Shostakovich: Symphonies 1 & 15 Charles Dutoit/Montreal S.O. Decca 463
838-2

Decca engineers' great sound and wide dynamic range (recorded in St.
Eustache) cannot redeem
Dutoit's faceless reading of these two works. I bought quite a few of the
Dutoit/Decca CDs
when they were released. I began to notice over the years that I rarely had
a desire to re-hear
them. Ever now and then, I pull one off the shelf and the result is usually
the same: striking
sound and forgettable performances. They just don't work for me.

Shostakovich: Symphonies 2 & 15, Suite from "The Bedbug" Gennadi
Rozhdestvensky/
USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra. Melodiya MCD 258

These are certainly not "faceless" interpretations; the conductor has idea
about all the
works here. The 15th is distinct with phrasings that strike me as original,
but not always
suited to the music. Interesting, but not a winner in the 15th sweepstakes.

The sound is typical of Melodiya's early digital recordings: Wide dynamic
range with booming
low-end at times, and shrill loud tutties, especially in the brass (I cannot
tell how much of
this results from the players or the recording engineers). Not easy
listening by any
means.

Although both remain on the shelf, I can't really justify retaining them.
Someday.

Ed Presson

On Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 2:04:31 PM UTC-8, Ed Presson wrote:
> Shostakovich: Symphonies 1 & 15 Charles Dutoit/Montreal S.O. Decca 463
> 838-2
>
> Decca engineers' great sound and wide dynamic range (recorded in St.
> Eustache) cannot redeem
> Dutoit's faceless reading of these two works. I bought quite a few of the
> Dutoit/Decca CDs
> when they were released. I began to notice over the years that I rarely had
> a desire to re-hear
> them. Ever now and then, I pull one off the shelf and the result is usually
> the same: striking
> sound and forgettable performances. They just don't work for me.
>
> Shostakovich: Symphonies 2 & 15, Suite from "The Bedbug" Gennadi
> Rozhdestvensky/
> USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra. Melodiya MCD 258
>
> These are certainly not "faceless" interpretations; the conductor has idea
> about all the
> works here. The 15th is distinct with phrasings that strike me as original,
> but not always
> suited to the music. Interesting, but not a winner in the 15th sweepstakes.
>
> The sound is typical of Melodiya's early digital recordings: Wide dynamic
> range with booming
> low-end at times, and shrill loud tutties, especially in the brass (I cannot
> tell how much of
> this results from the players or the recording engineers). Not easy
> listening by any
> means.
>
> Although both remain on the shelf, I can't really justify retaining them.
> Someday.
>
> Ed Presson

Interesting views on these recordings. Thank you for sharing them.

I had the diametric opposite impression upon first hearing Dutoit's Shostakovich 15. Special ordered it from Japan via Kinokuniya around 2014. Bought it mainly because it seemed to me like an enticing mismatch of artist and repertoire. It turned out to be more idiomatic sounding than expected. Dutoit leads the first movement with great verve, really digging into the downbeat during those 16th note runs that work their way first through the strings, then horns, and finally the entire orchestra as it builds up before the third restatement of the "William Tell" theme. The later three movements, especially the second and third, sound more severe than emotional. Overall, Dutoit reminds me a lot of Ormandy's classic RCA recording, albeit with slightly tighter pacing (and missing the sheer opulence of the Philadelphia Orchestra at its late peak).

Rozh's 15 would be among the greats if it weren't for the hideous Melodiya sound. "Wide dynamic range" doesn't begin to cover it. Like a lot of late analog Melodiya recordings, the production is downright perverse: instruments are luridly spotlit one moment, then vanish the next, balances and perspectives border on the psychedelic, and everything sounds as if it's emerging from deep in the depths of reverb hell. Interpretively, it's excellent, but the sound really ruins this performance.

Among my favorite Shostakovich 15s are Ormandy, Maxim Shostakovich (Melodiya), Svetlanov, Sanderling (BPO), Lazarev, Inoue, Kegel, and Sladkovsky.

On Friday, February 18, 2022 at 1:53:06 AM UTC-5, Néstor Castiglione wrote:
>
> Among my favorite Shostakovich 15s are
> Ormandy, Maxim Shostakovich (Melodiya),
> Svetlanov, Sanderling (BPO), Lazarev, Inoue,
> Kegel, and Sladkovsky.

So many favorites for just one symphony?
Color me perplexed. I hope you didn't catch
Melmoth's disease -- also known as the
Schwann syndrome.

dk

On 2/17/22 10:53 PM, Néstor Castiglione wrote:
> On Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 2:04:31 PM UTC-8, Ed Presson wrote:
>> Shostakovich: Symphonies 1 & 15 Charles Dutoit/Montreal S.O. Decca 463
>> 838-2
>>
>> Decca engineers' great sound and wide dynamic range (recorded in St.
>> Eustache) cannot redeem
>> Dutoit's faceless reading of these two works. I bought quite a few of the
>> Dutoit/Decca CDs
>> when they were released. I began to notice over the years that I rarely had
>> a desire to re-hear
>> them. Ever now and then, I pull one off the shelf and the result is usually
>> the same: striking
>> sound and forgettable performances. They just don't work for me.
>>
>> Shostakovich: Symphonies 2 & 15, Suite from "The Bedbug" Gennadi
>> Rozhdestvensky/
>> USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra. Melodiya MCD 258
>>
>> These are certainly not "faceless" interpretations; the conductor has idea
>> about all the
>> works here. The 15th is distinct with phrasings that strike me as original,
>> but not always
>> suited to the music. Interesting, but not a winner in the 15th sweepstakes.
>>
>> The sound is typical of Melodiya's early digital recordings: Wide dynamic
>> range with booming
>> low-end at times, and shrill loud tutties, especially in the brass (I cannot
>> tell how much of
>> this results from the players or the recording engineers). Not easy
>> listening by any
>> means.
>>
>> Although both remain on the shelf, I can't really justify retaining them.
>> Someday.
>>
>> Ed Presson
>
> Interesting views on these recordings. Thank you for sharing them.
>
> I had the diametric opposite impression upon first hearing Dutoit's Shostakovich 15. Special ordered it from Japan via Kinokuniya around 2014. Bought it mainly because it seemed to me like an enticing mismatch of artist and repertoire. It turned out to be more idiomatic sounding than expected. Dutoit leads the first movement with great verve, really digging into the downbeat during those 16th note runs that work their way first through the strings, then horns, and finally the entire orchestra as it builds up before the third restatement of the "William Tell" theme. The later three movements, especially the second and third, sound more severe than emotional. Overall, Dutoit reminds me a lot of Ormandy's classic RCA recording, albeit with slightly tighter pacing (and missing the sheer opulence of the Philadelphia Orchestra at its late peak).
>
> Rozh's 15 would be among the greats if it weren't for the hideous Melodiya sound. "Wide dynamic range" doesn't begin to cover it. Like a lot of late analog Melodiya recordings, the production is downright perverse: instruments are luridly spotlit one moment, then vanish the next, balances and perspectives border on the psychedelic, and everything sounds as if it's emerging from deep in the depths of reverb hell. Interpretively, it's excellent, but the sound really ruins this performance.
>
> Among my favorite Shostakovich 15s are Ormandy, Maxim Shostakovich (Melodiya), Svetlanov, Sanderling (BPO), Lazarev, Inoue, Kegel, and Sladkovsky.

I would add the set of all 15 symphonies played by Michael Sanderling
and the Dresden Philharmonic. Not a dud among them, and magnificent
sound. Originally a budget issue, now unfortunately available only at a
much elevated price.

Bob Harper

On Friday, February 18, 2022 at 1:09:56 AM UTC-8, dan....@gmail.com wrote:
> On Friday, February 18, 2022 at 1:53:06 AM UTC-5, Néstor Castiglione wrote:
> >
> > Among my favorite Shostakovich 15s are
> > Ormandy, Maxim Shostakovich (Melodiya),
> > Svetlanov, Sanderling (BPO), Lazarev, Inoue,
> > Kegel, and Sladkovsky.
> So many favorites for just one symphony?
> Color me perplexed. I hope you didn't catch
> Melmoth's disease -- also known as the
> Schwann syndrome.
>
> dk

For some works, I can restrain myself to a single top choice. Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Tchaik 5, or even Shostakovich 14, for example (Stoki's stereo Capitol, Mengelberg's Columbia, and Barshai's live Leningrad premiere recordings respectively). But some works, like Shostakovich 15, are so multi-faceted that no single performance can ever fully convey their expressive breadth (at least to me). Sanderling, for example, is superb in the slow movements, but a touch leaden in the first movement and scherzo. Kegel's performance is wiry and intense, but his Leipzig orchestra is scrappier than the best, etc.

If it's a disease, then praise God that at least it's a pleasant (but also expensive!) one. :)

On Sunday, 20 February 2022 at 15:02:08 UTC+11, Néstor Castiglione wrote:
>
> If it's a disease, then praise God that at least it's a pleasant (but also expensive!) one. :)

Mainly because CDs are a lot more inexpensive, hence encouraging more purchasing, especially of cycles.

Fwiw I still think Haitink's DSCH 15th is a good one.

Ray Hall, Taree