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Discussion: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15, Hamlet - Pletnev

Posts: 25
Page: 1 2 3 next

Post by Edvin June 17, 2009 (1 of 25)
I listened to this with great interest after reading Castor's favorable review. But I was very disappointed with Pletnev's way in this music. I found none of the sinister atmosphere in the first movement that Castor mentions. To me it sounds like a jolly romp and Pletnev fails to bring out the dark humour of Shostakovich.

The rest is better and Pletnev is slower than Gergiev in the two big movements, but it is the latter who has the greater understanding for the different facets of the work. From Gergiev we get the sharper edges and the grotesque. Pletnev is like a safe cushion in comparison. Beautiful sounds, yes, but that is not what this symphony is about.

What a strange musician Pletnev is. His very first recording was a marvellous Tchaikovsky 6 and nothing he's done since has been anywhere near that. His cycle of Beethoven symphonies has some of the worst conducting I have ever heard. It is like a parody.

Post by Peter June 18, 2009 (2 of 25)
I haven't heard Gergiev's recordings yet, but much enjoyed Pletnev's. It suited my view more than Barshai's, for example, the slow tempi I thought worked very well. And the playing is very beautiful, especially the leader's and first cello's solos, and sounds dark enough where necessary. Perhaps the humour does lack acid. I'm looking forward to hearing Gergiev.

Here's an interesting article on the 11th, not my favourite work by a long way; various recordings' reviews are collated at the end and the variance of opinion as wide as I could imagine!

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/June09/shostakovich_sy11survey_p1.htm

Post by Edvin June 18, 2009 (3 of 25)
I don't mind the slow tempi at all, it's the smoothness I react to. The playing is lovely as you say, but Pletnev doesn't dig deep.

Post by Polly Nomial June 18, 2009 (4 of 25)
Do either of you hear a blip in the trumpets at the climax of the second movement (at about 10')?

Post by Peter June 18, 2009 (5 of 25)
Polly Nomial said:

Do either of you hear a blip in the trumpets at the climax of the second movement (at about 10')?

I'll have another listen tomorrow - I didn't notice before!

Post by Polly Nomial June 18, 2009 (6 of 25)
Peter said:

I'll have another listen tomorrow - I didn't notice before!

Thanks!

Post by Edvin June 18, 2009 (7 of 25)
Polly Nomial said:

Do either of you hear a blip in the trumpets at the climax of the second movement (at about 10')?

Yes Polly, you are so right. One of the trumpets plays a sour note at this point. This happens all the time in concert and maybe it should have been taken care of in a patch up session. These things may seem minimal, but when you know it is there it becomes more louder for each hearing.

Post by Castor June 20, 2009 (8 of 25)
John is quite correct, there is a very slight slip in the trumpets at 10' 02" in the second movement, but it is so brief that it did not bother me at all. It does seem somewhat perverse to withhold a rating from the whole performance based on one player's very tiny slip. I do, however, agree with him that potential purchasers should judge for themselves.

I honestly do wonder how many listeners would have even noticed the trumpet slip if John had not drawn their attention to it.

As Edvin so rightly states:
"These things may seem minimal, but when you know it is there it becomes more louder for each hearing."

On the excellent new Gergiev vesion the conductor's exhalations are clearly audible at a number of places, but, although this will bother some listeners much more, it will not prevent me from giving this recording the top recommendation it deserves.

Post by Peter June 20, 2009 (9 of 25)
I listen to so many live recordings (ie from a single concert) from all eras, a little blip is of no consequence to me. However, I can imagine others being more irritated.

Still, this is far less annoying than a series of loud LP ticks, which on listening again and again, one counts off until they stop!

Post by Polly Nomial June 20, 2009 (10 of 25)
Maybe I'm being a bit hypersensitive to this issue but it really does spoil the whole affair for me knowing that the climax of the whole work contains an (all too) audible glitch.

Perhaps I should put it down for a week or two and then come back to it...

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