Sorrel string quartet shostakovich biography
A Survey of Shostakovich String Quartet Cycles
by Jens F Laurson
First published on IonArts
This is a survey of - hopefully - every extant recorded cycle of Shostakovich's String Quartets. As opposed to the 16 quartets of Beethoven's, where the survey covers nearly six dozen cycles, there are 'only' about 20 such cycles of Shostakovich's String Quartets out.
For now, they are neatly bookended by the Borodin Quartet's first and fourth attempt at a cycle. (Raising the question, à la &#;Can you step in the same river twice?&#;, whether a string quartet is still the same string quartet 50 years later, with all new members).
The Borodin also raises the question as to what is a complete-enough cycle.
Their first cycle, containing quartets , certainly counts - it was complete at the time and 13 out of 15 ain't bad. The Borodin's digital re-recordings of quartets 2, 3, 7, 8 & 12 for Virgin, however, which may or may not have been intended to be a cycle, don't qualify in my book. (Also, I don't think they are particularly good).
Neither do the Hagen Quartet, who recorded six quartets (3, 7, 8 & 4, 11, 14), the excellent Jerusalem Quartet's 6/15 cycle (ionarts review), the St. Petersburg Quartet's first go at it for Sony (1, 2, 4 + 3, 5, 7), or the Rubio Quartet's first attempt at a cycle on Globe from - 98 (1, 4, 8, 2, 3, 5 + 7, 9, 12) or the Aviv Quartet's eight quartets ( 4, 7, 11,1,10,&9), or the Prazak's two discs (7, 8, 14, 15 + piano quintet), or the Kopelman Quartet's recordings on Nimbus (1, 8 + Miaskovsky, 2 + [sic!], 3, 7 + Prokofiev & 10 + Weinberg), although their programming was innovative and prefigured the Pacifica cycle.
(Then again, it still seems ongoing and might yet be finished.) There's even the Japanese Morgaua Quartet recording these works (when they don't dabble in progressive rock) with a cycle about half-way through and available only from Amazon/via Japan.
I would like to make a plea to generously inclined readers with more information and knowledge of the subject than I have to lend a helping hand correcting my mistakes or filling data-lacunae.
I am explicitly grateful for any such pointers, hinters, and corrections and apologize for any bloomers. Unlike some earlier discographies, this one does intend to be comprehensive. So I am especially grateful if sets that I have missed are pointed out to me. I have not listened to them all, of course, but most. (Please send any comments to Len Mullenger for forwarding to Jens)
Borodin Quartet
( &#; )
Rostislav Dubinsky, Yaroslav Alexandrov, Dmitry Shebalin, Valentin Berlinsky
The first recorded DSCH SQ4t Cycle.
The Borodin was not the quartet that premiered (most of) the Shostakovich Quartets - the Beethoven [], Glazunov [1] and Taneyev [15] Quartets did, but they were the first to finish a recording of the cycle. Except that Shostakovich himself wasn't finished and went on to compose two more quartets. A classic, despite missing quartets 14 and 15, not the least for featuring the original lineup of the Borodin Quartet.
The sound is surprisingly good. A review from Tony Haywood on MusicWeb can be found here.
String Quartets
Chandos
Release:
4CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
Beethoven Quartet
( &#; )
Dmitri Tsyganov, Vasily Shirinsky (Nikolai ZabavnikovVadim), Borisovsky (Fyodor Druzhinin), Sergei Shirinsky (Yevgeny Altman)
The Beethoven Quartet was working closely with Shostakovich and premiered all his quartets except for his first (of which they played the Moscow premiere a month after the Glazunov Quartet's first performance) and last (during the rehearsals of which Dmitri Tsyganov died) and Nos.
11 through 14 are each dedicated to one of the members of the Beethoven String Quartet. The recordings were made for Melodiya and have been put together and re-issued (apparently with some audio issues) by Doremi. You don't get more of a breath of authenticity, presumably. See review by Ewen McCormick
String Quartets
+ Op
Doremi
Release:
5CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
Taneyev Quartet
( &#; )
Vladmir Ovcharek, Grigori Lutski, Vissarion Soloview, Josif Levinson
The Taneyev (or Taneiev) Quartet, after the Beethoven and Borodin Quartets, is the third of a triumvirate of quartets that were in close touch with the composer and whose readings might be called 'authentic'.
The luxurious Korean Aulos re-release is long out of print; individual copies of these quartets on various labels are floating about on Amazon and the like. A re-issue from Melodiya would be very much appreciated. A review from Jonathan Woolf on MusicWeb can be found here.
String Quartets
[OOP]
Aulos
Release: DATE
6CDs
Only available separately as downloads from Presto Classical
Fitzwilliam Quartet
( &#; )
Christopher Rowland, Jonathan Sparey, Alan George, Joan Davies
The Fitzwilliams also worked together with Shostakovich to produce (some of) these recordings.
The touch of composer-induced authenticity therefore also extends to this ensemble, which was the quartet in charge of familiarizing a Western audience with these stunning works. By all accounts, they did a great job - and for at least two decades this was the go-to cycle in the UK and beyond, where and when the second Borodin Cycle's incarnations weren't consistently available.
This cycle was also licensed by the Musical Heritage Society.
String Quartets
Decca
Release:
6CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
Borodin Quartet II
( &#; )
Mikhail Kopelman, Andrei Abramenkov, Dmitri Shebalin, Valentin Berlinsky (P: Sviatoslav Richter, Q2: Prokofiev Quartet)
The second cycle from the Borodin, in stereo throughout and with a terrific bonus in form of the Piano Quintet (with Richter) and the Two Pieces for String Octet, has long been considered the definitive in authenticity and all-around quality.
String quartet cd: Musical Characteristics Emotionally Charged Themes: The trio is known for its expressive melodies, particularly in the strings, which convey a wide range of emotions, from sorrow and anguish to frenzied energy and irony. All Hyperion reviews. This is expert engineering, all in the service of the players' focus and concentration. It also served as a model for future works in the concerto genre, influencing both Soviet and Western composers.
It might still be. It's terrific and terrifying and wildly satisfying and the only questionmark about it is the strange fact that it repeatedly lapses into inexplicable out-of-printness. Gritty and involving; occasionally on the slow side. The Sixth and Ninth Quartet and the Quintet were recorded live which adds in atmosphere more than it detracts in sound quality.
This is one of the three sets recommended in Surprised by Beauty.
Shostakovich Quartet
( &#; )
Andre Shishlov, Sergei Pishchugin, Alexander Galkovsky, Alexander Korchagin
Originally released on Olympia, the Shostakovich Quartet's recording of the Shostakovich Quartets is one of the hardest to find online. Therein is a lesson for future generations of chamber ensembles: Do not name yourself after a famous composer if you have any intentions of recording said composer widely.
Sorrel string quartet shostakovich biography wikipedia Virtuosity: One of the defining features of the Piano Concerto No. Here are the key characteristics of his music: 1. Remember the guy who pedalled his bike straight into a pond, unable to take his eyes off you? However, on 1 July, without waiting for my return visit, he suddenly arrived on the doorstep of the dacha late in the evening, clutching a bottle of vodka.It's every search-engine's nightmare. Pity, because the cycle is rather good and was a perennial Penguin Guide favorite. It is currently available in a bargain Alto box.
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Review
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Brodsky Quartet I
()
Michael Thomas, Ian Belton, Paul Cassidy, Jacqueline Thomas
The first cycle of the Brodsky Quartet, recorded in Berlin shortly after they performed all the quartets in concert in London.
It might have been meant to become the successor to the Fitzwilliam cycle but never quite got the necessary traction. James Leonard called them "coolly objective, almost disinterested, and certainly unaffecting performances [with the quartet's] immense anguish and despairing depths missing." A review of this set can be found on MusicWeb.
Manhattan String Quartet
(?
&#; )
Eric Lewis, Roy Lewis, John Dexter, Judith Glyde
I know little to none about this cycle, except that it was initially well received in the States, with Time Magazine selecting it as the Best of in the chamber music category. James Leonard disagrees, considering them "the worst cycle of the works ever recorded, the most consistently technically and interpretively flawed recordings of the works ever made" The snippets I've heard suggest that Leonard has a point - althought sheer struggle in these works could always be euphemized as "edge of the seat playing", I suppose.
ESS.A.Y CDs Amazon(UK) |
ESS.A.Y
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Éder Quartet
( &#; )
György Selmeczi, Péter Szüts, Sándor Papp, György Éder
Naxos got into the fray with their Éder Quartet.
Never boxed, this cycle is available only individually. The quartet goes back quite a bit; they won second (top) prize at the ARD International String Quartet Competition in Munich in and had been a staple in the Naxos stable, also recording Mozart for them.
String Quartets
Naxos
Release: -
6 individ.
CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
Emerson String Quartet
( &#; )
Eugene Drucker, Philip Setzer, Lawrence Dutton, David Finckel
The Emerson's cycle made a big splash when it came out, winning a GRAMMY each for Best Classical and best Chamber Performance. Do you know the "Structure" Instagram filter?
This is Shostakovich with that filter to the max.
Sorrel string quartet shostakovich biography The piano is often in the spotlight, and its role is central to the overall character of the concerto. Lyrical Beauty: Despite the generally joyful character, the concerto has moments of lyrical beauty, especially in the second movement, where the piano creates a sublime, melancholic atmosphere. Each of these works reveals a different facet of his musical personality and provides a deep insight into his unique voice as a composer. The final section is a fast, almost chaotic conclusion, full of energy and intensity.Details are in sharp relief; harsh is very harsh; lyrical is very lyrical. I've always found it glib and cold and wasn't enthused at the time (nor did I like the applause that was retained on these live recordings), but it's been a long time since I have heard these recordings and at this point I only have a memory of an impression, not of the performances themselves.
I am, actually, intrigued to dive back into them before long. A MusicWeb review can be found here.
Rubio Quartet
()
Dirk van de Velde, Dirk van den Hauwe, Marc Sonnaert, Peter Devos
The second time the Rubio Quartet - named after a luthier - set out to record the cycle of DSCH string quartets, they got to the finish line for the Dutch super-bargain Brilliant label.
MusicWeb review here. For being on Brilliant, it is probably underrated.
String Quartets
Brilliant
Release: DATE
5CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
St. Petersburg Quartet
( &#; )
Alla Aranovskaya, Ilya Teplyakov, Konstanin Kats (Alexei Koptev), Leonid Shukaev (P: Igor Uryash)
This cycle came out to mixed reviews but James Leonard thought it "strong-willed and clear-eyed, [with] every technical aspect of the scores clarified, but..
also passionate as well as compassionate, [with] every emotional element in the scores fully expressed." You can access the liner notes of this recording on Hyperion's website here.
String Quartets
+ opp. 57, 67
hyperion [oop]
Release:
6CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
Sorrel Quartet
( &#; )
Gina McCormack, Catherine Yates (Vicci Wardman), Sarah-Jane Bradley, Helen Thatcher (P: Martin Roscoe)
The first Shostakovich cycle performed by an all-female ensemble.
Mixed reviews, some very good, some ho-hum. MusicWeb review of vol 5 herevol.6 here.
String Quartets
+ op
Chandos
Release:
6CDs
Amazon(UK)
Quatuor Debussy
( &#; )
Christophe Collette, Dominique Lonca, Vincent Deprecq, Yannick Callier (P: Claire-Marie Le Guay )
I had found what seemed like aborted remnants of a possible cycle of the Quatuor Debussy&#;s on Amazon, but try as I may, I did not find anything other than a &#;Volume 1&#; and &#;Volume 3&#;.
Thanks (many thanks!) to a reader&#;s comment below it was pointed out that such a cycle did exist. Evidently I hadn&#;t been looking hard enough and lo and behold I found them on the quartet&#;s website. Volumes 2 through 6 are still available there&#; but I&#;ve since been able to track all six volumes on Amazon, as well.
4, 8, 13 Amazon(UK) |
Amazon(UK) |
Amazon(UK) |
6, 9, 11 Amazon(UK) |
Amazon(UK) |
Amazon(UK) |
Quatuor Danel
( &#; )
Marc Danel, Gilles Millet, Tony Nys, Guy Danel
This cycle, first out on fuga libera and recently re-issued on Alpha, has always been very well regarded.
As a Gallic (Belgian) take on the quartets it adds a flavor hitherto not present on the market, which was until then made up largely of Russian and Anglo quartets. If there was a fourth cycle that we'd recommend in the Shostakovich chapter of Surprised by Beauty, it would probably be this one. MusicWeb review here.
Rasumowsky Quartett
()
Dora Bratchkova, Ewgenia Grandjean, Gerhards Müller, Alina Kudelevic
This is the first DSCH-SQ4t cycle by a German string quartet and it comes with a recommendation by Maxim Shostakovich - and the claim to be the first recording to stick to the new Urtext editions of the quartets.
Admittedly, I never even knew it existed until researching this discography which suggests - actual quality aside - that it never made a splash. Here's a MusicWeb review.
String Quartets
+ op
Oehms
Release:
5CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
The Alexander String Quartet
( &#; )
Zakarias Grafilo, Frederick Lifsitz, Paul Yarbough, Sandy Wilson (P: Roger Woodward)
The Alexander Quartet are a splendid ensemble who also have two Beethoven String Quartet cycles to their name.
On this two-partite cycle they don't just add the Piano Quintet but also, for the first time, the re-discovered movement of one of the first two (both aborted) attempts at a Ninth Quartet. They also throw in string quartet transcriptions for select Preludes and Fugues. There's a MusicWeb review here. Like all their recent releases, these recordings were made at New York City&#;s American Academy of Arts and Letters,
Amazon(UK) |
Amazon(UK) |
Mandelring Quartett
( &#; )
Sebastian Schmidt, Nanette Schmidt, Roland Glassl, Bernhard Schmidt
The Mandelring cycle on Audite was the first (and remains, as of late , the only) set on SACD.
It is among the very best sounding cycles, even on the Red-Book CD layer. To quote from the recommendation in Surprised by Beauty: "The Mandelring Quartett are Shostakovich-seducers, not Shostakovich-enforcers and they bring out the sheer beauty of all of Shostakovich&#;s brilliantly harrowing ugliness. Three of its four members are siblings and the fourth plays as if he were a family member.
They perform as if these quartets were taking place inside a single soul, achieving an extraordinary quality of interiority and unanimity. Accentuating surfaces more than spikes, corners, and gore, their rhythmic beat is propulsive but rarely maniacal and their splendid sound matches that of the recording: a perfect foil to more fervent, rougher interpretations." In-depth ionarts review here.
Note that the individual releases are hybrid-SACDs wheras the set is CD-only!
Sorrel string quartet shostakovich biography youtube MusicWeb review here. And I alone know about Laura. Emotional Range: Conductors and performers must navigate the wide emotional range of the symphony, moving from the tragic depths of the first and third movements to the bittersweet triumph of the final movement. His opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk had been condemned by the government, and he feared for both his career and his life.MusicWeb review of Vol 3 here
Pacifica Quartet
( &#; )
Simin Ganatra, Sibbi Bernhardsson, Masumi Per Rostad, Brandon Vamos
The Pacifica Quartet is the third cycle that gets a recommendation in Surprised by Beauty: Their set "invigorates and enlightens the Shostakovich quartets with couplings of contemporary quartets: Nikolay Myaskovsky&#;s 13th on volume 1, Prokofiev&#;s 2nd on volume 2, Mieczyslaw Weinberg&#;s 6th on volume 3, and Alfred Schnittke&#;s 3rd on volume 4.
The performances bristle with energy and their Shostakovich ends up setting a new standard amid already strong competition." MusicWeb review here
String Quartets
+ other SQ4ts
Cedille
Release:
8CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
Brodsky Quartet II
()
Daniel Rowland, Kian Belton, Paul Cassidy, Jacqueline Thomas
The second time the Brodsky Quartet recorded these works: I wonder how many people thought that once was more than enough.
Well, there it is anyway, live from Amsterdam. Only the husband-and-wife team of violist and cellist are still the same from their first go.
String quartet weddings It was a huge public success, but critics and listeners have since debated the underlying complexity and ambiguity in the work. This was of course a response not to the pseudo-tragedy so much as to my own wonder at its superlative unity of form. Shostakovich uses dissonance and chromaticism throughout the sonata, especially in the first movement, where the harmonic tension underpins much of the emotional expression. It is one of the toughest and most uncompromising of all his quartets — particularly so in the first movement: a truly symphonic Allegro of the type which he longed to achieve in the context of a symphony, but which he felt had still eluded him.There's a detailed review on MusicWeb
String Quartets
Chandos
Release:
6CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical
Borodin Quartet III
( &#; )
Ruben Aharonian, Sergey Lomovsky, Igor Naidin, Vladimir Balshin (P: Alexei Volodin)
The third DSCH SQ4t Cycle from the Borodin (not counting their one-off digital recording of a few quartets for Virgin)!
The cast - post-Berlinsky and Abramenkov - is now entirely new from what it was on any of the previous cycles, but the name lives on and, presumably, the tradition. This new cycle includes the Piano Quintet, the Unfinished Quartet "Allegretto 9/1" (second, after the Alexander Quartet to record this rather new find), the Two Pieces for String Quartet opa, and - uniquely among cycles listed here, Music from Podrugi, opa, arranged for string quartet, piano and trumpet.
(With none less than Sergei Nakariakov on trumpet and Alexei Lubimov as the pianist. Alexei Volodin plays in the Quintet.) The arrival of this set has finally made me put this discography together. MusicWeb review here
String Quartets
+ opp, 36a, opa, Allegretto 9/1
Decca
Release:
7CDs
Amazon(UK)Presto Classical