BaL 17.05.14 - Mussorgsky: Songs and Dances of Death

[Sir Velo]

I had visitors and wasnt able to listen: did Christoff get a mention?

GTBH but Christoff sounded dreadfully wooden in the extracts we heard. Fine singing but absolutely no.engagement with the text.

[Sir Velo]

Having listened, I still don't...

Philistine! You do realise we are talking about the greatest Russia composer of the 19th century bar none?

[umslopogaas]

Interesting. I cant speak the language, but I have listened to Christoff with a translated text and he seems to me to put plenty of expression into the delivery: operatic yes, but certainly not wooden to my ears (which, admittedly, have been said by more than one person to be made of cloth, or possibly tin: but I think Christoff is terrific).

As alternatives to Christoff I have Talvela, and Vishnevskya, who sings Shostakovich's orchestration. Both fine singers, but its the Christoff that sticks in the memory.

[CallMePaul]

Having listened intently throughout this BAL, I reached the same conclusion as the reviewer that Nestorenko was by far the finest recording in the review. I think I preferred Arkhipova in the orchestral version, but it was unclear whose orchestration was performed. Vishnevskaya was also excellent but I feel that Arkhipova's lower voice (in many respects as much contralto as mezzo) added something that no soprano can. All in all the Russian singers impressed far more than the rest, showing just how much Musorgsky's writing relates to the sound-world of the Russian language. This applies equally to his operas - much as I have enjoyed Opera North's Boris Godunov both on disc and in the theatre, it loses a lot by being sung in English.

[gurnemanz]

A pity that the classic Sergei Leiferkus only seems to have become available post review deadline. His orchestral version did get a mention. The virtues of the Nesterenko were clear to behold but for the same price you can have the absolutely marvellous Leiferkus 4CD complete set with Semyon Skigin on piano - just out on Brilliant Classics This is what I went for - arrived this morning. Original Conifer issue reviewed here..

[LeMartinPecheur]

Having listened intently throughout this BAL, I reached the same conclusion as the reviewer that Nestorenko was by far the finest recording in the review.

I've just remembered that Stephen Johnson did a chapter on Mussorgsky songs in the CUP Song on Record - Vol 2, ed. Alan Blyth (1988). Of this recording he says, "There is plenty of power in Nestorenko's recording, but little subtlety. A very disappointing rendering altogether, not at all comparable with his fine Sunless... His 'Field-Marshal' is delivered as an almost unrelieved bellow: vse stikho (all is quiet) says the text at bar 31 - it certainly isn't here!"
Well, yer pays yer money...

FWIW, his top picks are George London (two versions - one with Ulanowski and one with Taubmann, different but equally good) [*] and Arkhipova with Wustman on HMV ASD 3103, the sleeve of which I copied above.

The Christoff orchestral version is commended for the singing, but not for the modifications to the music (Rimsky-Korsakov) and the orchestrations (Labinsky, Lyapunov and R-K). Johnson prefers Christoff's 1951 piano version with Gerald Moore.[*] Amazon lists neither of these recordings, but there is a live one with Werba at the piano http://www.amazon.co.uk/George-Londo...orge+london%22

Here's a link to the book(s): http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...ord%22%20blyth