Sun 30 Jan - Shosta SQ No 8

[french frank]

Sunday, 30 Jan 2011 17:00

Shostakovich 8th String Quartet

"When Shostakovich wrote his 8th quartet he believed it would be his musical valediction. Stephen Johnson joins the members of the Royal String Quartet in Norwich for a closer look at the ideas behind this, the composer's most often performed quartet."

Edit: This is a repeat.

[Uncle Monty]

Yes, I was going to point out that it's a repeat (from the centenary year? Can it be that long ago?)! However, it's a good one. As you say, DDS wrote it as his own musical epitaph, and it has a bit of everything. The quartet's also got a mouth-watering crunchy discordant suspension about half a minute in After that, I am putty in his hands. . .

[Suffolkcoastal]

I personally find it one of the least interesting of the Shostakovich Quartets. I used to like it a lot, but then I unlocked the riches of the much more interesting and rewarding 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th & 12th Quartets. The 8th gets a lot of the limelight because of its autobiographical implications we don't get quite as many performances/broadcasts of the other quartets I feel.

[french frank]

The 8th gets a lot of the limelight because of its autobiographical implications we don't get quite as many performances/broadcasts of the other quartets I feel.

I'm inclined to agree with that, but it's the only one I know at all well - the only one of which I have a recording as well as the one that is broadcast pretty regularly. I'm not awfully fond of it - perhaps SJ can help me hear it anew.

[3rd Viennese School]

Have I heard this show? I can't remember.

3VS

[french frank]

Have I heard this show? I can't remember.

I don't think we can help you on that. But you could try listening this coming Sunday, if it's at all interesting, and report back to us all on whether you had heard it before

[Tapiola]

I personally find it one of the least interesting of the Shostakovich Quartets. I used to like it a lot, but then I unlocked the riches of the much more interesting and rewarding 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th & 12th Quartets. The 8th gets a lot of the limelight because of its autobiographical implications we don't get quite as many performances/broadcasts of the other quartets I feel.

Agreed, up to a point. It is certainly overexposed to the detriment of the others, but its rich, seamless tapestry of quotations, self-quotations and the DSCH monogram continues to fascinate me.

My personal favourite is No 14 - elliptical and tragic by turns, with the most heartbreaking final cadences.

[3rd Viennese School]

So far no.8 is my fave (sorry guys. I know the trend for going for one of the more rarer works!). Of course, that could change as I explore them all.

No.3 is my second fave, as I’ve said on the old board. Of course, that could change as I explore them all. No.3 is more like a symphony. I see it as the real symphony no.9! But for desk drawer.

I have come to a halt on exploration after listening to no.2 Very heavy going.

Ambitions is to get no.13 because its got 12 note music in it. And 15 because people talk about it. 6 slow mvts!

I have a recorded discussion of the stringyQs. With excerps from no.1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15.

As for no.8 I didn’t realise that symphony no.1 intro is played in mvt 1! It’s very well disguised. They mentioned it on discovering music. Come to think about it, I must have heard this programme before.

3VS

Of course, that could change as I explore them all.

[3rd Viennese School]

Yep. I have heard this show before. And it sounded so familiar that I thought I had heard this show only a few weeks ago!
Of course, there was a cross over with Piano Trio no.2 as well (that was back in November!)

Still good to hear the show again though.

3VS

[Uncle Monty]

Tapiola and 3VS -- have you see the video of the Fitzwilliam Quartet talking about getting the 13th and 14th Quartets straight from the great man? And performing the 14th. It's brilliant stuff. Especially where DDS thanks them humbly for "taking an interest in my work"

[3rd Viennese School]

No. Im yet to hear them both. I got stuck half way through the cycle. No.2 and 9 put me off a bit.
But no.13 is on the list. Dont hear much about what no.14 is!
3VS

[Tapiola]

Uncle Monty

[Bryn]

The video in question, I take it?

[Uncle Monty]

The video in question, I take it?

Yes! Thanks -- do you know, I didn't think of looking there

[Dave2002]

Try this http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/sele...lient=antietam