Excellent show today, which, given the unique and unignorable expressive and orchestral qualities and contrasts of Svetlanov and Kondrashin, inevitably became to some extent "The Russians v The Rest" (including the Russians in The West, i.e Petrenko, Ashkenazy, etc.) but was very fair in its qualified praise for such as Ashkenazy and Previn (describing both as "classics"), Petrenko, and especially Rattle in Berlin, which latter Marina was obviously fond of. Sounds pretty good to me too, on Qobuz at 24/96: poetic and atmospheric.
I found her reflections about the emotional and musical background very engaging and wittily expressed (“vodka tears”
), and of course I'm pleased at her conclusions, as I feel similarly myself (see my earlier posts here). Once you have Svetlanov and Kondrashin in your ear and your pulsing blood, nothing will quite match up; or be quite the same again. (I feel the same about Russian recordings of Tchaikovsky and DSCH too (at which point Rozhdestvensky also comes into he mix…did he ever record the Dances? I can't find one; you imagine he would be just the dreaming, grimly cartoonish muse for them)).
But the various Melodiyas aren't beyond the pale of sonic tolerances on a reasonably balanced replay system, not at all; the later the remaster the better the sound of course, but if you still shun them, then Under Western Ears or Batons, there is the stunning P-Järvi - or of course Jansons, which, given his three excellent recordings (!) I'm surprised was passed over. Go for the glorious-sounding Herkulesaal live taping of BRSO-Klassik c/w The Bells (with the lovely turquoise cover art); you'll be well rewarded.
****
The 2CD O. de Paris/P-Jarvi includes The Rock Op.7, very hauntingly done, sounding more like a precursor to the Isle of the Dead than any other recording I’ve heard: it changed my view of the piece. (The G. quote on Presto refers to the 3rd Symphony specifically, by the way; Gutman was unreservedly positive about the dances.)
The Erato sound is exceptional. (If you know P-Jarvi's very underrated but strikingly original Sibelius Cycle done with the same orchestra you'll know what I mean: similarly gorgeous sound picture, the soundstage wide, deep, warm and clear. Do seek this set out: I've just returned to it in the light of the Rachmaninov recordings; strikingly individual, as this artist so often is, whether in Paris, Frankfurt, Bremen or Estonia).
As for the various Svetlanovs (again), I don't share Marina's reservations about "audience noise" on the live 1986 Regis/Melodiya issue: I've played this CD several times over the week at fairly high levels, and it really isn't obtrusive. Availability of the Svetlanov physical product being difficult I'd go for this one if you can find it. The Japanese Canyon/Exton is still around, on the Exton 4-CD set. Compelling, if more of a slow-burner perhaps, as (despite timing differences) it has the classic Svetlanov approach, sonic character and the best sound of all by some margin, but lacks some of that live excitement and drama of the 1986 recording or the earlier 1973 Melodiya.
The latter has the edgiest echt-Melodiya sound of the three, but is still vividly listenable especially on the Anthology of Russian Symphonic Music transfer on Qobuz lossless. Noticably better sound than on the BaL excerpts.
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