BaL 21.01.23 - Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.30am
Building a Library: Shostakovich’s String Quartet No 8
Written at white heat in just three days, Shostakovich’s Eighth String Quartet is also his most personal - indeed, it opens with a form of the composer’s own initials. Emily has been listening to recordings from throughout the quartet’s life - from its first performers to young ensembles of the present day.

Available versions:-

Alexander String Quartet *
Altius Quartet *
Aris Quartett
Festival Strings Lucerne, Rudolf Baumgartner *
Beethoven Quartet
Beethoven Quartet Of Moscow *
Borodin String Quartet (1962)
Borodin String Quartet *
Borodin String Quartet
Borodin String Quartet
Borodin String Quartet
Borodin String Quartet
Brodsky Quartet
Brodsky Quartet
Carducci Quartet
Chilingirian String Quartet *
Coull Quartet
David Oistrakh String Quartet
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, James DePreist *
Dragon Quartet
Duke Quartet *
Eder Quartet
Edinburgh Quartet
Ehnes Quartet *
Emerson String Quartet
Lucerne Festival Strings, Achim Fiedler
Fitzwilliam String Quartet
Fresk Quartet *
Chamber Orchestra Conrad von der Goltz, Conrad von der Goltz *
Scottish Ensemble, Clio Gould
Hagen Quartett *
Estonian Festival Orchestra, Paavo Järvi
Jerusalem Quartet *
Minsk Chamber Orchestra, Vitaly Katajev *
Keller Quartet
Kopelman String Quartet
Kronos Quartet *
Kuss Quartet
Lafayette String Quartet
Lawrence String Quartet *
Mandelring Quartet
Manhattan String Quartet *
Matangi Quartet
Medici String Quartet
Melos Quartet *
Moscow Virtuosi *
Novus Quartet
Orava Quartet
Pacifica Quartet
Pavel Haas Quartet
Petersen Quartet *
Prazák Quartet
Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, Misha Rachlevsky *
Quatuor Antarès *
Quatuor Byron
Quatuor Danel *
Quatuor Debussy
Quartetto Noûs
Rasumovsky Quartet *
Rosamunde Quartett *
Rubio Quartet
Rubin Quartett *
St Lawrence String Quartet *
St Petersburg String Quartet
Shostakovich Quartet
Sinfonia Varsovia String Quintet *
Simon Bolivar String Quartet *
Skampa Quartet *
Sofia String Quartet *
Sorrel Quartet *
Streichquartett Luzern *
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra *
Talich Quartet *
I Musici de Montréal, Yuli Turovsky
Valentin Berlinsky Quartet
Voces Intimae Quartet
Yggdrasil Quartet
Young Swiss Chamber Orchestra, Emmanuel Siffert *
New Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Igor Zhukov *

(* = download only)

[Pulcinella]

If we're considering arrangements, there's one for piano by Boris Giltburg on this splendid Naxos CD as a fill-up to the piano concertos (RLPO/Petrenko):

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8252598--shostakovich-piano-concertos-nos-1-2

It was the May 2021 BaL recommendation for PC2.

[richardfinegold]

The Borodin, on Virgin Classics, long after the departure of Rostislav Dubinsky, were my introduction to this and mesmerized me. I then bought the Fitzwilliams in the complete cycle. I’ve added others, including the first Borodin cycle. I would anoint any of them, frankly

[Petrushka]

The Borodin, on Virgin Classics, long after the departure of Rostislav Dubinsky, were my introduction to this and mesmerized me. I then bought the Fitzwilliams in the complete cycle. I’ve added others, including the first Borodin cycle. I would anoint any of them, frankly

Sorting out which Borodin Quartet version we're talking about is a task in itself! I have two separate cycles: the one issued on Chandos (undated; the first one?) and a later cycle from the 1970s/80s which came out on EMI. It would be helpful if someone could provide a guide to the different Borodins.

As far as the 8th is concerned I first heard it in the Barshai string orchestra arrangement but I hope that the reviewer sticks to the original despite Barshai's arrangement having Shostakovich's imprimatur.

Either of the two Borodins I have will do for me.

[Pulcinella]

Sorting out which Borodin Quartet version we're talking about is a task in itself! I have two separate cycles: the one issued on Chandos (undated; the first one?) and a later cycle from the 1970s/80s which came out on EMI. It would be helpful if someone could provide a guide to the different Borodins.

As far as the 8th is concerned I first heard it in the Barshai string orchestra arrangement but I hope that the reviewer sticks to the original despite Barshai's arrangement having Shostakovich's imprimatur.

Either of the two Borodins I have will do for me.

The single CD Borodin version I have is this one, coupled with SQ7 and the Piano Quintet with Richter:

https://www.discogs.com/master/1190377-Shostakovich-Sviatoslav-Richter-Borodin-String-Quartet-Piano-Quintet-In-G-Minor-Op-57-String-Quartet

Not much other information given on the discogs site, though.

[Bryn]

The single CD Borodin version I have is this one, coupled with SQ7 and the Piano Quintet with Richter:

https://www.discogs.com/master/1190377-Shostakovich-Sviatoslav-Richter-Borodin-String-Quartet-Piano-Quintet-In-G-Minor-Op-57-String-Quartet

Not much other information given on the discogs site, though.

A little more information can be found one of the images available on that page:

[Pulcinella]

A little more information can be found one of the images available on that page:

My copy is just the CD, which I was given as it was 'surplus stock' in a shop I occasionally helped out in: the box and liner notes couldn't be found during a stocktake one day.

[Rolmill]

...the one issued on Chandos (undated; the first one?)

Yes, it's the first one and is incomplete (was made before the last two quartets were composed).

[richardfinegold]

We could do an entire thread devoted to the Borodin Quartets many recordings, and which incarnation of the Quartet on each. Searching the BQ gets complicated because many of the CDs are from compilations that also contain the Second SQ of Alexander
Borodin, so the search engines include everything. In addition it seems as though live accounts from labels such as Oreo exist in addition to the commercially released. For the sake of brevity I will refer to BQ-D and BQ-ND for incarnations of the ensemble with and sans Dubinsky.
I believe BQ-D first released the Shostakovich 8 coupled with Borodin 2 as a solo stand alone lp in the West in the early sixties. This, according to Dubinsky’s autobiography, was done in conjunction with a tour of the BQ-D, done at a time when the U.S.S.R. was using their Artistic Resources to raise foreign currency during a period when the bulk of it was supporting Soviet Military, Space Exploration, and propping up Castro’s Cuba to defeat the U.S. boycott.
The first ‘complete’ BQ-D Shostakovich SQ cycle was recorded by Melodyia and is most readily available as a Chandon reissue. The Composer was still alive and the cycle lacks the last 2 SQ . The version of the Eighth here is imo not the aforementioned one off. To my ears the latter BQ-D sounds much more daring and on the edge in the second go round.
I am unsure if any of the other versions in Alpie list by the Borodin Quartet represent BQ-D. After Dubinsky defected the USSR was quick to eliminate any trace of him. They reformed the BQ-ND and re recorded most of their repertoire. However further instability in the lineup—Berlinsky remained the only constant throughout-led to additional re recordings.

Regarding the work itself, there seems to me over the past decade to treat it as a virtuoso showpiece. The fast movement is played with whip crack intensity, and the finale dragged out as dirge like as possible . The Pacifica Quartet is typical of this approach but not unique. This is one of those pieces that I dearly love but have become a bit jaded to by over familiarity.
The Mahler 6 discussion in an alternate thread, and the nature of autobiographical content even more relevant here. Shostakovich claimed that he intended to commit suicide after the premier. At the time his personal life was on the rocks.
He had just seen the horrors of Dresden. He had survived one of the periodic Stalin inspired denunciations of him, and repression in the USSR, which had been somewhat back burnered during The Great Patriotic Struggle, was revving up again. And then one could forget all that and relax contemplating Nuclear Armageddon.
I believe in Absolute Music, untethered to emotional states, but if any piece reflects despair, this is it

[Darloboy]

The single CD Borodin version I have is this one, coupled with SQ7 and the Piano Quintet with Richter:

https://www.discogs.com/master/1190377-Shostakovich-Sviatoslav-Richter-Borodin-String-Quartet-Piano-Quintet-In-G-Minor-Op-57-String-Quartet

Not much other information given on the discogs site, though.

This was actually Stephen Johnson's first choice on the one and only occasion this work was covered by BaL before - in June 1991. Also recommended was the Duke Quartet. The Kreisler String Orchestra was the recommended version of the Barshai arrangement.

[CallMePaul]

I have the recording by the Shostakovich Quartet and have heard the Quatuor Danel play it more than once (it is the resident quartet at Manchester University), most recently last season as Covid regulations were being relaxed. I believe that they have re-recorded the complete cycle of Shostakovich quartets and it should be available in 2023. It is a shame that the earlier one is now download only. I also have the piano arrangement by Boris Giltburg mentioned above; I enjoy this but it is clear to my ears that it is not original piano music!

[Frances_iom]

This was actually Stephen Johnson's first choice on the one and only occasion this work was covered by BaL before - in June 1991. Also recommended was the Duke Quartet. The Kreisler String Orchestra was the recommended version of the Barshai arrangement.

This is the one in the 1985 EMI release of the complete Quartets - a digitally re-mastered Melodiya recording of 1978 - its one of several I have of the SQts

[HighlandDougie]

Among more recent recordings, that by the Pavel Haas Quartet is - and I use the word advisedly - exceptional. Almost too intense at times.

[Mal]

We could do an entire thread devoted to the Borodin Quartets many recordings...

"Third Ear" says there are 6 recordings of 8, including those in the 2 complete cycles

Individual recordings:

1962(i) "smoothly recorded" after Aldeburgh festival performance... faster but less intense than cycles, "knocks on the door aren't as brutal as they would become". (Decca 425 541)

1962(ii): Moscow LP, paired with 4, "even faster, wildish more devilish" than (i). (Mercury 90309)

1990: some intensity traded for more inward expression & polish (Virgin "two-fer" with 2,3,7,8,12)

1995:added maturity & warmth & lyricism "but not without moments of the old passion" (Teldec 98417)

Personally, I have the "original members" "Borodin 1" recording in the Chandos historical set (CHAN 100064(4)). The booklet doesn't say exacatly when or where it was recorded, or from what sources the 2003 re-mastering was performed. "Third ear" summary makes me think the Chandos set is probably based on the first cycle recorded on Melodiya/Seraphim 6034/35 6 LP in USA, and in 1974 British EMI released it on Melodiya/HMV 879, 6LP. The set, to me, certainly fits the description: "fresh, high-strung, abrasive,... brutally honest... rustic, tripping motion... the burning edges of the violins often lacerates the ear-putting these works out there as challenging Russian contemporary music."

Can anyone confirm that this is the orgin of the Chandos historical set?

"Third ear" suggests in the second set "the old abrasiveness is largely gone" but it is "more technically assured, warmer, and more refined in tone...without losing one iota of their former intensity and drive... slower tempo... dynamic range increased dramatically...they play far more expressively; the brooding passages are bleaker than before... decent sound."

"Third ear" eventually plumps for the second set. But, personally, I want those thumps at the door to be as abrasive as possible! So I'll probably stick with my current set... might supplement if the BBC reviewer is convincing enough!

[Mal]

The single CD Borodin version I have is this one, coupled with SQ7 and the Piano Quintet with Richter:

https://www.discogs.com/master/1190377-Shostakovich-Sviatoslav-Richter-Borodin-String-Quartet-Piano-Quintet-In-G-Minor-Op-57-String-Quartet

Not much other information given on the discogs site, though.

Piano Quintet with Richter appears in the second set, so I guess it may be that (?)

Does the booklet not say anything? Yet more lack of information?

Did the Kremlin have a blackout on any details relating to the quartet? Maybe to stop the CIA helping them do a runner? Wait... must stop there, there's a knock on the door...