Dmitri's Dacha

[arpeggio]

Last night at the Strathmore Music Center in Rockville, Maryland I attended a concert of the Philadelphia Orchestra performing the Shostakovich Seventh Symphony.  Yannick Nézet-Séguin was conducting.

I take back every negative thought I have had of The Seventh.  IT WAS AWESOME

The boys and girls of Philly blew it away.  The strings were magnificant.  There is a real body to their sound.  Shostakovich likes the contrabassoon and has composed some great contra parts.  Even in a subsidiary role the contra has some real important parts that came through in the live performance.  The lady contra player even got a standing ovation.

What I did not realize is that Shostakovich employed an antiphonal double brass section, one on stage left and one on stage right.  The only brass instrument that was not doubled was the Tuba.

In that live performanc I was hearing all sorts of things I have never noticed before.

My wife rarely gives a standing ovation.  I think that this was only the fourth time she has ever given one.

[relm1]

Last night at the Strathmore Music Center in Rockville, Maryland I attended a concert of the Philadelphia Orchestra performing the Shostakovich Seventh Symphony.  Yannick Nézet-Séguin was conducting.

I take back every negative thought I have had of The Seventh.  IT WAS AWESOME

The boys and girls of Philly blew it away.  The strings were magnificant.  There is a real body to their sound.  Shostakovich likes the contrabassoon and has composed some great contra parts.  Even in a subsidiary role the contra has some real important parts that came through in the live performance.  The lady contra player even got a standing ovation.

What I did not realize is that Shostakovich employed a antiphonal double brass section, one on stage left and one on stage right.  The only brass instrument that was not doubled was the Tuba.

In that live performanc I was hearing all sorts of things I have never noticed before.

My wife rarely gives a standing ovation.  I think that this was only the fourth time she has ever given one.

That's great to hear!  A friend played in the brass for that very concert - will let him know you and your wife approved.

[Mirror Image]

Last night at the Strathmore Music Center in Rockville, Maryland I attended a concert of the Philadelphia Orchestra performing the Shostakovich Seventh Symphony.  Yannick Nézet-Séguin was conducting.

I take back every negative thought I have had of The Seventh.  IT WAS AWESOME

The boys and girls of Philly blew it away.  The strings were magnificant.  There is a real body to their sound.  Shostakovich likes the contrabassoon and has composed some great contra parts.  Even in a subsidiary role the contra has some real important parts that came through in the live performance.  The lady contra player even got a standing ovation.

What I did not realize is that Shostakovich employed a antiphonal double brass section, one on stage left and one on stage right.  The only brass instrument that was not doubled was the Tuba.

In that live performanc I was hearing all sorts of things I have never noticed before.

My wife rarely gives a standing ovation.  I think that this was only the fourth time she has ever given one.

The Leningrad has much more depth to it that many are unaware of or simply choose not to acknowledge. The Adagio movement is gut-wrenching and incredibly powerful in it's emotional expression.

[Karl Henning]

Last night at the Strathmore Music Center in Rockville, Maryland I attended a concert of the Philadelphia Orchestra performing the Shostakovich Seventh Symphony.  Yannick Nézet-Séguin was conducting.

I take back every negative thought I have had of The Seventh.  IT WAS AWESOME

The boys and girls of Philly blew it away.  The strings were magnificant.  There is a real body to their sound.  Shostakovich likes the contrabassoon and has composed some great contra parts.  Even in a subsidiary role the contra has some real important parts that came through in the live performance.  The lady contra player even got a standing ovation.

What I did not realize is that Shostakovich employed a antiphonal double brass section, one on stage left and one on stage right.  The only brass instrument that was not doubled was the Tuba.

In that live performanc I was hearing all sorts of things I have never noticed before.

My wife rarely gives a standing ovation.  I think that this was only the fourth time she has ever given one.

Although I had already upgraded my opinion of the Symphony ahead of the concert, we too heard a life-changingly amazing live performance of the Leningrad, in Worcester's Mechanics Hall, Gergiev leading the Mariinka.  They absolutely raised the roof.  I am thrilled that you have a "Road to Leningrad via Damascus"  experience!

[arpeggio]

Review in the Washington Post about Philadelphia performing the Shostakovich Seventh.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/philadelphia-orchestra-triumphs-in-epic-seventh-symphony/2018/03/07/93fde9e8-222b-11e8-946c-9420060cb7bd_story.html?utm_term=.98ac6a03c573

[Moonfish]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10                 Mravinsky/Leningrad PO

Excellent! The horns! The horns!  Ahhhhhhh! I cannot quite decide if I like this one better than Rostropovich's rendition. Hmm...
*leaning towards Mravinsky*

This is such a great symphony! I have been obsessed with Rostopovich's performance of S10 in the past so Mravinsky's performance with the Leningrad forces impressed me. (Perhaps I'm too easily impressed by the Russian horn section?). I feel like I'm wandering through a storm of challenges, wind beating my face and destiny is rapidly approaching. Ah, fate!

What are your favorite 10s?

[Karl Henning]

[...] What are your favorite 10s?

Jansons/Phila. to start with.

[NikF]

Last night saw me complete my attendance of a five night series of recitals; Shostakovich 24 Preludes and Fugues (along with the Bach 48) and what an experience it was. Although already aware of them, these pieces by Shosty showed (within my still limited frame of reference) in a vivid and almost provocative manner another and perhaps more liberated side to him.
As an aside: each evening of the recitals was limited to a maximum audience of approximately 90 people seated in a relatively small room. And what a pleasure to be part of what felt at times almost a vicarious experience. My thanks to Gusztav Fenyo for further illuminating Shostakovich, but also introducing me to the Bach - I'm not qualified to pass judgement on his performance as a pianist, but I feel that even from piece to piece how he employed dynamics was wonderful - and that consistency extended to and was also readily apparent from evening to evening.

[Mirror Image]

Great to hear, Nik! Shostakovich's Preludes & Fugues is an incredible piece of music. I'd like to acquire a few more recordings of it. Right now, I only own Melnikov's recording on Harmonia Mundi, which is exquisite.

[NikF]

Great to hear, Nik! Shostakovich's Preludes & Fugues is an incredible piece of music. I'd like to acquire a few more recordings of it. Right now, I only own Melnikov's recording on Harmonia Mundi, which is exquisite.

Hey pal! Yeah, I'll eventually expand my own meagre collection, beyond the Nikolayeva recordings.

[Karl Henning]

Last night saw me complete my attendance of a five night series of recitals; Shostakovich 24 Preludes and Fugues (along with the Bach 48) and what an experience it was. Although already aware of them, these pieces by Shosty showed (within my still limited frame of reference) in a vivid and almost provocative manner another and perhaps more liberated side to him.
As an aside: each evening of the recitals was limited to a maximum audience of approximately 90 people seated in a relatively small room. And what a pleasure to be part of what felt at times almost a vicarious experience. My thanks to Gusztav Fenyo for further illuminating Shostakovich, but also introducing me to the Bach - I'm not qualified to pass judgement on his performance as a pianist, but I feel that even from piece to piece how he employed dynamics was wonderful - and that consistency extended to and was also readily apparent from evening to evening.

Splendid!

Great to hear, Nik! Shostakovich's Preludes & Fugues is an incredible piece of music. I'd like to acquire a few more recordings of it. Right now, I only own Melnikov's recording on Harmonia Mundi, which is exquisite.

The Melnikov set is wonderful.

Very good, also, is the Scherbakov on Naxos.

[Mirror Image]

Hey pal! Yeah, I'll eventually expand my own meagre collection, beyond the Nikolayeva recordings.

I still need to get those Nikolayeva recordings. Her performances of this work are quite highly lauded.

[Mirror Image]

The Melnikov set is wonderful.

Very good, also, is the Scherbakov on Naxos.

Excellent, Karl. I'll be acquiring Scherbakov I'm sure (at some point).

[snyprrr]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10                 Mravinsky/Leningrad PO

Excellent! The horns! The horns!  Ahhhhhhh! I cannot quite decide if I like this one better than Rostropovich's rendition. Hmm...
*leaning towards Mravinsky*

This is such a great symphony! I have been obsessed with Rostopovich's performance of S10 in the past so Mravinsky's performance with the Leningrad forces impressed me. (Perhaps I'm too easily impressed by the Russian horn section?). I feel like I'm wandering through a storm of challenges, wind beating my face and destiny is rapidly approaching. Ah, fate!

What are your favorite 10s?

I find so many that start off so quietly, and one can't hear the basses- so, fidelity is an issue with this work. I have Karajan, that British 'live' one (Mackerras?) that everyone says is the best, Ashkenazy, ... and maybe one other...

... I was liking Ashkenazy here (he's hit/miss with me)...

...at least I can hear the Karajan...


...Janssons?...

[amw]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10                 Mravinsky/Leningrad PO

Excellent! The horns! The horns!  Ahhhhhhh! I cannot quite decide if I like this one better than Rostropovich's rendition. Hmm...
*leaning towards Mravinsky*

This is such a great symphony! I have been obsessed with Rostopovich's performance of S10 in the past so Mravinsky's performance with the Leningrad forces impressed me. (Perhaps I'm too easily impressed by the Russian horn section?). I feel like I'm wandering through a storm of challenges, wind beating my face and destiny is rapidly approaching. Ah, fate!

What are your favorite 10s?

I'll put in a good word for Dmitri Mitropoulos & the New York Phil, whose recording is the American premiere (supervised by Shostakovich via telephone) and which I found much more tolerable than any post-1975 recording of the symphony. Also worth mentioning is Dmitri Shostakovich and Mieczysław Weinberg's recording of the version for piano four hands.

[aukhawk]

Svetlanov / USSR SO - but I must seek out that Mravinsky, looks like my cup of tea.

I still need to get those Nikolayeva recordings. Her performances of this work are quite highly lauded.

Nikolayeva was supposedly well over the hill when she recorded the Hyperion set of the Preludes & Fugues.  I must say I don't notice anything untoward, and the piano recording is exceptionally good (warm, in an open acoustic), and of course Nikolayeva is uniquely authoritative in this music.  This was actually the first CD (set) I ever bought - having a collection of about 800 LPs, I finally cracked and bought my first CD player, and this set to play on it.  In retrospect was a very good choice.


My own favourite recording now is actually Jenny Lin on Hanssler (generally a bit more brio than either Nikolayeva or Melnikov, and the best recorded of any P&F set, I think). 
To be avoided, unfortunately, is Keith Jarrett, pale and lifeless.  Somewhere in between - Nikolayeva on Melodiya, Woodward, Papadopoulos, Mustonen, DSCH himself (on Naxos) - and a special mention for Peter Katina who plays them on accordion (not a complete set).

[Karl Henning]

To be avoided, unfortunately, is Keith Jarrett, pale and lifeless.

Unfortunately, agreed.

[Mirror Image]

Nikolayeva was supposedly well over the hill when she recorded the Hyperion set of the Preludes & Fugues.  I must say I don't notice anything untoward, and the piano recording is exceptionally good (warm, in an open acoustic), and of course Nikolayeva is uniquely authoritative in this music.  This was actually the first CD (set) I ever bought - having a collection of about 800 LPs, I finally cracked and bought my first CD player, and this set to play on it.  In retrospect was a very good choice.


My own favourite recording now is actually Jenny Lin on Hanssler (generally a bit more brio than either Nikolayeva or Melnikov, and the best recorded of any P&F set, I think). 
To be avoided, unfortunately, is Keith Jarrett, pale and lifeless.  Somewhere in between - Nikolayeva on Melodiya, Woodward, Papadopoulos, Mustonen, DSCH himself (on Naxos) - and a special mention for Peter Katina who plays them on accordion (not a complete set).

Thanks for the recommendations. There's much to mull over here.

[bhodges]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10                 Mravinsky/Leningrad PO

Excellent! The horns! The horns!  Ahhhhhhh! I cannot quite decide if I like this one better than Rostropovich's rendition. Hmm...
*leaning towards Mravinsky*

This is such a great symphony! I have been obsessed with Rostopovich's performance of S10 in the past so Mravinsky's performance with the Leningrad forces impressed me. (Perhaps I'm too easily impressed by the Russian horn section?). I feel like I'm wandering through a storm of challenges, wind beating my face and destiny is rapidly approaching. Ah, fate!

What are your favorite 10s?

Karl mentioned Jansons/Philadelphia, which is excellent. Also:

Karajan/Berlin (both versions)
Solti/Chicago (surprised me)
Dohnányi/Cleveland (with a great coupling, Lutoslawski Musique funèbre)
Haitink/LPO

Browsing Amazon, there are many versions I've not yet heard, such as the recent one with Andris Nelsons/Boston. Great to have so many recordings of the piece available.

--Bruce

[Baron Scarpia]

Splendid!

The Melnikov set is wonderful.

Very good, also, is the Scherbakov on Naxos.

Oddly, no one ever seems to mention Ashkenazy's Shostakovich 24 p&f. It was my introduction to the piece, and the only recording I've ever listened to.