BaL 11.11.17 - Shostakovich: Symphony no. 11 (The Year 1905)

[vinteuil]

.


... those who acquired the Bychkov box the other week on the strength of the BaL recommendation for the Franck will be pleased to find that today's BaL recommendation is there too -

http://amzn.eu/8qWlnec

.

http://amzn.eu/9ZN5t5M

.

[BBMmk2]

A really good BaL in some ways but not in asnother, as described above. Namely they spent too long in discussing the more salient points of this work. Ok, some were interesting but yes, rather yoo detailed for this programme.

I too are not keen very much on the twofer version of this programme.

[antongould]

I really enjoyed that BaL. Such fascinating conversation, really expanded my perspective on this symphony. Scholarly, experienced and so interesting. I shan't be adding the Bychkov, though. I'm enthralled with my Barshai (and have been for some time) and my recently acquired Haitink is not so far behind. I also have the Naxos Petrenko, but it doesn't move me as much as the other two - perhaps I can revisit it and listen with new ears, following this BaL.

We seem to have been lucky over the last couple of years with these BaLs, they are to me of consistently high quality. I still feel this is R3's best programme!

Agreed BeefO

[Beef Oven!]

Agreed BeefO

[Beef Oven!]

My heart also sank when I realised that it was a twofer but I found Gerard McBurney's, if I can be permitted to use the word, "exegesis", on the symphony to be, as Beefy puts it, "scholarly, experienced and so interesting". Exactly. I'm sorry that it wasn't longer as I would have liked more music but I came away from the programme with a new respect for a symphony which I've been inclined to dismiss as a bit second-rate. I have Bychkov anyway but will get hold of the Wigglesworth, if only for the wonderful recording.

I have succumbed to all the plaudits concerning the sonics of this recording. I'm not a Hi-Fi head, but sometimes it's nice to be impressed by the sound quality of a recording.

I think I'll get the Qobuz Hi-Res download.

[HighlandDougie]

I have succumbed to all the plaudits concerning the sonics of this recording. I'm not a Hi-Fi head, but sometimes it's nice to be impressed by the sound quality of a recording.

I think I'll get the Qobuz Hi-Res download.

Having just upgraded my (French) Hi-Fi (I think that I should start a thread called "Pimp my stereo", given the new interconnects, speaker cables etc which the bemused postie has been delivering, courtesy of eBay) - with the exception of my ATC speakers - I'm in the market for SACDs so have opted for the physical disc. You might find that e-classical is a bit cheaper than Qobuz (it's owned/operated by Bis, after all), although it's FLAC and necessitates conversion of the file format, if, like me, you use i-Tunes. They (e-classical) also have the Yakov Kreizberg Stuttgart SWR recording at a reasonable price- but no Hi-Res, alas.

[Beef Oven!]

Having just upgraded my (French) Hi-Fi (I think that I should start a thread called "Pimp my stereo", given the new interconnects, speaker cables etc which the bemused postie has been delivering, courtesy of eBay) - with the exception of my ATC speakers - I'm in the market for SACDs so have opted for the physical disc. You might find that e-classical is a bit cheaper than Qobuz (it's owned/operated by Bis, after all), although it's FLAC and necessitates conversion of the file format, if, like me, you use i-Tunes. They (e-classical) also have the Yakov Kreizberg Stuttgart SWR recording at a reasonable price- but no Hi-Res, alas.

I did check the eClassical, but went for Qobuz because it's less clunky (automatic ALAC option). My ears are not that great these days - Tandy bell-wire at 15p per kilometre does me these days!

[Petrushka]

I haven't listened to this BaL as yet but I'm not sure that the highest of Hi-Fi sound is something that I would necessarily be looking for in a library choice of this work. Nor, all things considered, would I be expecting the Shostakovich pedigree of the Berliners to immediately grab my attention (a fine 10th with HvK notwithstanding).

The Bychkov/WDR recording is on my shelves, as is the Haitink, but for a library choice the formidable claims of Mravinsky, Kondrashin and Rozhdestvensky, despite obvious sonic limitations, can't be lightly dismissed.

For anyone who wants it, the Bychkov/BPO is available as a Presto CD.

[Bryn]

I haven't listened to this BaL as yet but I'm not sure that the highest of Hi-Fi sound is something that I would necessarily be looking for in a library choice of this work. Nor, all things considered, would I be expecting the Shostakovich pedigree of the Berliners to immediately grab my attention (a fine 10th with HvK notwithstanding).

The Bychkov/WDR recording is on my shelves, as is the Haitink, but for a library choice the formidable claims of Mravinsky, Kondrashin and Rozhdestvensky, despite obvious sonic limitations, can't be lightly dismissed.

For anyone who wants it, the Bychkov/BPO is available as a Presto CD.

As you will see from the listing, the only Russian orchestras considered were the Leningrad Philharmonic Chamber[?] Orchestra under Yevgeny Mravinsky, the Russian National Orchestra under Mikhail Pletnev, and the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev. I was indeed a surprised to hear no sample of Kondrashin or Rozhdestvensky but having known the 'winner' and the Wigglesworth for years do not question the outcome. I intend to add the Kreizberg to the many others I have available. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the Bychkov/BPO is also to be found in the recently issued "The Art of Semyon Bychkov" boxed set.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I haven't listened to this BaL as yet but I'm not sure that the highest of Hi-Fi sound is something that I would necessarily be looking for in a library choice of this work. Nor, all things considered, would I be expecting the Shostakovich pedigree of the Berliners to immediately grab my attention (a fine 10th with HvK notwithstanding).

The Bychkov/WDR recording is on my shelves, as is the Haitink, but for a library choice the formidable claims of Mravinsky, Kondrashin and Rozhdestvensky, despite obvious sonic limitations, can't be lightly dismissed.

For anyone who wants it, the Bychkov/BPO is available as a Presto CD.

Pet: the emphasis on hi-fi sound came only out of McBurney's comments that in many recordings vital elements of the score simply couldn't be heard, or that instrumental effects were distorted by over-close miking. (That might be a reason for the silent dismissal of some old favourites, esp. Russian LPs.)

Thanks for the steer towards Presto for the winner - I've just followed it It'd better be good mind - I have 5 already (Kondrashin (LP), Haitink, Barshai, LSO/Rostropovich and the BBC MM Karabits).

[mahlerei]

For those who may think the Wigglesworth is all about superb sonics, I'd say the performance is, without doubt, one of the finest I've heard in recent years. Indeed, I'd suggest that's true of Wigglesworth's cycle as a whole.

[Beef Oven!]

For those who may think the Wigglesworth is all about superb sonics, I'd say the performance is, without doubt, one of the finest I've heard in recent years. Indeed, I'd suggest that's true of Wigglesworth's cycle as a whole.

Having just listened through the Hi-Res download that I bought this evening, I totally agree with you. In fact I prefer it to the Bychkov (which I listened to a just a few days ago). I fancy his #4 next.

[HighlandDougie]

For those who may think the Wigglesworth is all about superb sonics, I'd say the performance is, without doubt, one of the finest I've heard in recent years. Indeed, I'd suggest that's true of Wigglesworth's cycle as a whole.

Infelicitous wording on my part, alas. « If only for the recording» didn’t mean that I didn’t also appreciate how fine the performance is by MW. I have most of his cycle on CD and wholly agree with Mahlerei about its general excellence. My first post on the old R3 message board was about his DSCH 4th and how fine I thought it as a performance (and recording). I haven’t changed my mind about that in any way.

[Bryn]

For those who may think the Wigglesworth is all about superb sonics, I'd say the performance is, without doubt, one of the finest I've heard in recent years. Indeed, I'd suggest that's true of Wigglesworth's cycle as a whole.

The only one I have my doubts about are his 15th. This possibly has something to do with his distinctly different view of the work from that of today's reviewer. How ironic that the programme note for Marc Wigglesworth's 1999 BBC NOW Prom performance of the 15th was by none other than Gerard McBurney.

[mahlerei]

Infelicitous wording on my part, alas. « If only for the recording» didn’t mean that I didn’t also appreciate how fine the performance is by MW. I have most of his cycle on CD and wholly agree with Mahlerei about its general excellence. My first post on the old R3 message board was about his DSCH 4th and how fine I thought it as a performance (and recording). I haven’t changed my mind about that in any way.

Just a general comment, not addressed to anyone in particular :) As for MW's 4th, one of the best things in his cycle (and probably the catalogue). The Eighth and problematic 12th are excellent, too. I find his Babi Yar a little disappointing, but then Haitink is hard to beat in that one.

Bryn: haven't listened to No. 15 in a while...

PS: Would be good to have Sondergard's 2013 Prom of the 11th as a BBC MM disc. Any chance, I wonder?