Did the suggestion that Shostakovich was suicidal come from the purported memoirs published in Volkov’s Testimony?
And, yes, unsettling is the exactly the right word. The Allegro Molto, in particular, is really quite scary, what with its frenetic, almost unhinged, slicing attacks. It sounds like an awful combination of violence and anguish.
In the Largo, though, there’s a more subtle, disturbing quality, although I’m probably just getting carried away and am reading too much into it. From just after the 1 minute, 10 second mark, the cello plays a single, sustained note for about half a minute. This is then repeated a few times. It took me a few times listening to the piece to hear it. It seems almost sinister, lurking in the background. But the drone does stand out in what is otherwise a nicely fluid, meandering piece of music. Or, alternatively, it could just have been a clever way for Shostakovich to lay a foundation for the other instruments…
Yes, I believe so. Taking sleeping pills from him after he played this piece on a piano. It seems to be a contested account.
I dont think you are getting carried away with this at all. I picked up on it right away and it set me on edge. This sustained note or drone evoked a sense of dread that framed the piece almost perfectly. Its a remarkable achievement if you can step outside the emotional baggage it leaves. I went and listened to my old friend Jupiter just to shake it. Im going to try it again tomorrow… maybe.
The Fitzwilliams recording is very good. I managed to sample a few, dont know how, and the precision and dynamics they display is really fitting for this. I found an Emerson quartet version that was pretty good as well but the Fitzwilliams captures the emotional heft better.
Maybe we should put an asterisk next to this one if its suggested again - listen at your own risk!! I still get a few shivers replaying it in my head. Truly a remarkable composition.
I have the Fitzwilliam Quartet Shostakovich box on order from the library but in the meantime, I’ve been listening to the Pacifica Quartet. It will be interesting to compare them to see if they bring out different qualities.
Listening to that 8th quartet makes me feel paranoid!
There’s a beautiful dance in the Allegretto, which sets up a false expectation that rosier times are ahead, and then everything comes crashing down and you’re back to paranoia and dread again.
In the Pacifica box, the 8th is also paired with the 7th, which is a completely different style and the 13th quartet by Miaskovsky. I like them both and look forward to listening to the rest of the Shostakovich quartets.
I listened to the Shostakovich Quartet #8 yesterday. I wasn’t familiar with it. I think it was way too brooding for my tastes. I think my brooding guardrail is Mahler.
My classical “safe space” seems to consist of the progression through Bach/Haydn/Mozart/Beethoven, although I also like Sibelius and Nielsen (I love Nielsen’s symphonies). Slowly working my way through other composers.
I’ve avoided bleak sounding music in the past, so I was surprised at how much I liked that Shostakovich Quartet #8.
I’d start with Mahler #1, then #5, #2, #3, #4. Chew on #6 thru #10 after them. #8 is for chorus and soloists all the way thru, I don’t listen to it very often. Das Lied and other lieder? Depends on how you like music for full orchestra and vocalist. The other lieder? The same. But that’s just me. If you want an easy to use guide to Mahler’s music I (edit: highly recommend) “The Mahler Symphonies; An Owner’s Guide” , by David Hurwitz. Its all you’ll ever need unless you want to go the musicology route. A large print paperback that requires no formal music training to learn the key aspects of each symphony, his style, and orchestration. Check Amazon.
Many refuse to conduct or listen to Mahler #10, purists. I’m not one of them. While he did not get to complete it fully orchestrated it was finished out in all 5 movements in short score and some movements /sections flesh out fairly well. As he always did there would have been a lot of touching up and alterations after fact but I find listening to it given my exposure to and study of the other 9 and “Das Lied” tells me what might have been and the direction he seemed to be heading towards. Most satisfying to my way of hearing it, and enough “attempted completion versions” to make my head spin but most are effective.
I will have to check these out. I have heard very little of Nielsen - maybe some chamber work???
Shostakovich can be stark, he’s worth listening to. I know what to potentially expect when I listen to something I havent heard from him before. Been listening to his 11th recently and its a nice work but not something overly cheerful.
Thanks @FLTWS. I’m hoping you meant you “can recommend” that book.
I just ordered it from my library. I’m fortunate that all the libraries in my area have formed a “collective”, where they’ve made it very easy to share items with each other. So as long as one library has it on the shelf, I can order it online and it will be delivered to mine in a couple of days.
I’ll try a few different conductors for Mahler #1 to see whose style suits me.
That reminds me - Different conductors and performances can make a huge difference with classical music. Sometimes it’s to the point where you would hardly recognize a piece.
Looks like you have discovered this already. Finding a favorite performance can be a mini-journey in itself!
Try any of the Nielsen symphonies recorded by Blomstedt and the San Francisco Symphony. They originally came out in the late 80s/early 90s and I haven’t found anything better, although that’s maybe because these recordings were my first love.
They were my first foray into something that wasn’t Mozart or Beethoven, and I grabbed them at random from the library (I was lucky enough to be working close to the Barbican library in London at the time, as they had the biggest selection of CDs in the late 80s/early 90s) and fell in love with the gorgeous sound and texture that was highly musical and yet completely different from Mozart. Unfortunately we didn’t have the internet in those days, so Nielsen wasn’t a gateway into any other composers at the time because I didn’t know who else I should try out.
Thanks for the recommendation. You are very lucky to have such excellent library services. Have to use streaming services myself and then I try to purchase any albums I really like, if I can find them.
Look up Symphony #1, and scroll down to “recommended*”, bring them up and many will have reviews attached to a particular release.
10 out of 10 is reserved for Hurwitz’s best of the best. If an item is out of stock check Amazon for it, and if your a Prime member shipping is free if It’s (from Amazon not a reseller). The reviews may help you.
Absolutely. And just like with audio sonic signatures, we all have our own taste in what we like. And as we evolve, those tastes change.
For instance, my entry into Classical music Ashkenazy playing Mozart piano concertos. I then bought the Murray Perahia box set and marveled at the poetry in his playing with a smaller orchestra. For the longest time, I tried fortepiano recordings and hated the sound of the fortepiano, and then recently I found a video of Malcolm Bilson explaining the benefits of using a fortepiano vs a modern grand, and that seemed to be the lightbulb moment I needed to move forward (or backward?). I still like Perahia (and Ashkenazy and other pianists) but the Perahia and Bilson Mozart concertos are different enough that I can own both, and pick up the one I’m in the mood for.
I also recommend listening to #5 on a real speaker system. Preferably a good one.
Or if this miserable Covid is overcome by vaccines, at a live performance.
I found some Nielsen symphonies by the San Francisco Symphony on Qobuz. It’s a different release but I think it combines several CD’s into one package.
