice to see you think highly of 8. My purchase has not been in vein 

Sarge

[The new erato]

I bought and played the Pacifica cycle as it appeared and am mightily impressed.

[SonicMan46]

So today, after neglecting the c minor quartet for too long a time, I listened to the Mandelring Quartet, the Emersons, the Borodins, and the Pacifica Quartet.

Of these lot, I prefer the Pacifica by a fair margin.

Hi Karl - I've been eyeing those Pacifica Quartet offerings; now being listing in the Amazon MP for about $10 per each 2-CD volume - how are these packaged, i.e. foldout wallet or jewel boxes?  Thanks for any clarification - Dave

[The new erato]

Single width jewel box pr double CD.

[amw]

I rate the Hagen Quartet most highly in 8. Predictably, the Beethoven Quartet is also pretty good, seeing as they gave the premiere and everything.

Other personal preferences -
2 - Taneyev
3 - St Petersburg / Hagen
7 - Taneyev
9 - Mandelring
12 - Mandelring
13 - St Petersburg
15 - Borodin

I listened to the Pacificas' 13 but the lack of sufficient sfffz proved, as usual, the deal-breaker. >.>

[Ken B]

Brodsky or Manhattan


that's right


Brodsky or Manhattan


I hear what you're saying. For the Manhattan, try my AllTimePersonalFav 4/5. If you don't like that you won't like them. The Brodsky were pretty well... you maaay like them,... check some samples.

Having found a snyprrr post I understand I felt the urge to quote it.
I like the Brodsky. They are more like Boulez would be if, god help us, he and his clones formed a quartet: slightly cooler and very precise.

[SonicMan46]

Single width jewel box pr double CD.

Thanks - NOW, I'm even tempted further!   Dave

ADDENDUM: Well, I 'bit the bullet' and just ordered all 4 volumes from the Amazon MP - $10 each per 2-disc set w/ the usual $4 handling - basically, $5 per CD before S/H - fine w/ me!  Dave

[aukhawk]

The 8th played by the Sorrel Quartet is just simply the best single chamber music recording I own.

[Karl Henning]

Hi Karl - I've been eyeing those Pacifica Quartet offerings; now being listing in the Amazon MP for about $10 per each 2-CD volume - how are these packaged, i.e. foldout wallet or jewel boxes?  Thanks for any clarification - Dave

Slender two-fer jewel boxes, Dave.