sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
|
Post by sdtom on Feb 9, 2008 7:48:33 GMT -8
If you are looking for a most interesting Adagio listen, the first movement certainly fits the bill. In all my ears of listening I had not acquired this one until the Berkshire Outlet had a clearance on the older Telarc releases for $2.99. Could not resist at that price. The recording is Levi and the Atlanta Symphony.
The C minor symphony in 5 movements was written in 1943 about the horrors of the war. The work was a success to the public, in fact the US paid 10,000 for the rights to broadcast the work. However, the Soviet government considered the work somewhat facist. There theory was it should be upbeat because they were destroying the facists and since it was tragic Shostakovich was on the side of the fascists.
Well worth a listen
|
|
|
Post by Carlton the Barbarian on Feb 10, 2008 6:53:12 GMT -8
Yeah, the opening movement from the 8th is great. I also love the opening of his 6th. So are there any more Shostakovich symphonies and movements (and performances) that you will recommend? Was the 10th the last Shostakovich symphony you heard? I think I started with the 15th, then the 5th... I still have a few that I haven't heard yet. Last week, I finally heard his 1st. I rarely start with the first symphony. There's still a lot of first that I have to get to Walton, Rota, Khachaturian, Honegger, Atterberg, Mahler, etc. -Carlton
NP: The War Lord (Moross)
|
|
sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
|
Post by sdtom on Feb 10, 2008 8:16:12 GMT -8
I would say that the next order of business would be a serious listen to Mahler's first. Contrary to the opinion of some I feel that this is his finest work. www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.550522#This recording includes the original blumine movement
|
|
|
Post by TJ on Feb 10, 2008 18:40:49 GMT -8
Yes, Mahler's first is great. I even played cymbals in it.
|
|
|
Post by Armin on Feb 12, 2008 3:57:32 GMT -8
I'd have to disagree with that assessment, Tom. Kindertotenlieder and Symphonies 5 and 7 are better works in my opinion.
|
|
|
Post by Yavar Moradi on Feb 12, 2008 19:19:47 GMT -8
I'd have to disagree with that assessment, Tom. Kindertotenlieder and Symphonies 5 and 7 are better works in my opinion. And Symphony No. 6. And I also like 3 and 10 better. Yavar
|
|
|
Post by Jockolantern on Feb 13, 2008 4:20:52 GMT -8
My two favorite Mahler symphonies have to be Nos. 6 & 9. Epic, challenging, raw.
-Jockolantern
|
|
|
Post by christopher on Feb 13, 2008 13:15:41 GMT -8
I thought Mahler's resurrection symphony (2nd?) was one of the two best symphonies I've ever heard (which is admittedly less than most of you). That one rarely gets performed the way that Mahler intended it. The orchestra is supposed to be enormous, with a choir of 100s of people and even with horns off stage. If you ever get the chance to see this one performed the way it was intended, jump at it! Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous.
|
|
sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
|
Post by sdtom on Feb 13, 2008 21:10:05 GMT -8
Well we now have 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, & 9.
|
|
|
Post by Yavar Moradi on Feb 13, 2008 21:44:48 GMT -8
Mahler's 4th and 8th aren't bad and have their strong moments but are my least favorites of his, easily.
Yavar
|
|
sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
|
Post by sdtom on Feb 14, 2008 20:43:29 GMT -8
I guess we can say that we all have our favorite Mahler's. I still like his first
|
|
|
Post by TJ on Dec 2, 2008 17:23:46 GMT -8
I checked out Shostakovich's 7th and 5th (Jarvi and Scottish National Orchestra on Chandos) from my school library. I haven't listened yet. It looked like someone has checked out all the Bruckner CDs, which is nice to know somebody in the vicinity is listening to this stuff. I saw them a few weeks ago, but didn't see them today. edit: Well my computer won't even read the 7th. I've read that the 5th is one of his 'more accessible' symphoneis....we shall see. edit again: I'm finding that I keep having to adjust the volume, this symphony has a wide volume range, or at least this recording does. It gets quite cumbersome to keep mvoing the volume bar. I don't understand why some recordings are like this. I guess the point is to blow your ears out with the loud parts....?
|
|
|
Post by Carlton the Barbarian on Dec 4, 2008 18:30:28 GMT -8
I checked out Shostakovich's 7th and 5th (Jarvi and Scottish National Orchestra on Chandos) from my school library. I haven't listened yet. I'm finding that I keep having to adjust the volume, this symphony has a wide volume range, or at least this recording does. It gets quite cumbersome to keep mvoing the volume bar. I don't understand why some recordings are like this. I guess the point is to blow your ears out with the loud parts....? Just keep the volume all the way up... ;D I'm not sure if Jarvi's version is the best one there. I heard a live perfomance of Jarvi with the NJSO, but I wasn't that impressed with the softer, sudbued passages. Maybe it was the venue, or the fact that I've become accustomed to other recordings (Bernstein with the NY Philharmonic and Rudolf Barshai's with the WDR Sinfonieorchester), but Jarvi did do an excellent job with the Finale. Did it blow you away? -CG PS: Did you recall Horner's Glory score in the 3rd movement?
|
|
|
Post by TJ on Dec 4, 2008 18:49:15 GMT -8
Now that you mention it... Nah, no I didn't. But I wasn't looking for it.
|
|
|
Post by greenaxer on Dec 10, 2008 21:01:30 GMT -8
Mahler's 2nd, 5th, and 6th are just amazing. I was lucky enough to hear the 2nd performed almost 3 years ago. I felt the intensity even from way up in the nosebleed section.
|
|