It is a strikingly pure and neoclassical piece, a model of grace, lightness, delicate. In fact its laudable as being so accurate while obviously less attached than many other interpretations. To read more about the significance of this piece to the group, visit. Most previous books about dmitri shostakovich have focused on either his.
Soviet composer dmitri shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets, 6 concertos and hours of film scores during his career. This generally excellent set of shostakovich quartets has been dogged by the fact that it has always had to compete with the marvelous borodin quartet versions that have circulated variously on emi and rca, and now has to contend with several other cycles complete or in progress, not least of which is the emerson quartets magnificent dg recording. It is one of the shortest string quartets yet still in four movements. Therein is a lesson for future generations of chamber ensembles. They enjoyed a personal relationship with shostakovich, who allowed them to give the western premieres of his last three string quartets. The first string quartet differs sharply from shostakovichs later quartets. The shostakovich quartets i have been pleased to discover have elicited a number of outstanding releases, a field which id describe as exceptionally strong. Mar 24, 2012 recorded by the borodin quartet, one of the greatest soviet musical ensembles, in 1967.
Shop the worlds widest selection of dmitri shostakovich string quartet music, scores, parts and more. Complete string quartets by borodin quartet from amazons classical music store. Mar 08, 2011 having written 15 string quartets, he has to be considered the centurys premier composer in that form as well. Are there any specific quartets i should the manhattan string quartet and the borodin quartets have both released the complete series.
This page lists all recordings of string quartets nos. A new biography of shostakovich that views him through the intimate music of his string quartets. Shostakovichs fifteen string quartets present commentators with several paradoxes, each with its own invitingly easy explanation. String quartets by dimitri shostakovich, emerson string quartet from amazons classical music store.
The festival celebrates thirty years of the lafayette string quar tet and honours the quartet s mentor, russian violinist rostislav. If youve been following this series, you already know that its one of the great shostakovich quartet cycles, outstanding even in a very crowded field. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Elegy serenade intermezzo nocturne funeral march epilogue. Violinists rostislav dubinsky and yaroslav alexandrov left the group before they could record shostakovichs thenrecent, final two quartets. A critic speculates about what shostakovich was really expressing in his string quartets. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. The borodin quartet is a string quartet that was founded in 1945 in the then soviet union.
It was premiered, along with the second of his piano trios, on november 9, 1944. Can someone please recommend recordings of the shostakovich string quartets. This is a solidlyplayed complete set of dmitri shostakovich s 15 quartets from the brodsky quartet, a uk ensemble that recorded for teldec over a number of years. May 08, 2011 this book is a paean to shostakovichs quartets and their significance. For me, the greatest of shostakovich s string quartets are nos 3, 5, 810, 12 and.
Originally released on olympia, the shostakovich quartets recording of the shostakovich quartets is one of the hardest to find online. To the excellent versions of the 15 shostakovich quartets, the pacifica adds four quartets by shostakovichs contemporaries. In that sense, his music is the secret memoir of a people, as the title of lessers book suggests. Shostakovich had come to the medium relatively late, when the soviet newspaper pravda had already denounced his music as unsoviet, unwholesome, cheap, eccentric, tuneless. Shostakovich, fitzwilliam string quartet the string. Lesser calls the quartets shostakovichs pure music, by way of contrast to. For many the recordings by the borodin quartet are matchless and id say you really cant go far wrong with their recordings. String quartets nos 1 15 complete by brodsky quartet on amazon music. It was the only string quartet set available in the west when i became interested in the music of dmitri shostakovich. Most previous books about dmitri shostakovich have focused. I recommend this album to those seeking to hear shostakovich s string quartets played well. Shostakovich and his fifteen quartets by wendy lesser.
Shostakovich complete string quartets classicstoday. Along with beethoven, haydn and mozart, shostakovitch quartets are firmly entrenched within the canon of classical music. The chapters of wendy lessers book on the string quartets of shostakovich carry the same titles, and are arranged in the same order, as those of the six consecutive adagio movements of the fifteenth quartet. It is one of the worlds longestlasting string quartets, having marked its 70thanniversary season in 2015. Shostakovich the shostakovich quartet the complete shostakovich string quartets volume 1 string quartets nos. Oct 23, 2012 the character of the vith its rather eccentric neobaroque inflections, are rather peculiar to have come from shostakovich s pen. His string quartet no 8 in c minor 2nd movement would be another great piece. Their status in the concert hall as representatives of the genre in the twentieth century has long since overtaken that of bartoks six quartets, but this prominence is scarcely reflected in the literature presumably the fault of lazy musicologists. While his symphonies were subjected to scrutiny and censure by the suffocating soviet government, the string quartets were chamber pieces into which he felt free to pour all his sadness, anger and boldest musical ideas.
Do not name yourself after a famous composer if you have any intentions of recording said composer widely. Pages in category string quartets by dmitri shostakovich the following 16 pages are in this category, out of 16 total. In the soviet union acceptance of these somber quartets came almost as soon as they were written. As complete a set as i can find of shostakovich s 16 string quartets. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for its ground breaking search for neglected musical gems. This new book on shostakovichs 8th string quartet is part of the series entitled landmarks in music since 1950.
Oct 07, 2017 a survey of beethoven string quartet cycles. The book proceeds as a biographical sketch, punctuated by. The pacifica quartet has performed and recorded complete traversals of the string quartets of felix mendelssohn and elliott carter, and this cycle of the 15 string quartets of dmitri shostakovich proves yet again the groups thoroughness and commitment to a project. Shostakovich the best string quartets and the best. A new biography of shostakovich that views him through the intimate music of his string quartets most previous books about dmitri shostakovich have focused on either his symphonies and operas, or his relationship to the regime under which he lived, or both, since these largescale works were the ones that attracted the interest and sometimes the condemnation of the soviet authorities. The festival celebrates thirty years of the lafayette string quartet and honours the quartets mentor, russian violinist rostislav dubinsky, who first coached members of the lsq as graduate students at indiana university and continued to serve as an im portant mentor for the ensemble. The company has pioneered the idea of the series and proudly includes series of such composers as prokofiev, tchaikovsky, parry, walton, grainger, berkeley and bridge. The complete string quartets by dmitri shostakovich by. The emerson string quartet, also known as the emerson quartet, is a professional string ensemble in residence at the stony brook university. Except for the ninth and 10th quartets, the superior cds of the beethoven quartets recordings are on melodiya, starting with the first, third, and fourth shostakovich string quartets nos. The mono of the first and fourth is enhanced over the doremi versions, and the third is a completely different recording made in stereo in 1965 after druzhinin and zabavnikov joined the group thats not otherwise available. The piece was written shortly after two traumatic events in the life of the composer.
Oct 08, 2018 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 quartets first performance and last during the rehearsals of which dmitri tsyganov died and nos. Lesser calls the quartets shostakovichs pure music, by way of contrast to the impurity of the symphonies and other work. I realize that many recordings include only one or two of themis there a complete series avaliable on cd. For many the recordings by the borodin quartet are matchless and id. During the 1980s the musical ensemble was in residence at the hartt school located in west hartford, connecticut. Buy emerson string quartets album titled shostakovich. This study examines the musical design of shostakovich s eighth string quartet in detail and seeks to overthrow the charges of superficiality that have arisen as a result of the works popular. Apr 11, 2016 shostakovich wrote his string quartet no. Highly popular, it is performed more frequently than all of the other fourteen together. Youll find your dmitri shostakovich string quartet sheet music at sheet music plus. Shostakovich, the borodin quartet the complete string.
Shostakovich, fitzwilliam string quartet shostakovich, fitzwilliam string quartet the string quartets. Shostakovich counts among his weapons parody and satire, carnival and grotesque. The mono of the first and fourth is enhanced over the doremi versions, and the third is a completely different. I adore the ensemble in their earlier recordings of shostakovich shostakovich. The fitzwilliam string quartet doing the shostakovich string quartets were my first set of all dschs string quartets. Complete string quartets to enjoy in your home or car, or gift it to another music lover. Nov 15, 2016 for me, the greatest of shostakovich s string quartets are nos 3, 5, 810, 12 and. There is an article entitled the genealogy of the string quartet which deals with the evolution of the string quartet over the centuries, and another, earlier works for string quartets, which examines shostakovich s compositions for these four string instruments that were transcriptions of other works or film music. Pacifica quartets complete shostakovich and friends. The string quartets to enjoy in your home or car, or gift it.
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