BaL 13.07.24 - Shostakovich: Symphony 5

[gurnemanz]

One of my most memorable live concert experiences was Shostakovich 15 in 1972 with Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester Leipzig under Herbert Kegel. It was first time I had heard the work and the first DDR performance. A few years ago I was very pleased to track down a Kegel Shostakovich Symphony set from Weitblick which contains a recording of that evening's performance. I had to order it from Japan and it seems to be no longer available. (Discogs listing). The recommendable 5th and 9th from that set is on Amazon.

[oliver sudden]

The Ančerl live 5, 7, 9 set is I think from Praga, distributed for a while by harmonia mundi / le chant du Monde.

https://www.discogs.com/release/19723804-Karel-An%C4%8Derl-Dimitri-Shostakovich-Symphony-No5-Symphony-No9-Symphony-No7-Leningrad

The Ančerl 10 is on DG. My copy couples it with an excellent version of the Stravinsky violin concerto (Schneiderhan doing the solo honours).

There was a live Ančerl 4 on YouTube for a while but it’s not there any more. Glad to have downloaded it while I had the chance!

[oliver sudden]

Having just posted the Gutman comparative review of the 5th, I dipped into his corresponding article on the 10th and had quite a few déjà lu moments!

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/the-best-recordings-of-shostakovich-s-symphony-no-10

[richardfinegold]

The Ančerl live 5, 7, 9 set is I think from Praga, distributed for a while by harmonia mundi / le chant du Monde.

https://www.discogs.com/release/19723804-Karel-An%C4%8Derl-Dimitri-Shostakovich-Symphony-No5-Symphony-No9-Symphony-No7-Leningrad

The Ančerl 10 is on DG. My copy couples it with an excellent version of the Stravinsky violin concerto (Schneiderhan doing the solo honours).

There was a live Ančerl 4 on YouTube for a while but it’s not there any more. Glad to have downloaded it while I had the chance!

Praga is notorious for repackaging older recordings from other labels, so not to doubt you but are we sure that these aren’t the Supraphon recordings with some dubbed applause?

[Barbirollians]

My first recording was the Phlips Bychkov for which I still have a great regard - since then Ancerl, Barbirolli, Barshai, Bernstein NYPO 1959, Nelsons, Ormandy, Petrenko, Previn RCA , Sanderling and Stokowski live have joined the ranks - but it is Lenny and the NYPO still for me - far from saying all there is to say about the piece but its a great performance

[oliver sudden]

Praga is notorious for repackaging older recordings from other labels, so not to doubt you but are we sure that these aren’t the Supraphon recordings with some dubbed applause?

There is no official 4 or 9, so it’s pretty clear for those. The live 7 I haven’t heard yet, that needs a special occasion. I haven’t done a direct comparison with the 5 but the one in the live box has a couple of obviously-live moments (a horn crack for example).

To be fair to Praga, wasn’t it not so much them doing the dissimulating as it was Czech Radio back in the day repackaging studio recordings as ‘live’ for broadcast, and Praga decades later then believing what was on the boxes?

[oliver sudden]

Right, so I've managed to squeeze in a multitasked hearing of the 'live' 7 and right at the moment I strongly suspect that's a fake concert recording. There's no noise (and hardly any time) between the movements. There's some coughing when the snare drum starts up but that is of course the sort of thing that they added in those situations and the general lack of coughing raises an eyebrow. There are a couple of split brass notes which seem to be in more or less the same places.

Now I suppose I have to go and check the 5 properly. (While getting a tax return together and tidying the house for the return of the rest of the family.)

[richardfinegold]

Right, so I've managed to squeeze in a multitasked hearing of the 'live' 7 and right at the moment I strongly suspect that's a fake concert recording. There's no noise (and hardly any time) between the movements. There's some coughing when the snare drum starts up but that is of course the sort of thing that they added in those situations and the general lack of coughing raises an eyebrow. There are a couple of split brass notes which seem to be in more or less the same places.

Now I suppose I have to go and check the 5 properly. (While getting a tax return together and tidying the house for the return of the rest of the family.)

As a fellow father of multiples-did I mention that I have triplets, now 38 years old-I know the feeling of the stress of multitasking. Don’t knock yourself out on my account. Having been burned Praga in the past I wouldn’t chance the purchase under any circumstances.

[oliver sudden]

You did mention the triplets! Hats off. (Again.)

My lads are back from Serbia this evening so my listening opportunities are about to thin out again. On the other hand I have managed during to get my CDs back in order. A great improvement on the utter chaos they’ve been in for the last three years.

I don’t feel in the least burned by this Praga offering though. The 9th is absolutely stupendous. (Even though the first note is missing.) And even if it does turn out that this 7th is just the Supraphon recording with added coughs and applause, that does have a certain whatever the Czech for je ne sais quoi is.

[richardfinegold]

You did mention the triplets! Hats off. (Again.)

My lads are back from Serbia this evening so my listening opportunities are about to thin out again. On the other hand I have managed during to get my CDs back in order. A great improvement on the utter chaos they’ve been in for the last three years.

I don’t feel in the least burned by this Praga offering though. The 9th is absolutely stupendous. (Even though the first note is missing.) And even if it does turn out that this 7th is just the Supraphon recording with added coughs and applause, that does have a certain whatever the Czech for je ne sais quoi is.

I already have the Ancerl 7th so there is that…

[gradus]

Part of my enthusiasm for Stokowski in the fifth sym. is his relatively up-tempo conducting of the final bars instead of the drawn-out performance more usually heard notwithstanding DS's markings.

[parkepr]

Part of my enthusiasm for Stokowski in the fifth sym. is his relatively up-tempo conducting of the final bars instead of the drawn-out performance more usually heard notwithstanding DS's markings.

I agree... I used to listen to his live LSO version as my introduction to the work...

However, I sometimes think a brisk ending without a slowing down to so it abruptly finishes, would be intersting to hear...

[pastoralguy]

Neemi Jarvi’s recording with the (R)SNO is one of my favourite recordings of this monumental works.

[Barbirollians]

Those Jarvi Chandon recordings are excellent but I have them only on cassette . I would snap up a box - shame he never finished the series with the SNO.