If you could only own ONE Shostakovich CD...

[DarkAngel]

This maybe completely off the wall ............but Jarvi/Chandos has a great collection of ballet suites/overtures by Shostakovich that are immensely enjoyable now at mid price:

Jarvi

 

[MusicJunkie]

Anyone in the LA area going to see Gidon Kremer at the Disney Concert Hall on the 20th? I picked up a ticket this morning at ticketmaster.com so I know there are still seats available.

The program features Eastern European composers including Shostakovich and Schnittke. On the program is Schnittke's Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano "Quasi una sonata". What a wild piece! I can't wait to hear it live, it should be worth the price of admission just for this one alone.

Here's a link to the LA Phil webpage describing the program:

http://www.laphil.com/press/press_detail.cfm?id=1208

MJ

 

[augustwest]

Here is what I would recommend to you. Which is an outstanding bargain!

DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Symphonies Nos. 1-15

Alla Simoni (soprano); Vladimir Vaneev (bass); Sergei Alekshaskin (bass)

WDR Sinfonieorchester
RundfunkChor
Moscow Choral Academy

Rudolf Barshai

Brilliant Classics- 6275(CD)

The whole set is only about $22.00, and gets a great review. Read the review here:

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=4581

- augustwest

 

[fractus2]

Quote:

The whole set is only about $22.00, and gets a great review.

Arkiv has it for $55.08 Shostakovich: Symphonies / Barshai, Simoni, Wdr So, Et Al . Maybe the review is timeless, and here's another one:

The Symphonies (Complete)

$5.00 a disk and great reviews, it's still a bargain. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[DanG]

I posted a search on Amazon.com for the Melodiya set (which includes string quartets 1-15 as well as the piano quintet) and didn't get anything for months. Then I posted a wanted ad on Audiogon.com and received a reply within a day or two. I paid about original list price (under $50) for the entire set of the EMI UK import, which is the Melodiya set but remastered and repackaged. Sound quality is good and the performances are great.

I got the Valery Gergiev 2001 recording of Symphony 7 (Leningrad) which was actually recorded 9/12/2001 from BMG. The sound quality is great, but keep in mind that this symphony is an ideological piece and is difficult to listen to if ignoring this fact. The booklet contains some cursory but decent political interpretations of the symphony which officially was written in honor of the Soviet victory over Nazi German forces in the USSR, but usually interpreted as a rebuke of oppressive regimes whether fascist or Communist. This symphony is one which absolutely must be listened to in its entirety and in one sitting -- otherwise it just doesn't make sense.

The preludes and fugues are wonderful pieces of music, and I've argued (in a friendly way) about it a little before with Stu and have asserted that they're something of a parody of the Wohltempiered Klavier of Bach. Really, though, I suppose I now agree with Stu (if I recall correctly) that these pieces contain Shostakovich's mind and heart as usual with the familiar mix of sarcasm and depression. Wonderfully written and extremely fun to play if you're one that dabbles in the art of ivory-tickling. I've only heard the Nikolayevna recording but was not a huge fan of the performance. It would be nice if I had a chance to hear other recordings, but it might be tough here in Israel! But with the preponderance of Russian stores around here, I might find some choice Melodiya recordings.

Chris, I'll let you know if I find something good here from Melodiya, including the Borodin Quartet recordings.

 

[fractus2]

I wonder how this one sounds (only $17.99).

 

[DarkAngel]

AW + Fractus
Those Brilliant Classics super budget sets are almost too good to be true, don't own any but have read that several are pretty good sets:

Blomstedt/Brilliant - complete Beethoven symphonies
Inbal/Brilliant - complete Mahler symphonies
***Lots of Mozart stuff***
Goodman/Brilliant - complete Schubert symphonies
Marriner/Brilliant - complete Schumann symphonies
Barshai/Brilliant - complete Shostakovich symphonies
Sanderling/Brilliant - complete Sibelius symphonies

None of these are definite performances and they are hard to find, but they say the sound is pretty good and prices are just amazing.

 

[augustwest]

Here is a quote regarding the Brilliant Classics series and where to get them, from the review that linked (above). It seems that they suggest "Berkshire Records" as a good source for these. They indicate that the Shostakovich Symphony set can be had for only $22.00 there. Whether that is a current price, I do not know, but if it is, this may be a good source for the other "Brilliant Classic" releases.

"This Brilliant Classics set is such a bargain you almost feel guilty paying so little for it. So now, the choice is yours: you can order this fabulous, eternally rewarding collection of music by one of the 20th century's greatest composers (available in the U.S. from Berkshire Record Outlet)"

- augustwest

 

[scottder]

Hmm yet another classical composer I need to check out.

Scott

 

[iano]

I don't think anyone mentioned Shostakovich's 10th Symphony in all the recommendations above...personally, thats how I started with Shostakovich. It has the mix of grim misery and brooding, wild fantastical energy (the 'Stalin' movement), and the quirky tunes and orchestration that I associate with him as an orchestral composer. I own the Haitink disc (probably mid price by now), but there are many fine recording of this.

I also like many of the other symphonies alot, my favorites being 1,4,5,6,7,8,10,15. I just bought the Barshai set mentioned above, and it really is astonishing value ($38 in the local Tower Records, and you can get it for around that price or slightly less through amazon.com marketplace sellers). Especially good value considering Barshai's links with the composer, and the good quality of the sound and performances, its an incredible bargain. In addition, for me at least, it takes away the financial risk of buying a complete set that includes all those other symphonies (e.g. #2) that are much more 'politically correct' for the time and for me at least much less artistically rewarding.

Ian

 

[scottder]

Last night I picked up the Decca recording of Ashkenazy playing Shostakovich's Preludes and Fugues from the library, this will be my "listen of the day"

Scott

 

[lionel marechal]

The Piano quintet here (not an experienced chostakovich listener though) by Richter/Borodin. A recording I have liked for a long time.
Recently the 11th symphony By Jansons has been my first really enjoyable step into his symphonies.
Lionel

 

[jsaliga]

I think it would be helpful to the OP if you let him in on what sort of musical experience you are recommending. I love Shostakovich, but the quartets may the not the best place to start since many of them are dissonant and display atonal elements -- perhaps not everyone's cup of tea.

I wouldn't recommend to someone asking for jazz suggestions to start with Albert Ayler or Ornette Coleman for much the same reason. Just a thought.

I'll put in a personal nod to start with Symphonies 5 and 9, as they both are very accessible and they are usually paired together on CD. I like both the Bernard Haitink release on Decca and the Valery Gergiev on Hybrid SACD on Philips. Both are very worthwhile and sound terrific. Also, their is a Leonard Bernstein/NPO recording of Shosty's 5th and 9th on Sony's Bernstein Century series that has very good sound and can be had for $8.99 at Amazon.com -- a great value.

--Jerome

 

[Dr. Mephisto]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stuartr /img/forum/go_quote.gif Chris -- You might consider the new remasters of quartets 1-13 by the Borodin from the 60s/70s. It is their earliest, and supposedly they are good (I have not heard them). The last two quartets were not yet written, so they are absent. Supposedly the sound is very good, and more analog-y than the EMI/Melodiya ones. It was only 37 bucks at Amazon.

Agreed. I'm a huge fan of DSCH, but I think if I were getting into it for the first time, I'd get virtually any disc of his quartets (particularly his most famous No. 8) or his Piano Trios (both are fantastic).

That being said, as a cellist myself, Rostropovich playing both of the concerti is pure magic. My professor just performed the first one with our symphony last month. The last movement is brilliant.
-w-

 

[FalconP]

Make that two CDs, so that you can have a complete set of his 24 preludes and Fugues for Piano. Either Ashkenazy or Scherbakov.