Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov / Kotscherga, Ramey, Lipovsek, Larin, Leiferkus, Langridge, Abbado

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Claudio Abbado uses Mussorgsky's text in a condition almost as complete as Mstislav Rostropovich's but avoiding some overlap from variant readings. He brings to his conducting the same vitality and scrupulous attention to small details that are familiar from his work in Italian opera. His cast is good throughout and particularly strong in the leading roles. This is a Boris to live with, one that gets better with repeated hearings. --Joe McLellan

Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov / Kotscherga, Ramey, Lipovsek, Larin, Leiferkus, Langridge, Abbado, Music, Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, Claudio Abbado, Anatoly Kotscherga, Marjana Lipovsek, Samuel Ramey, Sergej Larin, Sergei Leiferkus, Philip Langridge, Classical, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta, Russian Romantic Opera
Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov / Kotscherga, Ramey, Lipovsek, Larin, Leiferkus, Langridge, Abbado
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Read all these
  • The agony of evil isn't here--but everything else is
  • THE definitive Shostakovich version
  • A monumental achivement
  • A must have
 Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov / Kotscherga, Ramey, Lipovsek, Larin, Leiferkus, Langridge, Abbado
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky , Claudio Abbado , Anatoly Kotscherga , Marjana Lipovsek , Samuel Ramey , Sergej Larin , Sergei Leiferkus , and Philip Langridge
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000029L4
Release Date: 1994-05-03

Tracks:

  1. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene One: Introduction
  2. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene One: 'Well Then, What's Wrong With You?'
  3. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene One: 'Who Are You Abandoning Us To'
  4. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene One: 'Who Are You Abandoning Us To'
  5. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene One: 'True Believers! The Boyar Is Implacable'
  6. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene One: 'Glory To Thee, Creator On High'
  7. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene One: 'Did You Hear What The Holy Pilgrims Said?'
  8. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene Two: Introduction
  9. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene Two: 'Long Live Tsar Boris Fyodorovich!' (Shuisky)
  10. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene Two: 'My Soul Is Sad' (Boris)
  11. Boris Godunov: Prologue - Scene Two: 'Glory'
  12. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene One: Introduction
  13. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene One: 'Just One Final Story' (Pimen)
  14. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene One: 'O Lord, Strong And Righteous' (Grigory, Pimen)
  15. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene One: 'Do Not Complain, Brother' (Pimen)
  16. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene One: 'For A Long Time, Honoured Father' (Grigory, Pimen)
  17. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene One: 'I Arrived At Night' (Pimen)
  18. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene One: 'How Old Was The Murdered Tsarevich?' (Grigory, Pimen)
  19. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene One: 'They Are Ringing For Matins' (Pimen, Grigory)
  20. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: Introduction
  21. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: 'I Caught A Grey Drake'
  22. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: 'Give Me Some Fun'
  23. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: 'Why Are You So Pensive, Comrade?' (Grigory)
  24. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: 'Here's What Happened At The Town Of Kazan'
  25. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: 'Why Don't You Sing Along?' (Grigory)
  26. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: 'We Are Humble Elders, Honest Monks' (Grigory)
  27. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: 'What Are You Starung At Me Like That For?' (Grigory)
  28. Boris Godunov: Act One - Scene Two: 'And His Age... And His Age...'

Tracks:

  1. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'Where Are You, My Betrothed'
  2. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'Oh, That's Enough, Princess, My Dear!'
  3. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'A Gnat Was Chopping Wood'
  4. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'My Little Tale Is About This And That'
  5. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'What's The Matter? Has A Wild Beast Surprised A Sitting Hen?' (Boris)
  6. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'I Have Achieved Absolute Power' (Boris)
  7. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'Hey, Pss!' (Boris)
  8. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'Our Little Parrot Was With The Nannies' (Boris, Shuisky)
  9. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'Ah, It's You, Glorious Orator' (Boris, Shuisky)
  10. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'In Uglich, In The Cathedral, In Front Of All The People' (Shuisky, Boris)
  11. Boris Godunov: Act Two: 'Phew! I Feel Terrible! Let Me Catch My Breath' (Boris)
  12. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene One: 'By The Sky-Blue Waters Of The Vistula, Under A Shady Willow' (Marina)
  13. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene One: 'Enough! The Beautiful Lady Is Grateful' (Marina)
  14. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene One: 'Marina Is Bored. Oh, How Bored!' (Marina)
  15. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene One: 'Ah! Oh, It's You, My Father' (Marina, Rangoni)
  16. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene One: 'With Tender, Ardent Words Of Love' (Rangoni, Marina)
  17. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene One: 'What?... You Impudent Liar!' (Marina, Rangoni)
  18. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: 'At Midnight, In The Garden, By The Fountain'
  19. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: 'Tsarevich!' (Rangoni)
  20. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: 'Can A Humble And Sinful Man, Praying For His Dear Ones' (Rangoni)
  21. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: 'Tsarevich, Hide!' (Rangoni)
  22. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: Polonaise - 'I Do Not Believe In Your Passion, Sir' (Marina)
  23. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: 'That Crafty Jesuit, He Has Got Me Firmly In The Grip' (Marina)
  24. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: How Long And Agonizing' (Marina)
  25. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: 'Oh, Tsarevich, I Beg You' (Marina)
  26. Boris Godunov: Act Three - Scene Two: 'My Turtledoves!' (Rangoni, Marina)

Tracks:

  1. Boris Godunov: Act Four: Introduction
  2. Boris Godunov: Act Four: 'What, Is Mass Finished Already?'
  3. Boris Godunov: Act Four: 'Trrr, trrr - Iron Cap'
  4. Boris Godunov: Act Four: 'Ah-ah-ah! Boris' (Boris, Shuisky)
  5. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: Introduction
  6. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'Exalted Boyars!'
  7. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'Well, Then? Let's Go And Vote, Boyars'
  8. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'What A Shame That Prince Shuisky Isn't Here'
  9. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'He Was Whispering: Keep Away, Keep Away' (Shuisky, Boris)
  10. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'Here, By The Front Entrance' (Shuisky, Boris)
  11. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'A Humble Monk' (Pimen, Boris)
  12. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'Once, In The Evening' (Pimen)
  13. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'The Tsarevich - Quickly!' (Boris)
  14. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'Farewell, My Son' (Boris)
  15. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene One: 'A Bell! A Funeral Knell!' (Boris)
  16. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: Introduction
  17. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: 'Bring Him Over Here!'
  18. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: 'It's Not A Falcon Flying In The Heavens'
  19. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: 'The Sun And Moon Have Grown Dark'
  20. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: 'Hey Ho!'
  21. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: 'Domine, Domine, Salvum Fac'
  22. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: March - 'Glory To You, Tsarevich'
  23. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: 'We, Dimitri Ivanovich'
  24. Boris Godunov: Act Four - Scene Two: 'Flow, Flow, Bitter Tears'

Amazon.com

Claudio Abbado uses Mussorgsky's text in a condition almost as complete as Mstislav Rostropovich's but avoiding some overlap from variant readings. He brings to his conducting the same vitality and scrupulous attention to small details that are familiar from his work in Italian opera. His cast is good throughout and particularly strong in the leading roles. This is a Boris to live with, one that gets better with repeated hearings. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Read all these .......2006-01-13

Glowing reviews on Abbado and his fine castings performance.
Makes my job alot easier :-)
Was there a finer Boris as Anatoly Kotcherga?
Was there a more beautiful voice for Xenia than Valentina Valenta?
Well in order to answer these 2 questions you will need to order this cd.

Was this review helpful?
Do you feel this opinion overhype's in any way?

You know hype is a bad thing, as it leads folks to purchase less than stellar recordings.. Shame on those who do so.

THIS IS THE ONLY BORIS YOU NEED.



5 out of 5 stars The agony of evil isn't here--but everything else is.......2005-09-29

For svirtuosic playing and excellent sound, I agree with the reviewer who picks this version of the Shostakovich edition (working from Mussorgsky's original orchestration) and the Karajan for Rimsky-Korsakov's more "civilzed" reorchestration. I think we're past the time when only one or the other can be approved; each is wonderful in its own way.

I just wanted to add that in theater tradition Boris is an agonized, guilty monster, a Czar who used murder to gain his throne. He attracts sympathy through overt suffering, not for any sympathetic quality other than love of his son. To portray this agony is essential, and it is almost impossible to overplay it so far as Russian audiences are concerned. Even the scenery-chewing Boris Christoff, who practically gets hysterical in the clock and death scenes, is actually right in line. Abbado's Boris, the estimable Anatoly Kotcherga, I find rather cool and restrained when it comes to guilt-ridden agony, but the overall cast is so good--especially Dmitri and Marina, who tend to be awful on Soviet recordings--that I agree wholeheartedly with the amazon reviewer. This is a Boris to live with for a long time to come.

5 out of 5 stars THE definitive Shostakovich version.......2003-06-22

If I had to recommend Boris to anyone, I would first say that there ARE two versions. Secondly, both ARE worth getting. Thirdly, this IS the definitive "Shostakovich version"; and fourthly, the definitive "Rimsky-Korsakov arrangement" is that conducted by Herbert von-Karajan on Decca, with Nicolai Ghiaurov in the title role. That is, of course, if you want the BEST in my view.

I find it intriguing to compare the two versions and the tonal differences. This version also has a few extra scenes, but the differences have been more or less exhausted by other reviewers. My comment is on the quality of this recording, beginning with Abbado's conducting. As with his incomparable Khovanshchina, the detail, phrasing and passion of his reading humble and seduce you to the point of ecstasy! The pace is brisk but never rushed and none of Boris' pathos and guilt is lost.

This brings me to the singers and a continuous line of superlatives. The chorus- the very voice and soul of the Russian people- is superb in their harmonisation of Mussorgsky's more "rustic" arrangement. The dark comedy is well portrayed both in their forced supplications and more genuine internal bickerings in the first scene. Throughout the recording, they capture the subtle tonal discords that bring this recording "closer to the original" Mussorgsky composition. And then Boris himself: Kotscherga, like Ghiaurov, is gifted with a naturally deep, sonorous bass voice, but this is a completely different Boris. While Ghiaurov's more lordly tone is all the more tragic for his broken character in the end where he softens his voice (with brilliant contrasting effect), Kotscherga's more sombre voice shows a growingly tortured Tsar from beginning to climatic end.

The remainder of the cast? Simply brilliant: both Xenia and Feodor are of convincing tones for their youthful characters. Sergei Larin has achieved wide acclaim for his brilliant tenor, and here, as Grigory/The Pretender, he portrays the passionate romantic with beautiful tone and conviction. The role of Shuisky is one that I always relish. The pinnacle of his sly craft was reached, in my view, by Maslennikov on the Decca set. His outburst during the scene in front of St. Basil's Cathedral in the Red Square has a bite and venom that has not been surpassed. Similarly, his malignings before the Boyar Council in the Kremlin are chilling. In this recording, Langridge comes closest, however, and his interpretation is still quite effective. Ramey, as Pimen, is dark and foreboding, and in his voice you feel the weight of his chronicling. Von Karajan boasts a more comic duo in terms of the two drunken monks Varlaam and Missail but here, Nikolsky and Wildhaber are more than adequate. Where Marina is concerned, I must confess a bias towards Lipovsek. In my view, she can do no wrong and here she is as dramatic as always and, appreciably, WITHOUT the unsteady and violent wobble. In my view, she is vocally much preferable to Vishnevskaya on the Decca set.

Many people recommend the bargain set produced by Gergiev for Phillips because of its 2 for 1 price. I have heard it only in passing so I will not comment on its individual quality (though it is acclaimed), save to say that the Decca and Sony sets above are far superior. This is not to say, however, that the Gergiev set is not a good reading. Nevertheless, my review speaks for itself: get THIS recording of the Shostakovich arrangement.

5 out of 5 stars A monumental achivement.......2002-11-11

This is one phenominal recording! As Boris, Anatoly Kotcherga is truly awesome, and Marjana Lipovsek is almost spellbinding as Marina. The rest of the cast,(and there are many), along with Claudio Abbado and The Berlin Philharmonic, make this version of Boris Godunov a magical experience.

5 out of 5 stars A must have.......2000-03-27

Here you have a stong cast of singers doing their roles with great musicality and character. Claudio Abbado conducts the score with great care and love. Finally and most importantly you have the Berlin Philharmonic in all its sonic glory. The playing and colors that the orchestra produce are staggering. No orchestra has even come close to this level of playing. Details are clear and there is power aplenty when needed. It is clear why the Berlin Philharmonic is the worlds best.

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