Shostakovich String Quartets

[Brahmsian]

Op.68 first. Frankly, this is one of the very best performances, and benefits greatly from the ample acoustic. The 'Waltz', especially, sounded so tight, yet lilting, not as aggressive as others (i.e 'loud'). The 'Overture' was wonderfully vigorous. I hit the 'Winner' buzzer early on here with Op.68. Score 1 for the Fittzies.

RE:  Fitzwilliam: I'm also listening to the first disc, and the Opus 68 is definitely a great performance.  Well balanced Overture indeed, and a wonderful final Theme and Variations movement.

[snyprrr]

RE:  Fitzwilliam: I'm also listening to the first disc, and the Opus 68 is definitely a great performance.  Well balanced Overture indeed, and a wonderful final Theme and Variations movement.

Yes, agreed. Op.68 is a Winner! A 'Classic' Performance

I then skipped to 6-7. Op.101, No.6, was also very fine, having maybe a slow movement with even mooore pathos than the Borodin's 6:30. They are, perhaps, a bit dramatic in the 1st- I have been getting worn out by over-aggressive accounts of this movement- the Fittzies are a little insistent, but, however, the ample acoustic does absorb the power of these notes, whereas, say, in that Orlando account, the aggressive tone really infringes upon enjoyment. The finale was thoroughly well-judged. In all, I'd compare this with the Emerson's account.

Op.108 came off- well, it just sounded fine- all things well judged, again.THE INSTRUMENTAL BALANCE IN THIS CYCLE IS VERY VERY EXCELLENT- THE CELLO is as pronounced - and maybe a bit more so- than most any other recording- YOU REALLY HEAR EVERYTHING with the ittzies.

Op.73 presented the first case of criticism, for me, and, as you can probably guess, they have to do with the two inner, faster movements, which certainly don't exhibit the power of more modern groups. Other than that, the rest of the movements are amongst the very best I've heard- I continue to be quite impressed with the Fittzies "Western" approach from the mid'79s.



GOTTA GOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Now on slow mvmt of No.4.......

[Karl Henning]

Some days, this is my favorite thread . . . .

[Brahmsian]

Op.108 came off- well, it just sounded fine- all things well judged, again.THE INSTRUMENTAL BALANCE IN THIS CYCLE IS VERY VERY EXCELLENT- THE CELLO is as pronounced - and maybe a bit more so- than most any other recording- YOU REALLY HEAR EVERYTHING with the ittzies.

Agreed about the cello sound.  It is prominent and clear in the Fitz's recordings.

[Brahmsian]

Some days, this is my favorite thread . . . .

Bonjour, Karl.  I agree.  Some days. 

[Karl Henning]

Great to see you 'round these parts again, Ray!

[Madiel]

Fitzwilliam is the only set I own. But I'm very, very happy with it.

Amusingly, though, in headphones at least, you can faintly here a bird twittering outside in one or two recordings. It's rather beautiful actually, because when Shostakovich ends a quartet quietly and peacefully, it fits!

I think it's the end of op.73 where that happens.

[Karl Henning]

This is entirely on the lines of "Symphony № x is my east favorite by N. — but of course, I like all his symphonies" . . . I do enjoy the Fitwilliams, but they are probably my least favorite among the cycles I have.

[Brahmsian]

This is entirely on the lines of "Symphony № x is my east favorite by N. — but of course, I like all his symphonies" . . . I do enjoy the Fitwilliams, but they are probably my least favorite among the cycles I have.

Which other cycles do you have, Karl? 

[Brahmsian]

Fitzwilliam is the only set I own. But I'm very, very happy with it.

Amusingly, though, in headphones at least, you can faintly here a bird twittering outside in one or two recordings. It's rather beautiful actually, because when Shostakovich ends a quartet quietly and peacefully, it fits!

I think it's the end of op.73 where that happens.

Hmm, will have to check that out. 

[Karl Henning]

Which other cycles do you have, Karl? 

The Emersons, Pacificas & Mandelrings . . . hard to pick one favorite from among them, Ray.  Also the Borodins.

[Brahmsian]

The Emersons, Pacificas & Mandelrings . . . hard to pick one favorite from among them, Ray.  Also the Borodins.

Excellent, Karl.  Is the Pacifica cycle now complete?

[Karl Henning]

It is!

[Wakefield]

Excellent, Karl.  Is the Pacifica cycle now complete?

Shostakovich is with distance my favorite composer of the 20th Century, but (for some unexplainable reason) I rarely  stop here. But this time I needed to say: Well come back home, ChamberNut! It's great to see you around here again. 

[snyprrr]

Now on slow mvmt of No.4.......

Op.83 starts off well, being a little more sunrise-blazing than sunrise-soothing, with the tempo firmly in the sweet spot. The slow movement has the slowness necessary, but the Fittzies don't seem to invest every note with yearning, the way, say, the Moyzes, or even the Borodin do. However, the 'Waltz', from the first note, has an etched quality I haven't really heard much- again, the cello is so firm, with bluff good humor, that one thinks that this cellist seeks to be the dedicate of a future DSCH SQ- I really think he's trying to channel- or challenge- Berlinsky (the Borodin's cellist). Again, the Fittzies don't sound particularly Russian, but, the way they vigorously produce their notes, they seem to show the more 'Universalist' aspects of this music.- they, more than all the others I've heard, seem to let the notes speak from the paper...

Also, I cheated, and skipped to No.11 (short), and, yes!, this one make quite an impact on me, as good as Borodin'67, and preferable to Borodin'81. The intensity in this one can go head to head with any other, I believe. Only the modern sound elevates my favored Vogler (RCA).


So, I'm closing in on 1-7 here, and, generally, there is nothing I can say- though, now that I've heard them (and know I can get them at the library) I just don't seem to feel the need to get them for myself. As good, and classic as they are, it's almost a superfluousness of great things to have the Fittzies on top of everyone else. SURE, AT THE TIME, I can see this Cycle making waves, but, this IS before the 2nd Borodin Cycle, with which this set really MUST compete with. However, again, if there was only one set, and this was it, I don't see how anyone (so far) could have any issues. Performances are manly (maybe a bit so), and 'old school', and all the notes come through, and the recording is classic '70s soul food.

I might have to go with the Fittzies OVER the Emerson, though, simply because they play a bit more 'old school', and don't go absolutely bonkers with the speed demon approach.

WE STILL HAVE 8-10 AND 12-15 TO GO!!






OK,----OP.110 IS NEXT UP.... SHALL WE ALL SYNCHRONIZE FOR 5PM EST???

[Karl Henning]

I'll be on a bus then.

[Karl Henning]

"Bonkers"? 

[snyprrr]

"Bonkers"? 

I'm thinking a lot of the Emerson's finales are taken way too quickly,- Op.73- Op.118... no breathing room at all. Come on, karl, we all know that the Emerson's approach is ultimately flawed in The Big Picture sense-

a) not Russian

b) playing even the most human of the SQs as "Abstract Music"

c)


well,- of course, their Abstract approach works great with the actual Abstract Music - 5... 7... 11... 12...13.... however, their final to No.4 contains the least amount of humanity than in all the others combined!


Frankly, this "didn't hear the Fittzies until now" thing has even opened my eyes wider to the Emerson's approach. I can't believe how good the Fittzies are in comparison to the jet set group- aaand they sound so human- however, they have what it takes to make the Abstract works work, also. For me, it's hands down

Fittzies > Emerson


I can now only recommend the Emerson to someone who has already the Early Masters, and maybe some other moderns--- I mean, I'd recommend the Emerson for DESSERT, not for the MAIN COURSE!!!!


I continue with the Fittzies... Op.118...

[snyprrr]

I'm in.   

Op.110

Well, I had a keen ear on this one from the get go. The 1st goes by, tense and brooding, but nothing either way tothe extreme- still, one can feel the seriousness. THEN!!!-

WOW!!- the 'Allegro molto' is one of the most ferocious ever!- St.Lawrence come to mind. They are certainly even more so than the Emerson, which really shocked me. But, yea, the Fittzies rise close to the top here. The buzzing fast notes sound like human victims scattering in the face of theTerror- whereas in all other versions the buzzing notes sound more like the ENEMY- here the sound like the protagonist scurringy frantically. I give the Fittzies TOTAL CREDIT here- I think they really listened to DSCH when he described what he wanted here.

And then the 3rd is one of the quickest on record, but the Fittzies imbue it with all the angst of the Sorrel's much longer version. The Fittzies EXCEL IN THE PIZZ DEPT.!!!!!!!- in all, the pieces I've so far heard.

And the 4th is very quick and menacing,- as a matter of fact, I think this is the most breathless Op.110 I've heard.

And it end...



YES, SO, THE FITTZIES DELIVERED ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL OP.110s of all time............ I am truly impressed to hear a standout 8th in a Complete Cycle (usually it's the one that lead balloons- the Emerson's reading really isn't all that it could be, you must admit, eh?)








Op.118

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!


I AM STUNNED by the Fittzies' Op.119. My new fav was the Borodin'67, but this one truly equals that one,- A TIE!!! I think the Fittzies must have had the Borodin'67 on the LP because they are so similar. Every thing is done right here, everything. The digging, the biting... the slow mvmt. is breathless.... so much detail everywhere.,

Easily one of the very very best- along with No.11

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!





















Now we have 9.... 12-15 left...... so far, the Fittzies would be my No.1 recommends for the Newbie..... personally, I don't know if I "need" them, but, THEIR PRICE IS SO RIDICULOUSLY LOW- it will probably be inevitable.


WORST THING ABOUT THE FITTZIES SO FAR--- the CD Box cover.... oy, please re-issue, ack.... if the cover were irressasstatable this set would be even more in demand.




Sorry, I am impressed. The Fittzies are a thing that makes you go, Hmmmm.

[snyprrr]

I see sarge lurking!