Shostakovich Symphonies

[Shosta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Sarvis What truly notable performances am I missing?

For the fisrt symphony i like RCA Red Seal Temirkanov St. Petersburg Philarmonic Orchestra. Very crisp and very rhythmic.

By de way, how it's Jarret playing the preludes. I've got Sherbakov and Ashkenazy but i like that work so i'm planning to get more versions (Nikolayeva, ...)

 

[Doc Sarvis]

I like Jarrett a lot. A lot of other people don't like it, but I think that's mostly snobbery. It's a very straight reading. Also, the tempo on Prelude # 1 is so slow that it's a bit disorienting.

I'll probably get Nikolayeva next.

 

[Shosta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Sarvis I like Jarrett a lot.

Jarrett it's disconcerting. I have a very 'orthodox' (and good) Goldberg variations. I never expected that. (Excuses for the offtopic).

 

[Mark from HFR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Sarvis My current Shosty set: 24 Preludes and Fugues - Jarrett Age of Gold Suite - Symphony # 1 Martinon, London Symphony Orchestra Piano Concerto # 1, Chamber Symphony, Preludes (old bootleg, performer unknown) String Quartets Emerson String Quartet Piano Concerto # 2 - Previn LSO Symphonies 1,7 Bernstein Symphonies complete 1-15 Kondrashin Symphonies 6,12Slovak Symphony # 10 - Karajan Symphony # 11 Stokowski Symphony # 14 Swenson Symphony # 2, Cello Concerto - Blazhkov Symphony # 5 Bernstein 1959, New York Philharmonic Symphony # 5 - Bernstein 1979 Symphony # 5, Skrowaczewski Symphony # 7Slovak Symphony # 8Litton Symphony 15, Sonata 2Ormandy ...plus other odds and ends. What truly notable performances am I missing?

Here's my DSCH symphonies collection:
#1 Haitink, Sanderling, Barshai, Lopez-Cobos, Bernstein (twice), Rodzinski
#2 Rostropovich, Barshai
#3 Rostropovich, Barshai
#4 Rozhdestvensky, Barshai
#5 Rostropovich, Jansons, Gorenstein, Barshai, Gergiev, Kondrashin, Bernstein (twice), Maazel, Mravinsky (twice), Wigglesworth, Rozhdestvensky, Jarvi, Ashkenazy, Previn, Horenstein, Mitropoulos, Skrowaczewski, Stokowski (twice), Kertesz, Freccia, Kofman
#6 Bernstein, Kondrashin, Wigglesworth, Haitink, Barshai, Sanderling, Boult
#7 Gergiev, Barshai, Bernstein (twice), Mravinsky, Ancerl
#8 Rozhdestvensky, Mravinsky, Kondrashin, Haitink, Barshai, Sanderling, Slatkin, Jarvi, Levi
#9 Gergiev, Barshai, Jansons, Kurtz, Haitink, Ashkenazy, Kofman, Oistrakh
#10 Barshai, Jarvi, Wigglesworth, Sanderling, Slatkin, Stokowski, Rattle, Berglund
#11 Mravinsky, Rostropovich, Barshai, Stokowski, De Priest, (reviewing Lazarev next)
#12 Jarvi, Barshai
#13 Kondrashin (twice), Rozhdestvensky, Barshai
#14 Wigglesworth, Britten, Rozhdestvensky, Haitink, Jarvi, Barshai (twice)
#15 Sanderling, Haitink, Lopez-Cobos, Dutoit, Ashkenazy, Kondrashin

A couple that you may want to hunt down in particular:
Rozhdestvensky's 4th-- I've fallen behind on 4ths lately. I hear there have been great contributions from Gergiev, Jansons, and Rattle. Whichever one you get, make sure you do get a 4th. It's a bewildering journey-- DSCH's most Mahlerian work, by far-- and it is one of his greatest.
Rozhdestvensky's 8th-- Godawful early digital recording by Melodiya. They imitated DG's boatload-o'-mikes approach, with disastrous consequences; but, Lord, what a committed performance!
Wigglesworth's 14th-- Contrary to the supposition posted earlier in this thread, Wigglesworth is a first rate conductor. I've heard him conduct the Cleveland Orchestra live and found him considerably more inspiring than many more famous names. Slowly but surely, word is getting around about him. Grapevine gossip has it that the BBC Wales orchestra had trouble getting along with him. If he can successfully deal with players in the future, his recording of the DSCH 14th proves he is a force to be reckoned with. If any of the major orchestras looking for a conductor were bold enough to take a risk, Wigglesworth might pay off big time. His DSCH 14th is even better than the recording led by Benjamin Britten- the work's dedicatee.
Sanderling's later 15th-- This is a controversial pick that a lot of people will disagree with. It all depends on what you think the 15th means. If you take it at face value, then Sanderling's later recording (with the Cleveland Orchestra on Erato) will seem lugubrious. But Sanderlin sold me on his approach, which is oppressive... the dreams and visions of a dying man. Sanderling's Cleveland recording is the only one I have heard to date that makes the 15th sound like a plausible successor to the despairing 14th. In the right conductors' hands, these two works emerge as DSCH's greatest two symphonies.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

I really like the Kondrashin 4 that I have, but I'd like to explore more.

 

[Mark from HFR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark from HFR #5 Rostropovich, Jansons, Gorenstein, Barshai, Gergiev, Kondrashin, Bernstein (twice), Maazel, Mravinsky (twice), Wigglesworth, Rozhdestvensky, Jarvi, Ashkenazy, Previn, Horenstein, Mitropoulos, Skrowaczewski, Stokowski (twice), Kertesz, Freccia, Kofman

Whoops, I left out Benjamin Zander's DSCH 5th, live with the Boston Philharmonic. Stirring stuff! Coupled with a great version of the 1st cello concerto. Hard to find, but worth the search.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Just ordered the Shostakovich 7th SACD on Naxos by Yablonsky (at $11.99 why not). I have the famous Bernstein - CSO as a reference (as an aside, Scott, I noticed that there are used ones pretty cheap now on amazon), but I wanted an SACD version. Has anyone heard this? I also got the Naxos CD of Shosty's "Hamlet" score - should be interesting.

While I was at it, I picked up the Cantaloube Chants SACD (on Bunny's recommendation), and another David Diamond CD. Should be fun listening!

 

[Bunnyears]

Doc,

They aren't chants. They are chansons d'Auvergne, simple folk tunes that were collected and given more modern (read romantic) treatments by the composer Joseph Canteloube. If you are expecting chants, you're in for a big surprise.

I also got the Shostakovich 5 in sacd, but it's still in the mail.

 

[Thaddy]

I had the oppurtunity to go see the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra perform Symphony #7 on my birthday this past April. I ended up going with my Mother and Grandma, and was absolutely blown away. Granted, I was feeling pretty good (it was my 21st, Mom bought me wine), but I still remember the feeling of sitting there with my eyes closed, while goosebumps formed all over my body

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears Doc, They aren't chants. They are chansons d'Auvergne, simple folk tunes that were collected and given more modern (read romantic) treatments by the composer Joseph Canteloube. If you are expecting chants, you're in for a big surprise. I also got the Shostakovich 5 in sacd, but it's still in the mail.

I didn't know what they were - I've heard of a famous old recording, so I thought the Naxos would be fun. Looking forward to it!

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaddy I had the oppurtunity to go see the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra perform Symphony #7 on my birthday this past April. I ended up going with my Mother and Grandma, and was absolutely blown away. Granted, I was feeling pretty good (it was my 21st, Mom bought me wine), but I still remember the feeling of sitting there with my eyes closed, while goosebumps formed all over my body

Hearing 7 performed live is enough to make a lifelong Shostakovich fan out of anyone. I remember sitting on the second row for a live performance that almost literally knocked me out of my chair. I remember the first violins playing so hard that strings were breaking right and left. Quite a memorable performance.

 

[Bunnyears]

I know this is a little off topic, but last month I was lucky enough to hear Christian Tetzlaff and Leif Ove Andsnes perform the Shostakovich violin sonata. I've been looking for a great recording of this (knowing that the ultimate is the Oistrakh/Richter performance which is part of the boxed set, David Oistrakh edition). Can someone give me some recommendations for this?

Thanks, in advance!

Bunny

 

[Shosta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears Can someone give me some recommendations for this?

I own Vengerov/Rostropovich and i'm satisfied with the performances (two discs, they are two violin concerts) paired with Prokofiev violin concerts.
Oistrakh is in my list of wishes !!!

 

[Mark from HFR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears I know this is a little off topic, but last month I was lucky enough to hear Christian Tetzlaff and Leif Ove Andsnes perform the Shostakovich violin concerto. I've been looking for a great recording of this (knowing that the ultimate is the Oistrakh/Richter performance which is part of the boxed set, David Oistrakh edition). Can someone give me some recommendations for this? Thanks, in advance! Bunny

Bunny,

I go for Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg's recording of the first DSCH concerto, on EMI. She treats it as a matter of life or death!

 

[Bunnyears]

Mark,

Chalk up another booboo due to late night posting! It's not the concerto (of which I have many excellent recordings) but the sonata for violin and piano. That's the hard one to find. I was going to edit the post, but since you are the only one posting, I guess I'll let it stand.