Shostakovich Sonatas Recommendations

[Maciek]

I don't want to post separate topics for piano, viola, cello and violin, so all of them in one thread.

Any favorite recordings?

[Herman]

You wouldn't hurt yourself with Richter on piano and Oistrakh on violin, Rostropovich on cello.

[The new erato]

For a cheap and masterful fix, start here:

[val]

Regarding the viola Sonata, one of Shostakovitch most touching works, my choice would be Bashmet with Richter.

I don't think the violin Sonata has the same level of inspiration, but the version of David Oistrakh and Richter seems the best.

[Guido]

The cello sonata - the obvious choice would seem to be Rostropovich, as his playing of the cello concertos is the ne plus ultra of them. His is certainly a fine recording of the sonata(actually there is more than one), but personally my favourite is this wonderful disc -


On Amazon it seems to be out of print - can't believe this! It has an equally wonderful recording of the Prokofiev sonata, and the finest account of Stravinsky's Suite Italienne for cello and piano that I have heard. Mork is without a doubt one of 'the greats' in terms of cello playing, but maybe much less better known in the US than in Europe (though I'm not sure).

[Bunny]

The cello sonata - the obvious choice would seem to be Rostropovich, as his playing of the cello concertos is the ne plus ultra of them. His is certainly a fine recording of the sonata(actually there is more than one), but personally my favourite is this wonderful disc -


On Amazon it seems to be out of print - can't believe this! It has an equally wonderful recording of the Prokofiev sonata, and the finest account of Stravinsky's Suite Italienne for cello and piano that I have heard. Mork is without a doubt one of 'the greats' in terms of cello playing, but maybe much less better known in the US than in Europe (though I'm not sure).

Ditto!  Also one of my favorite cds. 

[Maciek]

Thank you for all your kind recommendations. (And I invite more, of course! )

I haven't got the Oistrakh, Kagan, Bashmet or Rostropovich recordings (though I can't say these came as surprise), so I'll certainly have to think about them. Am I to understand that Richter also recorded the Piano Sonatas? Could someone point me to a specific CD?

How does Kagan compare to Oistrakh?

That Mork CD fits the bill especially well because one of my current recordings of the Cello Sonata contains the Prokofiev as a coupling. So I could upgrade both perfomances in one go.

[not edward]

The cello sonata - the obvious choice would seem to be Rostropovich, as his playing of the cello concertos is the ne plus ultra of them. His is certainly a fine recording of the sonata(actually there is more than one), but personally my favourite is this wonderful disc -


On Amazon it seems to be out of print - can't believe this! It has an equally wonderful recording of the Prokofiev sonata, and the finest account of Stravinsky's Suite Italienne for cello and piano that I have heard. Mork is without a doubt one of 'the greats' in terms of cello playing, but maybe much less better known in the US than in Europe (though I'm not sure).

It's been reiussued on a twofer with Mork's recordings of the Rachmaninov and first Miaskovsky sonatas.



Great stuff.

[Maciek]

Wow! Thanks for pointing that out - I could use the Rachmaninov sonata as well, and this is very reasonably priced!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Am I to understand that Richter also recorded the Piano Sonatas? Could someone point me to a specific CD?

Sadly, Richter has recorded his fair share of solo Shostakovich but never the sonatas.

If you're looking for Richter in the solo music (definitely worth seeking out) you can find excerpts from the Op.87 Preludes and Fugues on various labels: Supraphon, Decca, Doremi, and others that are OOP and usually hard to find.

How does Kagan compare to Oistrakh?

I haven't heard Oistrakh in the violin sonata (I have Kagan's) but generally Oistrakh is more of a lyricist whereas Kagan has more of a 'jumpy' style, more edgy and animated. He and Richter as always do the music proud and make an extremely fine partnership.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

For the 2nd piano sonata there's either the wonderfully animated Gilels on RCA or the more nervously pensive Egorov on Canal Grande:

[Maciek]

Thanks for the input, Don! The op. 87 came up in every search I did (alone and in sets, complete and in excerpts), but couldn't find the Sonata(s) anywhere. Now I know why.

[PaulR]

http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Schnittke-Cello-Sonatas/dp/B000FEBQOK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1226252562&sr=1-6

I have that one, and like it.  It also has a sonata and a couple of solo works by Schnittke.  The CD ends with short cello works by Shostakovich.  It's a good CD I think

[Lilas Pastia]

I have the Brilliant box that includes the three stringed sonatas, the two piano ones as well as the second piano trio and the quintet. Isabelle van Keulen and Ronald Brautigam are the soloists in the violin and viola sonatas. I find the sonatas very satisfying, but I prefer Ashkenazy-Fitzwilliam in the Quintet.

[Herman]

In general (*) I find DSCH's music involving piano solo not as involving as the rest of his output. Just like Tchaikovsky, really.

His viola sonata and the 2nd piano sonata are exceptions. Personally (*) I have a hard time getting into the preludes and fugues.

(*) what does that even mean?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I have that one, and like it.  It also has a sonata and a couple of solo works by Schnittke.  The CD ends with short cello works by Shostakovich.  It's a good CD I think

Yes, I enjoy that disc, too. Haven't heard the Schnittke works yet but the Shostakovich is a winner.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Thanks for the input, Don! The op. 87 came up in every search I did (alone and in sets, complete and in excerpts), but couldn't find the Sonata(s) anywhere. Now I know why.

Yes, it's our loss Richter bypassed the piano sonatas (at least the second sonata).

[Dancing Divertimentian]

BTW, in the violin sonata I'm also fond of this disc:

[Maciek]

Mmm. I see they have the Daniel Hope disc at eMusic. That's an additional incentive of sorts...

BTW, I also noticed there's something called "Sonata for Viola and Chamber Orchestra op. 147a". Does anyone know if that is of Shostakovich's own making or a spontaneous mutation of some kind?

Forget I asked! I was looking for this on amazon to post a link, and at first found this instead:

"Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op.147 - Orchestrated by Vladimir Mendelssohn"
(it also has: "Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op.134 - Orchestrated by Michail Zinman; percussion arranged by Andrei Pushkarev" - why do I feel that is adding insult to injury? )