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Shostakovich...WHOA


An old g/f made a copy of a Shostakovich recording and until this week I’d never gotten around to it. MAN, is this guy giving me nightmares. I don’t know a damn thing about classical music but HOLY CHRISTMAS!

I can’t call up the old g/f to ask (I want to live, I want to live!) so I’m hoping someone can ID this recording and then offer suggestions to similar Shostakovich. I’m looking for brooding, scary, intense, hair-raising chaos…just like what’s-her-name.

The recording I was given has the following handwritten on it: “Kammersinfornie (after) string Quartet #8 & #10.” “1960” is also written on the recording with an arrow from it pointing to “Quartet #8.” The track most indicative of what I like is #2 whatever that is.

What’s this guy’s rep in the classical world, anyway? Maybe the style of this recording isn’t representative of his work.

As an interesting side note…this girl was always giving me really twisted material as witnessed by the title of the last book she gave me: “The Insanity of Normality – Realism as Sickness: Toward Understanding Human Destructiveness.” An army of red flags popped up with that one but I valiantly forged ahead with my little pea shooter anyway (please excuse the disgusting and humiliating metaphor.) I got clobbered.
kublakhan
jax2
3,031 posts
 
The Emmerson Quartet that Shubertmaniac mentioned is also available as a single disk with only the 8th String Quartet played without pause. I believe it is the same version on the boxed set and is also on Deutsche Grammaphon. It is much cheaper than the boxed set if you are only after that one piece. I only mention it as it was the seed that started the whole thread. Here is the Amazon Listing
I have not heard it so cannot comment on the performance or quality of the recording.
kublakhan OP
718 posts
 
I came to the right place. I certainly have enough great recommendations from people who obviously know what they're talking about. Thanks! ...and keep them coming for everybody else. (i'll try to catch up)

btw, for anyone interested ebay seems to have a steady stream of the previously mentioned barshai collection of complete shostakovich symphonies (on cd) for $30-$40 w/ 'buy it now' - or whatever it's called. that's where i'm starting.
gregm
3,409 posts
 
Iasi's recs are definitive IMO. So I MUST waste server space in seconding the Mitropoulos/Oistrakh - /Rostro for the violin & cello. How rare to discover s/one familiar with these versions!

The Mravinski/Lenigrad 10 is also undisputable.
Another version for violin is L Kogan/Svetlanov/USSR S.O. Different and beautiful view (nostalgic at times) -- but, IMO, it doesn't surpass Mitropoulos.

For 7 I'll have to check Gergiev (St Petersburg, I suppose?). I've been running on K Ancerl/Czech S O until now.
rcprince
3,078 posts
 
The new Gergiev 7th is an SACD, so I'll be getting it soon (although his Sheherazade was a disappointment, sonically, not interpretively); will be interesting to contrast with the Bernstein, which has been my reference and a critic fave. Definitely will look for the Mitropoulos versions of the cello/violin concerti.
mrlabguy
44 posts
 
Thanks, I just went out and purchased Shostakovich 5 CD collection of String Quartets. Amazing...

Michael
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