Spinning Today (Classical version)

[morris_minor]

Hi Bob,

As a broad sweep of choice I always keep coming back to the Haitink LPO/Concertgebouw set - there's not a duffer amongst them and as a woodwind player, the C'gebouw have just about the finest woodwind sound I've heard.

Technically, all of the discs are superb - the 15th is especially so, recorded in analogue at the Kingsway Hall.

The 11th is epic...and then some, and along with RVW 3 & 6 possibly my favourite symphony of all time. Awesome.

Thanks for this, Martin also. Two votes for Haitink . . . As an ex-clarinet player (only amateur!) I too listen out for the woodwind sound. It's one of the aspects of the Kondrashin recordings I like (4 & 8) - the Moscow clarinets seem especially "hollow" - don't know how else to describe it . I'd be interested to know if it's their instruments or playing technique.

I don't know the 11th at all. Will wait a bit to see if anyone else chips in, though . . .

Cheers,
Bob

[MartinT]

I can vouch for Haitink's 8th, 12th & 13th as being excellent (although Previn's 13th is even greater and his 10th is superb).

Yep - on reflection, I would still try to get all the Previns as separate recordings and the Haitinks as a set.

[morris_minor]

I do have Previn's early 5th for RCA on a worn dynagroove. Have played that one to death over the years

Will keep a lookout for these too. Thanks Martin.

[Gromit]

Thanks for this, Martin also. Two votes for Haitink . . . As an ex-clarinet player (only amateur!) I too listen out for the woodwind sound. It's one of the aspects of the Kondrashin recordings I like (4 & 8) - the Moscow clarinets seem especially "hollow" - don't know how else to describe it . I'd be interested to know if it's their instruments or playing technique.

I don't know the 11th at all. Will wait a bit to see if anyone else chips in, though . . .

Cheers,
Bob

Well worth checking out the 11th Bob - if you know the film 'Dune' very well, you may recognise where they got the idea for some of the soundtrack on hearing the 1st movement.

The only slightly 'off' symphony in the Haitink set is probably (for me - this is just opinion) his 10th. That's probably because I love Karajan's version with BPO where there's a richness, not only of sound, but at the start of the 1st movement the Berlin strings are peerless. I've still not heard the horns sound better in the 3rd movement, where, when the movement really takes off it's absolutely breathtaking.

[morris_minor]

I too have Karajan's 10th.

Will certainly check out the 11th ...

[morris_minor]

Notwithstanding your recommendations () I'm just downloading this from eClassical (just over a fiver). Will report back . . .

[jandl100]

Er, slightly OT, but can Shostakovich aficionados give me their opinions of complete cycles of Sh. symphonies, please?

I have a number collected piecemeal over the years, but feel the full set is "needed" now ().

Petrenko/RLPO on Naxos seems to be getting some good notices. Then there's Barshai, and of course Kondrashin on Melodiya (though that would mean doubling nos. 4 & 8).

Ideally more than one set is required, but I'd like to start with a good allrounder.

Any ideas?

Thanks.
Bob

I'd avoid Petrenko on Naxos.
I bought the 8th and the 10th having seen some rave reviews.
Urgh. Awful - zilch Russian feeling, sounded like a day out for an English church parish orchestra!

I wouldn't buy any full set .. I think you are best off getting them individually.
Although if you insist, then yes, Haitink is a safe reasonable allrounder, with excellent sq.

Lessee ... Previn for the 5th, 13th and especially the 8th (DG). Jarvi for the 10th. Rostropovich for the 11th. Nanut for the 7th.

I have the Barshai full set, but it's a disappointment, really.
Rozhdestvensky is an excellent allrounder, too

[morris_minor]

Thanks Jerry. You'll see i've started with a BIS recording of the 11th . . . I think you're right about complete sets, BTW.

[MartinT]

Lessee ... Previn for the 5th, 13th and especially the 8th (DG). Jarvi for the 10th. Rostropovich for the 11th. Nanut for the 7th.

Haitink for the 12th, Rozhdestvensky for the 1st and 15th. Previn's 13th on EMI (or was your DG reference for the 8th only?)

[morris_minor]

Just played this:



What a piece of music.

Mark Wrigglesworth has the most un-Russian sounding name, but boy, can he deliver the goods. As can the Netherlands Radio orchestra - again not a name that immediately springs to mind in this repertoire.

I've never yet come across a duff BIS recording, and this one impresses immensely, with a stunning dynamic range from whisper quiet ppp to what must only be sfff. And the studio in Hilversum is a great acoustic for this music too.

I don't know that I can comment in detail on the interpretation, since this is first time I've heard the work but MW seemed to have the measure of the structure and tempi since nothing seemed awkward. Very impressive were the desolate, almost inaudbile, pianissimos following on immediately from the bombastic passages - a terrifying vision!

It was good, too, to have a detailed album note from the conductor; I hadn't thought about the parallels to the Hungarian uprising.

I'll definitely seek out more Shostakovich from this outfit . .