BaL 11.12.21 - Shostakovich: Symphony no. 7 "Leningrad"

[Alison]

What a surprise choice.

[BBMmk2]

What a surprise choice.

I thought so too. I disagree with it.

[Bryn]

What a surprise choice.

Indeed. Bernstein is the very last conductor I would expect Seckerson to have gone for.

[Darloboy]

A work that’s only been covered by BaL once previously, in January 1989, when the reviewer was… Edward Seckerson! Does anyone know what he chose?

No answer to this but given that today's Bernstein winner wasn't released until later in 1989, I'll just assume he chose the NY Bernstein last time out.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Well, call me a sucker but I've just ordered the Mravinsky and the CSO/ Bernstein. To join the Haitink, Svetlanov and the legendary 'Superdrug' The work rose considerably in my estimation thanks to ES's examples and exposition

[richardfinegold]

I caught some of this on my CA streamer via Chromecast at 4:30 AM our time. The Bernstein DG sits on my shelves and I used to have the N.Y.
Phil. I don’t recall a lot of difference between the two so I had purged the earlier account years back.
I enjoy reading Seckerson, and this was my first time hearing him. He stimulates interest in the work itself and imo that is more important than his ultimate choice. We can all differ as to our favorites, but a critic that illuminates and entertains is a valuable thing

[gurnemanz]

My recordings:
Arturo Toscanini, Bernard Haitink (mentioned and dismissed)
Evgeny Mravinsky (recommended for Soviet authenticity - rec 1953, also the year Stalin died)
Kirill Kondrashin, Rudolph Barshai (not mentioned, unless I missed)
Leonard Bernstein (wrong recording - NYP)

[BBMmk2]

Indeed. Bernstein is the very last conductor I would expect Seckerson to have gone for.

I don’t think Barshai had a look in!!

[Goon525]

Although I wouldn’t particularly argue with ES’s choice on this occasion, his penchant for anything Lenny has ever done has made his BaLs a tad farcical. You can understand a lot about ES from his view that Bernard Haitink lacked the temperament for Mahler and Shostakovich. I can figure where he’s coming from, but it’s such a shallow view.

One other point: having said that technology was important in this work because of its scale, he then chose a version which is a third of a century old. Now it doesn’t sound bad, far from it, but the extract from the Boston/Nelsons sounded glorious, leagues ahead. Shame that was considered ‘mannered’.

[duncan]

An enjoyable BAL and we now know the most Bernsteinesque performance of the Leningrad was by ....Lenny Bernstein!

I listened to a stream of the Mravinsky as a result. Still not sure this is a home listening experience for me, though noted that not everyone has that choice.

[Alison]

Although I wouldn’t particularly argue with ES’s choice on this occasion, his penchant for anything Lenny has ever done has made his BaLs a tad farcical. You can understand a lot about ES from his view that Bernard Haitink lacked the temperament for Mahler and Shostakovich. I can figure where he’s coming from, but it’s such a shallow view.

One other point: having said that technology was important in this work because of its scale, he then chose a version which is a third of a century old. Now it doesn’t sound bad, far from it, but the extract from the Boston/Nelsons sounded glorious, leagues ahead. Shame that was considered ‘mannered’.

[Alison]

It was rather a small field this week.

Surprised Sir Mark not included.

[BBMmk2]

It was rather a small field this week.

Surprised Sir Mark not included.

Indeed it was.

[Bryn]

It was rather a small field this week.

Surprised Sir Mark not included.

Perhaps Seckers has a quick scan of the Amazon customer reviews and ruled it out without further investigation.

[Barbirollians]

Perhaps Seckers has a quick scan of the Amazon customer reviews and ruled it out without further investigation.

It’s not a surprise that the DG Bernstein won but I see that the late Michael Oliver raved about it in Gramophone when it was first released and declared it a clear winner. I only have his CBS version which is also very good.