BaL 21.01.23 - Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8

[Nick Armstrong]

Is it just me who feels a tad disappointed that it’s the 8th that’s being covered? (… again , I presume, though I haven’t looked up earlier BALs about it). I mean, great piece, key work etc etc… but what about the others? The 3rd? 7th? 9th…. (Ditto when it turns up in concert programmes - a bit like Schubert’s Death and the Maiden - yes, fine, but there are other wonderful ones…)

Maybe I’m just getting old and jaded (Also I do vaguely remember a BAL about DSCH #7…)

When I last engaged with the quartets, this survey really delivered for me:

[jayne lee wilson]

See #29 above.....

[BBMmk2]

Looking forward to this one, as I don’t have a recording of it.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The Borodins certainly seem to have the composer’s endorsement.
"The Borodin Quartet played this work to the composer at his Moscow home, hoping for his criticisms. But Shostakovich, overwhelmed by this beautiful realisation of his most personal feelings, buried his head in his hands and wept. When they had finished playing, the four musicians quietly packed up their instruments and stole out of the room."

Did they ever perform in the UK?

I can’t believe he wrote it in just three days. Can I be heretical and suggest that throughout his career he slightly over used the DSCH motto ?

[ostuni]

Like NA in #31, I'm sorry they haven’t chosen one of the lesser known quartets. And, also like him, I've been very impressed with the Pacifica recordings: my personal favourites of the ones that have appeared this century. In #9, rf expresses some reservations about tempi: I haven’t particularly noticed this trend in the Pacifica recordings I've listened to so far (1-8).

I haven’t heard the complete Taneyev set mentioned by jlw in #32/25, but do remember that when I first got to know the cycle, back in the 90s, a Praga single CD of (I think) nos. 3, 4, 5 was very persuasive (and more interesting/earthy than Borodin, Shostakovich or Fitzwilliam, whose cycles I owned then).

#30 LMP: I'm almost certain that Alan George never played with the Brodskys. He's been the Fitzwilliam's viola player since its foundation, well over half a century ago, and still plays with them; he wrote the original liner notes to their complete Shostakovich recording, and has written a number of other studies of DSCH's music. (And he's also been active in the period-instrument field; back in the late 70s, he and I were colleagues in the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists)

[LeMartinPecheur]

#30 LMP: I'm almost certain that Alan George never played with the Brodskys. He's been the Fitzwilliam's viola player since its foundation, well over half a century ago, and still plays with them; he wrote the original liner notes to their complete Shostakovich recording, and has written a number of other studies of DSCH's music. (And he's also been active in the period-instrument field; back in the late 70s, he and I were colleagues in the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists)

Sorry, my mistake, should have re-read the notes more carefully, and should have known better anyway as I've heard Alan George a good few times with the Fitzwilliams myself. First time 1975 when they played the 15th quartet pretty hot off the presses, absolutely unforgettable, last time 2019.

[HighlandDougie]

I'm glad that, per my earlier post, I'm not the only person who thinks that the Pavel Haas recording is exceptional. Smugness aside, well worth hearing. Good survey of recordings, discussed in an articulate fashion. Pleased that the Fitzwilliam is still regarded as being near the top of the tree.

[Pulcinella]

I'm glad that, per my earlier post, I'm not the only person who thinks that the Pavel Haas recording is exceptional. Smugness aside, well worth hearing. Good survey of recordings, discussed in an articulate fashion. Pleased that the Fitzwilliam is still regarded as being near the top of the tree.

I was surprised at the sheer variety of interpretations: an ideal candidate for Interpretations on record, if the new R3 controller fancied bringing that programme back!

[MickyD]

I see that I have a cycle within the big Brilliant Shostakovich box issued some years ago - by the Rubio Quartet. Anyone have any thoughts on those?

[gurnemanz]

I was surprised at the sheer variety of interpretations

That struck me as well. A couple of decades ago I was deciding which CD set of the Shostakovich Quartets to get and came up with the Shostakovich Quartet on Olympia. They didn't get a mention. I have happily stuck with them over the years but maybe I should branch out a bit.

PS I remember the absurd and greatly enjoyable Yorgos Lanthimos movie, The Lobster, a few years ago which includes Shostakovich 8th SQ in the soundtrack

[Darloboy]

Is it just me who feels a tad disappointed that it’s the 8th that’s being covered? (… again , I presume, though I haven’t looked up earlier BALs about it). I mean, great piece, key work etc etc… but what about the others? The 3rd? 7th? 9th…. (Ditto when it turns up in concert programmes - a bit like Schubert’s Death and the Maiden - yes, fine, but there are other wonderful ones…)

Maybe I’m just getting old and jaded (Also I do vaguely remember a BAL about DSCH #7…)

When I last engaged with the quartets, this survey really delivered for me:

The last time BaL covered one of the quartets, it was the 9th - in October 2000. But the 8th and 9th are the only 2 quartets that the programme has ever included.

[Goon525]

So this quartet hasn’t actually been covered before in the current millennium, yet people are still complaining it’s been done too recently? Surely, if at least a decade has passed…

[EnemyoftheStoat]

So this quartet hasn’t actually been covered before in the current millennium, yet people are still complaining it’s been done too recently? Surely, if at least a decade has passed…

Fourteen other DSCH quartets are available. Admittedly some of them are on the shorter side, but the 8th and 9th are surely not the only ones worthy of a BAL?

[Petrushka]

Fourteen other DSCH quartets are available. Admittedly some of them are on the shorter side, but the 8th and 9th are surely not the only ones worthy of a BAL?

True, but the thinking may be that the 8th is so often the one that draws people in to the remainder of the quartets, as indeed it was for me.