Dmitri's Dacha

[vandermolen]

Also, a fabulous deep, rich soloist.  Sometimes they sound like tenors.  Hmm, interesting, so three different choirs are credited I notice. 

Thanks

[LKB]

I'll vote for Haitink on Decca in the 13th. In The Store has a sort of atmospheric weariness that l find effective, and Fears is downright hair-raising.

The men of the chorus are incredibly well-blended and very well balanced with the orchestra.

Good soloist, not quite as idiomatic as a Russian singer but strong vocally.

Other " honorable mentions " for Haitink: 5,6,8 and 11.

[Roasted Swan]

I'll vote for Haitink on Decca in the 13th. In The Store has a sort of atmospheric weariness that l find effective, and Fears is downright hair-raising.

The men of the chorus are incredibly well-blended and very well balanced with the orchestra.

Good soloist, not quite as idiomatic as a Russian singer but strong vocally.

Other " honorable mentions " for Haitink: 5,6,8 and 11.

I agree the Haitink 13 is a highlight of his cycle but so is Barshai's No.13 in his set.  Of the non-Soviet performances Barshai's is my favourite - darkly implaccable.......!

[Karl Henning]

I'll vote for Haitink on Decca in the 13th. In The Store has a sort of atmospheric weariness that l find effective, and Fears is downright hair-raising.

Yes. I'll frankly disclose, though, that I don't believe I've heard a recording of the Thirteenth not to like. I haven't heard all of Haitink's cycle, but his recordings were my entrée to about four of the symphonies, and I still think well of his work here.

[Roasted Swan]

Yes. I'll frankly disclose, though, that I don't believe I've heard a recording of the Thirteenth not to like. I haven't heard all of Haitink's cycle, but his recordings were my entrée to about four of the symphonies, and I still think well of his work here.

Fair comment - now I think about it I can't remember a bad recording!

[AnotherSpin]

I agree the Haitink 13 is a highlight of his cycle but so is Barshai's No.13 in his set.  Of the non-Soviet performances Barshai's is my favourite - darkly implaccable.......!

Barshai emigrated to the West when he was 52 y.o. I don't know whether he qualified as non-Soviet.

[Karl Henning]

Barshai emigrated to the West when he was 52 y.o. I don't know whether he qualified as non-Soviet.

I think what is meant is that the orchestra is a Western ensemble. Barshai clearly had a personal connection to the composer.

[Irons]

I think what is meant is that the orchestra is a Western ensemble. Barshai clearly had a personal connection to the composer.

Best of both worlds.

[vandermolen]

Fair comment - now I think about it I can't remember a bad recording!

Same here!

[Roasted Swan]

I think what is meant is that the orchestra is a Western ensemble. Barshai clearly had a personal connection to the composer.

In Rostislav Dubinsky's great memoir about making music under the Soviet Regime (Stormy Applause - a compelling read) he "outs" Barshai (the original viola player in the Borodin Quartet) as being the official State Informer to the KGB within the group.  I think we can call him "Soviet"!

[Karl Henning]

In Rostislav Dubinsky's great memoir about making music under the Soviet Regime (Stormy Applause - a compelling read) he "outs" Barshai (the original viola player in the Borodin Quartet) as being the official State Informer to the KGB within the group.  I think we can call him "Soviet"!

Thanks for reminding me about Stormy Applause, I should indeed read it. Indeed, the KGB had informers everywhere (each apartment building, e.g.) 

[Brian]

This recording presents a novelty. Trumpeter Timofei Dokschizer (or Dokshizer; both spellings are used repeatedly in the booklet) was a friend of Shostakovich who had once asked him to write a trumpet concerto, and frequently performed the trumpet part in the Piano Concerto No. 1. Acting on the knowledge that Shostakovich had originally intended that piece to have a much bigger trumpet part, Dokschizer rewrote the solo parts to give the trumpet more of the tunes and make the piano more of a supporting player. This recording was authorized by the Shostakovich estate and includes his rewritten parts (though not his re-orchestration of the rest of the ensemble, which apparently went rather too far).

Honestly? I don't hate it. At first, after the opening, it feels like the piano has been totally sidelined in favor of trumpet solos, but in the midsection and development, it becomes more of a true dialogue. The movement I struggle most with is the slow one, where the trumpet's volume just doesn't help the mood. The piano still gets a long solo to kick off the short third movement interlude, and the trumpet just echoes the strings. The finale is a total success I think - both players get to be virtuosic, both parts basically intact, the trumpet with loads of new flourishes. It's a real joyride for both players.

Merkelo is a wonderful trumpeter, but I think that both orchestra and pianist are a little too "soft" in deference to him. You can sense a lot of tentative softness in the strings in the third movement, and Cho sounds like he's playing chamber music the whole way through. I think microphone placement is also partly to blame; the soloists sound close and orchestra distant.

The Arutiunian piece is a slightly "exotic" bit of light music, only 15 minutes long. The Weinberg is symphonic in scope, though most listeners will best remember the finale, where the trumpeter quotes all the most famous trumpet solos from all of the previous musical repertoire, including Shostakovich.

Artistically, file this one under "not sure how to feel about it"! Both Dokschizer and Merkelo were/are Ukrainian and Merkelo donated his proceeds from this album's sales to Ukrainian war charity causes.

[Karl Henning]

This recording presents a novelty. Trumpeter Timofei Dokschizer (or Dokshizer; both spellings are used repeatedly in the booklet) was a friend of Shostakovich who had once asked him to write a trumpet concerto, and frequently performed the trumpet part in the Piano Concerto No. 1. Acting on the knowledge that Shostakovich had originally intended that piece to have a much bigger trumpet part, Dokschizer rewrote the solo parts to give the trumpet more of the tunes and make the piano more of a supporting player. This recording was authorized by the Shostakovich estate and includes his rewritten parts (though not his re-orchestration of the rest of the ensemble, which apparently went rather too far).

Honestly? I don't hate it. At first, after the opening, it feels like the piano has been totally sidelined in favor of trumpet solos, but in the midsection and development, it becomes more of a true dialogue. The movement I struggle most with is the slow one, where the trumpet's volume just doesn't help the mood. The piano still gets a long solo to kick off the short third movement interlude, and the trumpet just echoes the strings. The finale is a total success I think - both players get to be virtuosic, both parts basically intact, the trumpet with loads of new flourishes. It's a real joyride for both players.

Merkelo is a wonderful trumpeter, but I think that both orchestra and pianist are a little too "soft" in deference to him. You can sense a lot of tentative softness in the strings in the third movement, and Cho sounds like he's playing chamber music the whole way through. I think microphone placement is also partly to blame; the soloists sound close and orchestra distant.

The Arutiunian piece is a slightly "exotic" bit of light music, only 15 minutes long. The Weinberg is symphonic in scope, though most listeners will best remember the finale, where the trumpeter quotes all the most famous trumpet solos from all of the previous musical repertoire, including Shostakovich.

Artistically, file this one under "not sure how to feel about it"! Both Dokschizer and Merkelo were/are Ukrainian and Merkelo donated his proceeds from this album's sales to Ukrainian war charity causes.

Interesting. The Weinberg seems a jeu d'esprit, and the Arutunian has been a staple of trumpet auditions forever.

[Maestro267]

Anyone notice a big similarity between a three-note motif in the Fugue of the Piano Quintet and the first movement of the Fifth Symphony?

[Karl Henning]

Yo-Yo Ma, the BSO & Shostakovich

[relm1]

Yo-Yo Ma, the BSO & Shostakovich

Fascinating program, must have been magnificent!  I am particularly curious about Iman Habib's Zhiân.

[relm1]

What is your favorite recording of Symphony No. 4 and what makes it so great?

I just listened to Vassily Sinaisky/BBC Phil and it was excellent but doesn't knock down my favorite which is Haitink/London Phil.  I'm wondering why I adore Haitink's so much.  I've heard him play this work in other recordings but never matching the LPO recording.  First, technically it is incredible!  The balance between the instruments is just so spot on.  Even if Sinaisky's interpretation is great, he doesn't quite capture the soloistic moments as well which this symphony is full of.  There is the very famous trombone solo in the last movement, but many other moments throughout.  I marvel at the composition, it is so damn good structurally, adhering to tradition yet completely innovative.  Such oddities too, like the pitter patter percussion which he revisits in the epilogue of his final Symphony No. 15.  Haitink/LPO tempo is so perfect but also the tremendous transition from power and might to utter despair in the final minutes are tremendous.  I find this to be Shostakovich at his most Mahlerian but also his most dystopian and no where else done as finely as Haitink/London Phil fine as Sinaisky/BBC is.  To me, this work embodies our times.  It is a time capsule. 

[JBS]

What is your favorite recording of Symphony No. 4 and what makes it so great?

I just listened to Vassily Sinaisky/BBC Phil and it was excellent but doesn't knock down my favorite which is Haitink/London Phil.  I'm wondering why I adore Haitink's so much.  I've heard him play this work in other recordings but never matching the LPO recording.  First, technically it is incredible!  The balance between the instruments is just so spot on.  Even if Sinaisky's interpretation is great, he doesn't quite capture the soloistic moments as well which this symphony is full of.  There is the very famous trombone solo in the last movement, but many other moments throughout.  I marvel at the composition, it is so damn good structurally, adhering to tradition yet completely innovative.  Such oddities too, like the pitter patter percussion which he revisits in the epilogue of his final Symphony No. 15.  Haitink/LPO tempo is so perfect but also the tremendous transition from power and might to utter despair in the final minutes are tremendous.  I find this to be Shostakovich at his most Mahlerian but also his most dystopian and no where else done as finely as Haitink/London Phil fine as Sinaisky/BBC is.  To me, this work embodies our times.  It is a time capsule. 

Gergiev on Philips with the Rotterdam and Kirov Orchestras.
[Did he ever re-do it for the Mariinsky label?] It was my first exposure to this symphony, so it might be a case of imprinting.

Running close behind it might be Haitink/CSO on CSO Resound.

[Karl Henning]

Gergiev on Philips with the Rotterdam and Kirov Orchestras.
[Did he ever re-do it for the Mariinsky label?] It was my first exposure to this symphony, so it might be a case of imprinting.

Running close behind it might be Haitink/CSO on CSO Resound.

That CSO Resound recording is superb!

[Karl Henning]

That CSO Resound recording is superb!

Other recordings I like very much, (I don't actually think I can point to a single favorite) are Shostakovich fils and the Prague Symphony, Previn/CSO, Jansons/Bavarian Radio, Caetani/Milano, Andris/BSO.