Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Of Shostakovich's 15 string quartets, the eighth is probably best known and most frequently performed. It seems to express Shostakovich's innermost thoughts and feelings in the most personal though still carefully encoded way, giving the music a tremendous emotional impact. Shostakovich dedicated it to "the victims of fascism and war," clearly implying that he was including himself by building the work's main theme on the notes representing the letters of his initials (in the German spelling), and by quoting widely from his earlier works. The quartet encapsulates all the characteristics of his style: the biting irony, the desperate humor, the obsessive repetition, the bleakness, agony, and despair. The playing is beyond praise, technically flawless, tonally beautiful, varied and nuanced, texturally transparent and homogeneous. The players obviously have a strong affinity for the music; they skirt its emotional edge without succumbing to its excesses. Their expressiveness is deeply felt but always balanced and unsentimental. Recorded live, the playing has all the immediacy and excitement of a concert performance. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 2 in A Major
String Quartet No. 2 in A Major
String Quartet No. 2 in A Major
String Quartet No. 2 in A Major
String Quartet No. 12 in D flat Major
String Quartet No. 12 in D flat Major

Tracks:

String Quartet No.8 in C Minor
String Quartet No.8 in C Minor
String Quartet No.8 in C Minor
String Quartet No.8 in C Minor
String Quartet No.8 in C Minor
String Quartet No. 7 in F sharp Minor
String Quartet No. 7 in F sharp Minor
String Quartet No. 7 in F sharp Minor
String Quartet No. 3 in F Major
String Quartet No. 3 in F Major
String Quartet No. 3 in F Major
String Quartet No. 3 in F Major
String Quartet No. 3 in F Major

Customer Reviews:

sheer brilliance and range, brilliantly performed.......2003-11-16

These five Shostakovich string quartets were recorded by the Borodin Quartet in London in 1990, and the performance and recording are absolutely brilliant, to match the compositions. (The earlier complete cycle of 15 quartets, recorded in the 1980s by an earlier line-up of the Borodins, is no longer available.)

Quartets 2 and 3, which open and close this set, were written respectively in 1944 and 1946, expressions of DSCH in his prime, during the war and its immediate aftermath. They are among his finest works, too rich in mood and style to summarize briefly. The 8th Quartet of 1960 is his best known, and it was publicly dedicated to "the victims of war and fascism." Of course the interpretation of that phrase by the Soviet officials was at variance with what we now know to be DSCH's view. I heard the Kronos Quartet recording (on BLACK ANGELS) before this one -- by comparison it is harder-edged, emphasizing the bitter rage at the perpetrators, while the Borodin recording emphasizes grief and quiet desolation. Or in other words, the Kronos recording is strong in the louder passages, while the Borodin recording is more expressive and convincing in the slower, quieter passages, which predominate. The 7th Quartet (also of 1960), in honor of Shostakovich's first wife Nina, who died in 1954, is in three movements, and concludes with a powerful raging allegro. Finally, the 12th Quartet, completed in 1968, is in two movements. It can here be seen to represent the "late quartets," 12-15, all of which are dark works written as Shostakovich's health failed and he was in and out of hospitals. The 12th is a powerful, memorable work that continues to show an amazing range, the baring of a complex soul.

Along with the best of Shostakovich's symphonies, his best string quartets are among the finest music of the 20th century, and should be heard by absolutely all music-lovers. Though chronologically later, this is not music that extends the radical innovations of Schoenberg (and Bartok's string quartets). Shostakovich's music is not exactly neo-classical, or neo-romantic, but the modernist elements in his work are integrated seamlessly into a mainly tonal, lyrical conception that makes it more acceptable to the average concert-goer than the music of many of DSCH's contemporaries in the West. Dark and gloomy, yes, but not a radical departure from "the classical tradition."

A PILGRIMAGE.......2003-08-17

This 2-disc selection of 5 Shostakovich quartets is arranged with quartets #2 and #12 on the first disc, #8, #7 and #3 (in that order for some reason) on the second.

It seems to me that far and away the best sequence for listening to them is the chronological sequence of publication, which to the best of my knowledge is also the sequence of their composition. Shostakovich's output is a pilgrim's progress. His music tracks his states of mind, and with the quartets we can try to follow those comparatively free from external political influences and the pressing practical need to adopt public and official personae. These quartets have far more unity and consistency of style than do the symphonies and concertos, and it is far easier for the hearer to gain a feel for the composer's real private identity. 3 of the 5 here are in major keys, but the prevailing mood is sombre and introverted in all of them. It almost goes without saying that this is not `absolute' music - the music by itself is not the whole story as it is in the quartets of Borodin or Brahms. The listener needs to read the composer's mind-set as best he can, with or without help from the composer's biography. If anyone wants my advice, it would be to persevere without that for a while, as music of this stature demands to be heard for itself.

There are no early works here - the second quartet has the opus-# 68 - and one of the things I like best about them is that they are `genuine' quartets, if that expression may be excused. More or less nobody's quartets consist of absolutely pure four-part writing, but there are cases, even including such great works as Franck's quartet or Schumann's quintet, where the string-writing is really for a miniature string band or orchestra rather than a distinctive quartet. Shostakovich is not afraid to relax the idiom at times, notably in the recitative movement of the second quartet (and why should he be? - neither was Beethoven, neither was Brahms), but fundamentally he is as faithful to the quartet concept as Haydn himself.

The recorded sound is excellent without drawing attention to itself in any way, as it does in the Borodins' great disc of Borodin's own quartets. The performances strike me as exemplary in their sympathy and understanding as well as proficiency, and the whole production ranks as what Thucydides called `a possession for ever', meaning by that a thing to be returned to over and over again. It's a classic that will not soon be supplanted.

Beautiful recent recordings by the Borodin Quartet.......2000-04-17

This 2-CD set contains the 1990 recordings by the Borodin String Quartet of 5 major Shostakovich Quartets for Virgin Classics (now EMI/Virgin Classics). The Borodin String Quartet recorded a complete cycle in Moscow between 1978 and 1983 (originally released in the west as an EMI box set, but now availabe as a BMG/Melodiya box set through Amazon). These beautiful 1990 digital recordings of 5 of the 15 quartets represent the best anthology of the Shostakovich quartets available today and should not be missed. Although the readings are different--less emotional, more meditative--these performances are as intense and committed as the earlier ones and should not be missed, not even by those who own the complete set recorded by the Borodin String Quartet. All the more tempting by the fact that this 2-CD set is offered for less than the price of 1, an incredible bargain!

Average customer rating:

Hum a little Shostakovich
Not just a bargain--a must-have
lusterless
Rating this bargain set against the Emersons at full price
A triumph of creativity over censorship

Shostakovich: The String Quartets

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet
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ASIN: B0000042HV
Release Date: 1998-02-10

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 3 In F Major, Op. 73: I. Allegretto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 3 In F Major, Op. 73: II. Moderato con moto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 3 In F Major, Op. 73: III. Allegro non troppo - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 3 In F Major, Op. 73: IV. Adagio - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 3 In F Major, Op. 73: V. Moderato - Adagio - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 4 In D Major, Op. 83: I. Allegretto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 4 In D Major, Op. 83: II. Andantino - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 4 In D Major, Op. 83: III. Allegretto - D. Shostakovich

Tracks:

String Quartet No .5 In B flat Major, Op. 92: I. Allegro non troppo - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 5 In B Flat Major, Op. 92: II. Andante - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 5 In B Flat Major, Op. 92: III. Moderato - Allegretto - Andante - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 6 In G Major, Op. 101: I. Allegretto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 6 In G Major, Op. 101: II. Moderato con moto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 6 In G Major, Op. 101: III. Lento - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No.6 in G Major, Op. 101: IV. Allegretto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 7 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 108: I. Allegretto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 7 zIn F Sharp Minor, Op. 108: II. Lento - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 7 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 108: III. Allegro - Allegretto - D. Shostakovich

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 110: I. Largo - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 110: II. Allegro molto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 110: III. Allegretto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 110: IV. Largo - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 110: V. Largo - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 117: I. Moderato con moto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 117: II. Adagio - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 117: III. Allegretto - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 117: IV. Adagio - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 117: V. Allegro - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major, Op. 118: I. Andante - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major, Op. 118: II. Allegretto furioso - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major, Op. 118: III. Adagio - - D. Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major, Op. 118: IV. Allegretto - Andante - D. Shostakovich

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 11 In F Minor, Op. 122: I. Introduction: Andantino - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 11 In F Minor, Op. 122: II. Scherzo: Allegretto - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 11 In F Minor, Op. 122: III. Recitative: Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 11 In F Minor, Op. 122: IV. Etude: Allegro - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 11 In F Minor, Op. 122: V. Humoresque: Allegro - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 11 In F Minor, Op. 122: VI. Elegy: Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 11 In F Minor, Op. 122: I. Finale: Moderato - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 12 In D Flat Major, Op. 133: II. Moderato - Allegreto - Dmitri Shostakovich
Allegretto - Adagio - Moderato - Allegreto - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 13 In B Flat Minor, Op. 138: Adagio - Doppio movimento - Tempo primo - Dmitri Shostakovich

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 14 In F Major, Op. 142: I. Allegretto - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 14 In F Major, Op. 142: II. Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 14 In F Major, Op. 142: III. Allegretto - Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 15 E-Flat Minor, Op. 144: I. Elegy. Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 15 E-Flat Minor, Op. 144: II. Serenade. Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 15 E-Flat Minor, Op. 144: III. Intermezzo. Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 15 E-Flat Minor, Op. 144: IV. Nocturne. Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 15 E-Flat Minor, Op. 144: V. Funeral March. Adagio molto - Dmitri Shostakovich
String Quartet No. 15 E-Flat Minor, Op. 144: VI. Epilogue. Adagio - Dmitri Shostakovich

Amazon.com

The Fitzwilliam Quartet is English by birth but shows a lot of Russian soul in these works, which were recorded in consultation with the composer. Their technique is flawless, their immersion in the music total, their interaction with one another and with the music spontaneous and intense. Priced competitively with the Borodin Quartet, they do not have any added attraction to match the Piano Quintet in that set, but this close-up stereo recording is significantly better. Highlights of the set include the relaxed, folk-flavored No. 1; the tense, autobiographical No. 8, which recalls the terrors of World War II, quotes a lot of Shostakovich's earlier works, and mourns for the "victims of fascism and war"; the contrasts of quiet beauty and fierce intensity in No. 10; and the bold structure of No. 15, Shostakovich's last quartet, in which he looks at death, steadily and without blinking. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

Hum a little Shostakovich.......2007-02-19

I enjoyed these performances and would have purchased this album, but there is a persistent hum on some of these CDs and, once noticed, it became impossible for me not to notice it.

Not just a bargain--a must-have.......2007-02-05

There are perhaps several complete Shostakovich cycles one would like to own for these amazing pieces, and this is one of them. Not every single quartet is perfect, but that is to be expected. What these players excel in is an emotional depth that is perhaps left behind in the sheer brilliance of the Emerson SQ's playing.

Their tempi are excellent: fast when necessary, and painfully slow where Shostakovich asks for it. Perhaps my favorite point of their playing is the articulation, which is broader than most recordings I hear. Typically, they only play short when asked to in the score, and I think this sounds better than, for instance, if the opening of the Fifth Quartet, a work of enormous gravity and passion, is taken lightly.

Get this one. Highly recommended.

lusterless.......2006-11-05

The only qualm I have with this set is that the String Quartet No. 9 is a lusterless endeavor when compared to other renditions. The intensity and suffering just isnt there.

Rating this bargain set against the Emersons at full price.......2006-03-09

For many buyers the choice for a complete cycle of the Shostakovich quartets will come down to three: the Borodin, Emerson, and Fitzwilliam quartets. I own the latter two and can offer a comparison.

Fitzwilliam: This set, made between 1975-77 in a church in Surrey, has the advantage of price. Although the 15 quartets are spread out over 6 CDs as compared to 5 for the Emersons, Decca offers this cycle at roughly half the cost of the DG cycle (it's much cheaper than that, even, on the used market). The performances eschew Russian soul, grit, and emotional extremes such as one hears from the Borodin Quartet. The Fitzwilliam Quartet sounds soulful but stops short of impassioned. As much as it is possible, they make this music friendly and easy to listen to without sacrificing all of its bite and sarcasm. They are not a virtuoso group (English critics actually praise them for this lack, as if the Emersons' technical mastery was a sign of glibness), so individual solo lines, of which there are many in these quartets, sound medium well played, not dazzling. Decca's sound as transferred to CD can be a bit shrill and congested but is certainly good enough. One large missing ingredient is tonal variation--the Fitzwilliam doesn't search out the peculiar tonalities that are implied in Shostakovich's string writing, which can be eerie, ghostly, brutal, and caustic by turns.

Emerson: Recorded in Aspen at intervals between 1994 and 1999, these are live performances from the music festival and are thus not ideal sonically. What's most lacking is solidity and body. Even so, the recorded sound is considerably more detailed than in the Fitzwilliam set, or any other of the four I listened to. When this cycle was first issued in 1999 it swept the field for good reason. The Emersons are head and shoulders above any other quartet for sheer virtuosity in this music. Not that virtuosity is required very often, but the many solo lines are rendered with exquisite technique, and the Emersons pay very close attention to changes in tonality. As a result, these performances are more varied and interesting to listen to than any competitor that I sampled (including the Fitzwilliam, Brodsky, Borodin, St. Petersburg, and Shostakovich quartets on various labels).

The drawbacks are price (it's hard to find even a used set for under $70) and the prevalent accusation, from some quarters, that the Emersons lack Russian soul--they are supposedly too cool, detached, and efficient. Yet this charge can be turned around to say that the Emersons make Shostakovich sound more modern by removing a layer of sentiment. It's really up to the listener to decide, yet I found that cool detachment is not prevalent here--not by any means--and the reviewer below who thinks that the tempos are uniformly too fast is not aware of the field; the Emersons are not extreme in their allegros, at least not very often, and when they play a movement for virtuosic speed, it's almost alwaays to good effect.

I bbught this set because I heard the Emersons play Shostakovich in concert on two occasions, and I was deeply struck by how much better these quartets sound when they are given superlative musicianship. I am not one to believe that Shostakovich was a great master of quartet writing compared to Bartok, Schoenberg, and Janacek among moderns. But he found an idiom, often spare and therefore one-dimenisonal, that is easy to absorb. The Emersons go a step further and give that spare idiom all kinds of shading and colors that often make it sound better than it is.

In sum, I did what many collectors befoe me have done. I gave away the Fitzwilliam set, which was a good stop gap for many years, and relish the Emerson set as a great achievement, especially for a non-Russian ensemble.

A triumph of creativity over censorship.......2006-01-22

It is extremely difficult for a westerner, living in today's modern democracies, to have the full grasp of the extent of censorship and control of the Stalinist regime. During most of his creative life, Shostakovich was under surveillance, and some of his works were publicly censored by the self-intitled followers of the "Socialist Realism". The tension of censorship is reflected in his body of symphonies. The uneveness and limitations of some of his symphonies are a reflection of his limitations under Stalin. His string quartets, however, are mostly free from these limitations. For one, it is extremely difficult to establish what is "socialist realism" in a string quartet. Since Shostakovich was not a follower of serialism, he could afford to translate into the string quartet medium most of his tortured inner self. These quartets are filled with humanism. They are not easy listening in the sense of Hadyn and Mozart. They are rather deep, touching pieces, like the late Beethoven, Schummann, or Bartok. These recordings by the Fitzwilliam Quartet have an immense authority at a reasonable price. Lovers of string quartet cannot afford to be without the entire Shostakovich set, and anynone buying this collection will enjoy a lifetime of rewarding listening.

Average customer rating:

Kronos Quartet Black Angels
An excellent idea...not the best performances though
Ups and downs
Not for everybody
scary stuff

Black Angels
George Crumb , Thomas Tallis , Istvan Marta , Charles Ives , Dmitry Shostakovich , Hank Dutt , David Harrington , Joan Jeanrenaud , John Sherba , and Kronos Quartet
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
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ASIN: B000005J0D
Release Date: 1990-06-21

Tracks:

Black Angels: I. Departure
Black Angels: II. Absence
Black Angels: III. Return
Spem In Alium (Sing And Glorify)
Doom. A Sigh
They Are There!
Quartet No. 8: I. Largo
Quartet No. 8: II. Allegro Molto
Quartet No. 8: III. Allegretto
Quartet No. 8: IV. Largo
Quartet No. 8: V. Largo

Amazon.com essential recording

The title to Kronos's most bleak album comes from a nearly 20- minute-long composition by American composer George Crumb that unfolds over 13 distinct parts. That ominous number only hints at the horror Crumb intended as an ode to the Vietnam War. War informs the whole CD: Shostakovich's Quartet No. 8, composed near the height of the Cold War, in 1960, was dedicated "to the victims of fascism and war." "Doom. A Sigh," by Istvan Marta, incorporates field recordings of two Romanian women singing personal laments of fallen friends and relatives; their grief is so intense as to render listening incredibly difficult. The original text to 16th-century composer Thomas Tallis's "Spem in Alium" (originally a 40-voice motet) recalled a biblical battle. And late American composer Charles Ives is heard singing (yes, singing) "They Are There!"--a ditty he wrote during the Great War and revisited for World War II; he's joined here by the Kronos, half a century after his death, in an act of studio magic that is ingenious if not musically stimulating. --Marc Weidenbaum

Customer Reviews:

Kronos Quartet Black Angels.......2007-05-17

This is music to think by as it engages the intellect.

Black Angels has a menace which invites ideas and images into your mind.It will make you a little uncomfortable, but it will remain within you.

Doom.A Sigh has a remarkarble story behind it and invokes an emotional response because the recorded voices carry echoes of something lost. It works a strange magic,drawing you in and giving a glimpse of a forgotten world that perhaps still exists within all of us, somewhere.

The Shostakovich quartet ends this CD as Black Angels began it,completing a cycle, and you will be brought back to the point at which you started your journey but with a sense of something profound having occurred.

This is a CD that will become part of who you are and the only question you need ask yourself is, are you brave enough to listen?

An excellent idea...not the best performances though.......2007-04-04

Kronos' selections are excellent, if a bit eccentric, although I am less excited by the Tallis and Ives...arrangements. How well the main pieces are done is another matter, one being decent, the other somewhat lacking.

Black Angels is a very exciting piece, as well as dark and disturbing. However I've played it, so it doesn't disturb me as much. Kronos is a bit fast sometimes, which can be a slight problem since the numerology is highly significant in this work. Pulling this piece off is not easy, as I can attest to. They do pretty well with it, but there is some "cheating" going on, as the DVD version reveals.

One of the most interesting effects in the piece is the "consort of viols" sections, images 6 and 8, which are trios in which each player plays behind his/her left hand--basically turning the whole technique of bowing and fingering upside down. This is difficult to do, however it is not actually very hard if you practice it for a few minutes. I find it strange that Kronos actually does away with this amazing effect and plays it with normal technique using heavy practice mutes--no big deal for most listeners, but it does alter the sound. So, Kronos doesn't stick to the score completely.

Anyway, the Shostakovich is the performance that is lacking. I like the Fitzwilliam cycle best, and their 8th is excellent, so you might get that one. If you don't mind the odd noises and variable sound the Borodin cycle is good too, but it is harder and harder to find, which is very sad indeed.

Ups and downs.......2007-01-29

I'm amazed that not one of the preceding reviewers mentioned the Brodsky recording of the Crumb, and only two of them seemed to know about the Concord, who were, I believe, the first to record it. The Brodsky is sharp, clean, accurate. The Kronos is none of these. Their performance is fast and sloppy. If you want to hear all the details you have to listen to the Concord or the Brodsky. (I've not heard the Cikada or the new Mode disc with members of the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic.) The Brodsky is a more exciting performance and a better recording than the Concord, plus they couple the Crumb with the Schubert 14th, which makes that famous cameo in "Dark Angels."

That does not mean you shouldn't have this disc. I've heard many recordings of Shostakovich's music, the reverent "we're playing music by the great Soviet composer," the long-faced "we're playing music by a tortured soul," and the vastly superior "we're playing music." I'd put this Kronos performance in the latter category. Ironically, I like it because it's faster than most (and a little bit sloppy). Not so sloppy that details are blurred, though, and fast here means the piece is never allowed to get lugubrious, which too many performances of his music definitely are. (So many people seem unable to listen to music without thinking about nonmusical things, like politics or the composer's putative feelings, and so many performers of Shostakovich seem happy to accomodate them.)

I don't know of any other performance of the eighth that makes the quotations so clear, either. Shostakovich threw in references to several of his own pieces in this quartet, the first and fifth symphonies, the first cello concerto, and most deliciously, the second trio. Kronos plays the quotes from the trio better than anyone else I've heard.

Not for everybody.......2005-05-27

This is probably one of the least accessible Kronos albums I own, largely because of the Crumb piece. Personally, I consider it taxing but nonetheless worthwhile, but even devoted followers of the Kronos Quartet are likely to be turned off by the strident nature of the piece.

The only other piece worth noting is the Marta composition, which has a strange otherworldly quality to it. All I can say about the Tallis "Spem In Alium" is that you would be much better served by listening to the original vocal arrangement. Kronos' version is simply rather boring by comparison. Likewise, Kronos' interpretation of the well-known Shostakovich 8th quartet reveals that while they are at the forefront of modern music (commissioning new works regularly), when it comes the standard repertoire oftentimes they simply do not measure up. There are more recordings than I can count of the Shostakovich 8th that are far superior --- take your pick.

This is an album with as many misses as hits, and the hits are not exactly the most accessible music Kronos has recorded. Echoing another reviewer, it might be worth listening to this before purchasing it.

scary stuff.......2005-03-03

I listened to this piece, Black Angels, and it definitely gave me the creeps. My wife begged me to take it off; I didn't, due to my morbid fascination. In retrospect, what was even creepier was the fact that I just spontaneously played it for the 1st and only time on the night of Sept. 10, 2001 . Coincidence? It's as if something inside of me had a premonition of the true horror of the following morning. Is this possible?

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor

Average customer rating:

One of the best recordings of the 8th 4tet
Twenty minutes
Great, but maybe a little too perfect?
Why it's so cheap ...
unbelievable passion

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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Binding: Audio CD

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Ives: An American Journey

ASIN: B00002S5EU
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor: Largo
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor: Allegro molto
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor: Allegretto
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor: Largo
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor: Largo

Amazon.com

Of Shostakovich's 15 string quartets, the eighth is probably best known and most frequently performed. It seems to express Shostakovich's innermost thoughts and feelings in the most personal though still carefully encoded way, giving the music a tremendous emotional impact. Shostakovich dedicated it to "the victims of fascism and war," clearly implying that he was including himself by building the work's main theme on the notes representing the letters of his initials (in the German spelling), and by quoting widely from his earlier works. The quartet encapsulates all the characteristics of his style: the biting irony, the desperate humor, the obsessive repetition, the bleakness, agony, and despair. The playing is beyond praise, technically flawless, tonally beautiful, varied and nuanced, texturally transparent and homogeneous. The players obviously have a strong affinity for the music; they skirt its emotional edge without succumbing to its excesses. Their expressiveness is deeply felt but always balanced and unsentimental. Recorded live, the playing has all the immediacy and excitement of a concert performance. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

One of the best recordings of the 8th 4tet.......2004-06-13

Yes, its only a 20 minute disc but for 7 bucks its well worth it because the Emerson 4tet does such a great job on the performance! You can hear all the parts very clearly (I've heard some recordings before that were a bit muddy). The play it with a lot of depth. The sadness & the irony is all there as it should be. I've heard four other recordings of the 8th & this is by far the best recording technically (on engineering as well as performance) & emotionally. Very good liner notes (an interview) as well. If you want Shostakovich's 8th 4tet, you cannot go wrong with this excellent recording! A must buy!

Twenty minutes.......2002-07-07

It is not clear to me why this CD was released. I was not familiar with the piece when I bought it and so I was very surpised that the entire recording came in at around twenty minutes. No sooner have you put it in the CD player and its over. The recording is fine but there are better values out there for your money.

Great, but maybe a little too perfect?.......2002-02-04

It's definitely difficult to go wrong with any recording of the Emerson String Quartet. They all have nearly flawless technical abilities, and their many years together as an ensemble allows them to musically communicate by intuition. They are truly amazing.

But, on a piece like this, they seem to be their own worst enemy. This rendition of the 8th quartet is spectacular and sparkling, but is that what we really want? I feel that this is TOO perfect, and thus lacks a lot of the dirtiness that would result from truly digging into this monumental work.

Take the third movement on this recording. It's really quite excellent, but it feels to me as though it just isn't sinister enough. At times it sounds almost like a grotesque organ grinder playing over a macabre folk-like accompaniment. In other words, the third movement has moment in which it must sound downright filthy. I don't feel Emerson truly captures this mood. They come awfully close, but a little something is missing. Likewise with the second movement, in spite of its explosive and anguished nature, occasionally the quartet sounds as though it is using this movement as an opportunity to show off HOW WELL they play their instruments.

All whining on my part aside, this is still a fine recording. And at such a low price, you would be insane NOT to buy it. However, I still feel that the Borodin String Quartet has recording the definitive version of the Shostakovich Quartets, and the Emerson Quartet has failed to surpass it.

Why it's so cheap ..........2001-10-03

Potential buyers: [price] often signals an inferior recording by less than stellar musicians. That's NOT the case here. This is a superb recording by cats who can play. I suspect the low price reflects the 19:34 playing time and the disc's function as a marketing piece for the ESQ's five CD set of the complete Shostakovih String Quartet cycle.

unbelievable passion.......2000-06-27

I'm familiar with shostakovich' symphonies, but I had never heard his string quartet music. I bought this cd tonight, and it's been in the player since I came home! What passion! what technique! bravo Emerson String Quartet!

Average customer rating:

5 stars for what is there.
A very nice partial cycle
A little less of a good thing

Shostakovich: String Quartets 1-13
Dmitry Shostakovich , and Borodin Quartet
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Borodin: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2
Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No1, Op107; Violin Concerto No1 (revised), Op99
Béla Bartók: The 6 String Quartets - Takács Quartet
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 3, 14 & 15

ASIN: B00008WQB4
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Tracks:

I Moderato
II Moderato
III Allegro Molto
IV Allegro
I Allegretto
II Moderato Con Moto
III Allegro Non Troppo
IV Adagio
V Moderato
I Moderato
II Allegro-Adagio-Moderato-Adagio-Moderato-Allegretto

Tracks:

I Allegretto
II Andantino
III Allegretto
IV Allegretto
I Allegretto Non Troppo
II Andante
III Moderato-Allegretto
I Allegretto
II Moderato Con Moto
III Lento
IV Lento- Allegretto

Tracks:

I Allegretto
II Lento
III Allegro-Allegretto
I Largo
II Allegro Molto
III Allegretto
IV Largo
V Largo
I Moderato Con Moto
II Adagio
III Allegretto
IV Adagio
V Allegro Molto
I Introduction. Andantino
II Scherzo Allegretto
III Recitative. Adagio
IV Etude. Allegro
V Humoresque. Allegro
VI Elegy. Adagio
VII Finale. Moderato

Tracks:

I Overture. Moderato Con Moto
II Recitative And Romance. Adagio
III Waltz. Allegro
IV Theme With Variations. Adagio
I Adante
II Allegretto Furioso
III Adagio
IV Allegretto
Adagio-Doppio Movimento-Tempo Primo

Customer Reviews:

5 stars for what is there........2004-03-08

This is an excellent transfer of the recordings I remember from the Seraphim set of the 70's -- and more inclusive, since I believe that set stopped at #11.

As suggested in another post, I augmented this set with the Glinka and Beethoven Quartets recordings of #s 14 & 15 on the Praga label -- equally impressive performances; a fine recording.

It is hard to choose between this earlier set, and the later set, which includes all the quartets, plus the Quintet with Richter (and a really lumbering account of the scherzo; it could almost be a 'lost' fragment by Bruckner). Frankly, at this level of musicianship and personal identification with the composer, it might be a matter of shelf space! The BMG box is pretty hefty,
enclosing perhaps seven separate jewel cases. This chandos set, plus the Praga of the last two quartets, and a recording of the quintet take up the space of @ 4 1/2 jewel cases.

Unfortunately, living in a Manhattan appartment does make one think twice about shelf space. But this is a trivial matter; the performance and recording are what really count. All the more reason to appreciate this current, compact issue of excellent recordings.

A very nice partial cycle.......2003-12-25

Since there seems to be some confusion as to what these recordings are, let's make a few things clear. This is the Borodin's first stereo go-round of the quartets, recorded for Melodiya in the late 60s and early 70s. It is not the same as the well-known EMI box set which was recorded in the 80s and keeps bouncing in and out of circulation. These performances have never been available on CD before.
Of course the last two quartets didn't exist at the time of these recordings, but they were set down by the slightly reconfigured Borodins soon thereafter and it is too bad those documents have been orphaned as they would have made the most logical compliment to this not quite complete set.
As to the performances themselves, they are classic, comparable to the later EMI versions but heard in a warmer acoustic, which has the effect of making the music seem a little less edgy, too.
One hopes that some of the other masterful cycles of this music by groups such as the Beethoven, Tanayev and Shostakovich Quartets will return to the catalog. The Borodins are great, but not the last or only word on the subject.

A little less of a good thing.......2003-10-27

The Borodin Quartet made their first Shostakovich cycle for Melodiya in 1967-71. Soon after the 14th and 15th quartets were written in 1973 and 74, they were recorded, too, but never integrated into any of the incarnations of this set, last seen in the US on Angel's budget Melodiya/Seraphim label. It is a shame they could not have been included here.

The performances are comparable to the 1980s Melodiya traversal now available on EMI, which is to say they are pretty great though perhaps a shade less intense, an impression abetted by the sound, which is warmer and more spacious than in the later set. But, of course, that one gives you all 15 Quartets and the Piano Quintet with Richter.

Average customer rating:

Musical Must Have
Powerful, sometimes devastating
a shame!
Could not be a better 8th
Fitzwilliam versus Ermerson -- which to choose?

Complete String Quartets
Dmitry Shostakovich , and Emerson String Quartet
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | R&B | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Shostakovich/Tchaikovsky: Piano Trios
Bela Bartok: The 6 String Quartets - Emerson String Quartet
Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Emerson String Quartet
Beethoven: The String Quartets
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

ASIN: B00003XAGO
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Tracks:

Quartet No. 1 In C Major Op. 49: 1. Moderato
Quartet No. 1 In C Major Op. 49: 2. Moderato
Quartet No. 1 In C Major Op. 49: 3. Allegro molto
Quartet No. 1 In C Major Op. 49: 4. Allegro
Quartet No. 2 In A Major Op. 68: 1. Overture: Moderato con moto
Quartet No. 2 In A Major Op. 68: 2. Recitative And Romance: Adagio
Quartet No. 2 In A Major Op. 68: 3. Waltz: Allegro
Quartet No. 2 In A Major Op. 68: 4. Theme With Variations: Adagio - Moderato con moto - Allegretto - Piu mosso - Allegro non troppo - Allegro - Adagio
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 1. Allegretto
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 2. Moderato con moto
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 3. Allegro non troppo
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 4. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 5. Moderato - Adagio

Tracks:

Quartet No. 4 In D Major Op. 83: 1. Allegretto
Quartet No. 4 In D Major Op. 83: 2. Andante
Quartet No. 4 In D Major Op. 83: 3. Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 4 In D Major Op. 83: 4. Allegretto
Quartet No. 5 In B Flat Major Op. 92: 1. Allegro non troppo - attacca:
Quartet No. 5 In B Flat Major Op. 92: 2. Andante - Andantino - Andante - Andantino - Andante - attacca:
Quartet No. 5 In B Flat Major Op. 92: 3. Moderato - Allegretto - Andante
Quartet No. 6 In G Major Op. 101: 1. Allegretto
Quartet No. 6 In G Major Op. 101: 2. Moderato con moto
Quartet No. 6 In G Major Op. 101: 3. Lento - attacca:
Quartet No. 6 In G Major Op. 101: 4. Lento - Allegretto - Andante - Lento

Tracks:

Quartet No. 7 In F Sharp Minor Op. 108: 1. Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 7 In F Sharp Minor Op. 108: 2. Lento - attacca:
Quartet No. 7 In F Sharp Minor Op. 108: 3. Allegro - Allegretto - Andante - Lento
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 1. Largo - attacca:
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 2. Allegro molto - attacca:
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 3. Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 4. Largo - attacca:
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 5. Largo
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 1. Moderato con moto - attacca:
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 2. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 3. Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 4. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 5. Allegro
Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major Op. 118: 1. Andante
Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major Op. 118: 2. Allegretto furioso
Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major Op. 118: 3. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major Op. 118: 4. Allegretto - Andante

Tracks:

'Lady Macbeth Of The Mtsensk District', Op. 29: Adagio (Elegy) For String Quartet
'The Age Of Gold', Op. 22: Allegretto (Polka) For String Quartet
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 1. Introduction: Andantino - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 2. Scherzo: Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 3. Recitative: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 4. Etude: Allegro - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 5. Humoresque: Allegro - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 6. Elegy: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 7. Finale: Moderato - Meno mosso - Moderato
Quartet No. 12 In D Flat Major Op. 133: 1. Moderato - Allegretto - Moderato - Allegretto - Moderato
Quartet No. 12 In D Flat Major Op. 133: 2. Allegretto - Adagio - Moderato - Adagio - Moderato - Allegretto
Quartet No. 13 In B Flat Minor Op. 138: Adagio - Doppio movimento - Tempo primo

Tracks:

Quartet No. 14 In F Sharp Major Op. 142: 1. Allegretto - Meno mosso - Allegretto - Meno mosso - Allegretto
Quartet No. 14 In F Sharp Major Op. 142: 2. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 14 In F Sharp Major Op. 142: 3. Allegretto - Poco meno mosso - Adagio
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 1. Elegy: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 2. Serenade: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 3. Intermezzo: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 4. Nocturne: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 5. Funeral March: Adagio molto - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 6. Epilogue: Adagio - Adagio molto

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

Can an American string quartet grasp the power of Shostakovich's 15 string quartets? By the sounds of this incredible cycle, the answer is a resounding Yes! Capturing every nuance of Shostakovich's emotionally gripping, sometimes humorous, often angst-filled compositions, the Emersons deliver very likely the finest performances of these works available. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Musical Must Have.......2007-06-01

These are wonderfully performed and spectacularly produced CDs. Other reviewers have commented about the applause. It does not detract from the listening experience. In fact, I feel that it adds to the live quality that these discs have. The energy and freshness of a live performance shine in each quartet. And, it has the sound quality of a studio recording. The sound is balanced and intimate. I cannot say enough about how fantastic this set is.

Powerful, sometimes devastating.......2006-11-10

This would be a bargain at almost any price, and the depth of emotional intensity that the Emerson brings to a live performance -- I saw them on a sticky evening at Ravinia in summer 2006, playing the last three quartets -- is evident in this stunning studio collection. In addition to the climactic quartets, don't miss the Eighth. Happy 100th birthday, Dmitri.

a shame!.......2006-09-25

These guys used to be decent players, but their playing have gotten worse over the years. They have no understanding of Shostakovich's music, but then again who does? These extraordinary works deserve extraordinary interpretations and nobody has yet offered definitve performances yet. Meanwhile, Fitwilliam and Debussy quartet offer very good performance of some of these works.

Could not be a better 8th.......2006-06-25

Just saw the Emerson do the 8th at the Amelia Island chamber music summer program. It is not possible that there is a better performance of this work. Moving beyond belief.

Fitzwilliam versus Ermerson -- which to choose?.......2006-03-09

For many buyers the choice for a complete cycle of the Shostakovich quartets will come down to three: the Borodin, Emerson, and Fitzwilliam quartets. I own the latter two and can offer a comparison.

Fitzwilliam: This set, made between 1975-77 in a church in Surrey, has the advantage of price. Although the 15 quartets are spread out over 6 CDs as compared to 5 for the Emersons, Decca offers this cycle at roughly half the cost of the DG cycle (it's even cheaper on the used market). The performances eschew Russian soul, grit, and emotional extremes such as one hears from the Borodin Quartet. The Fitzwilliam Quartet sounds soulful but stops short of impassioned. As much as it is possible, they make this music friendly and easy to listen to without sacrificing all of its bite and sarcasm. They are not a virtuoso group (English critics actually praise them for this lack, as if the Emersons' technical mastery was a sign of glibness), so individual solo lines, of which there are many in these quartets, sound medium well played, not dazzling. Decca's sound as transfered to CD can be a bit shrill and congested but is certainly good enough. One large missing ingredient is tonal variation--the Fitzwilliam doesn't search out the peculiar tonalities that are implied in Shostakovich's string writing, which can be eerie, ghostly, brutal, and caustic by turns.

Emerson: Recorded in Aspen at intervals between 1994 and 1999, these are live performances from the music festival and are thus not ideal sonically. What's sometimes lacking is solidity and warmth. Even so, the recorded sound is considerably more detailed than in the Fitzwilliam set, or any other of the four I listened to. When this cycle was first issued in 1999 it swept the field for good reason. The Emersons are head and shoulders above any other quartet for sheer virtuosity in this music. Not that virtuosity is required very often, but the many solo lines are rendered with exquisite technique, and the Emersons pay very close attention to changes in tonality. As a result, these performances are more varied and interesting to listen to than any competitor that I sampled (including the Fitzwilliam, Brodsky, Borodin, St. Petersburg, and Shostakovich quartets on various labels).

The drawbacks are price (it's hard to find even a used set for under $70) and the prevalent accusation, from some quarters, that the Emersons lack Russian soul--they are supposedly too cool, detached, and efficient. Yet this charge can be turned around to say that the Emersons make Shostakovich sound more modern by removing a layer of sentiment. It's really up to the listener to decide, yet I found that cool detachment is not prevalent here--not by any means--and the reviewer below who thinks that the tempos are uniformly too fast is not aware of the field; the Emersons are not extreme in their allegros, at least not very often, and when they paly a movement for virtuosic speed, it's almost alwaays to good effect.

I bbught this set because I heard the Emersons play Shostakovich in concert on two occasions, and I was deeply struck by how much better these quartets sound when they are given superlative musicianship. I am not one to believe that Shostakovich was a great master of quartet writing, not compared to Bartok, Schoenberg, and Janacek among moderns. But he found an idiom, often spare and therefore one-dimenisonal, that is easy to absorb. The Emersons go a step further and give that idiom all kinds of shading and colors that often make it sound better than it is.

In sum, I did what many collectors befoe me have done. I gave away the Fitzwilliam set, which was a good stop gap for many years, and relish the Emerson set as a great achievement, especially for a non-Russian ensemble.

Shostakovich: String Quartets Complete (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Affordable modern Digital Shostakovich...
Very Good Shostakovich Cycle
Shostakovich on a Shoestring

Shostakovich: String Quartets Complete (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Brahms: Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Sextets

ASIN: B000092Q5V
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Customer Reviews:

Affordable modern Digital Shostakovich..........2007-04-03

and worth every penny and more.
Everyone lucky enough to have picked up a copy of the Borodin Quartets cycle when it was list price, will already have all the Shostakovich String Quartets they'll ever need.
The Rubio Quartet doesn't carry the emotional depth or angst of The Borodin's in this music, but NO ONE else does either.
But this performance DOES belong at the Top of a short list of modern Digital recordings.
Beautifully played, with wonderful warm tone and the requisite fire when appropriate.
Their phrasing is impeccable and the unified ensemble sound is as good as it gets.
If there was ever a complaint about The Borodin Quartet's recording it would be the sound quality.
While it is still Excellent sound, it is a bit dry and maybe a slight bit compressed at the bottom end.
And CDs have made many advances since the Early 80s when it was recorded by (Russian) Meloydia.
On the other hand this Rubio recording on Brilliant Classics is just that-BRILLIANT-.
Wide open to allow air between each note creating a greater transparency and clarity than almost all the competition.
The sound is SUPERB.
So, unless you are willing to lay out $75+ for the Borodin cycle, that's if you can find it, this is an affordable alternative and would still be at a higher price.
If the Borodin's had never recorded this cycle, I dare say The Rubio performance would make a top first choice.
This is the best "bargain" out there.
And we're talking FIVE, 60+ minute CDs.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Very Good Shostakovich Cycle.......2006-03-17

I want to thank the other reviewer for leading me to this set; cash-strapped teenager maybe, but he knows quality when he hears it! The Rubio Quartet is Flemish and its full, warm sound (very handsomely recorded on these ridiculously inexpensive CDs)is a joy to hear .... and very recognizable to anyone who's heard marvelous Dutch/Belgian/Flemish string players like Anner Bylsma. The Rubio may not provide the kind of idiomatic Slavic 'grit' you hear on classic Shostakovich recordings by the Beethoven and Borodin quartets, but their performances are fully competitive with everybody else (including those by younger Russian ensembles like the St. Petersburg Quartet). According to the excellent liner notes, the Rubio recordings were made 'live' in a Flanders church over a few months in 2002. A small audience was present at each recital/session, but I heard almost no audience noise at all: the performances are so good the listeners must have been nearly mesmerized! Competition in this price range comes from classic 1970s British recordings by the Fitzwilliam Quartet, now available in a bargain box from Decca. The Fitzwilliam performances are certainly marvelous, but the Rubio's are just as accomplished and insightful and are also better recorded. One more word about the liner notes: I've rarely seen such detailed and insightful notes -- each quartet is discussed separately -- included with 'bargain box' sets. This is a first-rate production all around. If you don't know the Shostakovich quartets, it's just about a perfect introduction. And even if you do own other recordings this Brilliant Classics set is such a great bargain you just shouldn't pass it up.

Shostakovich on a Shoestring.......2004-09-12

As a teenage conneseiur of classical music, I can't exactly dish out the money that some other recordings of the complete Shostakovich String Quartets cost. This is the best you can get for the money, and worth much more! The sound quality is fantastic, and I find little wrong with the CDs. While I prefer the Kronos Quartet's phrasing (particularly on the 8th string quartet), the Rubio's mellower sound is a nice alternative, and adds a contrast to the otherwise pessimistic music of Dmitri Shostakovich. Named in honor of the late instrument maker Rubio, they all play on his instruments. In part due to this continuity of instrument, and part due to their extraordinary musicality, the recordings have a very unified sound. This is a great find!

Average customer rating:

Stokowski Encores

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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Stokowski's Symphonic Baroque
Stokowski's Mussorgsky

ASIN: B000000AWD
Release Date: 1995-04-18

Tracks:

Overture In D Minor
Sonata Pian E Forte
Trumpet Prelude
Air
Turkish March
Moonlight Sonata: Adagio
Serenade
Panis Angelicus
Marche Funebre
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair
In The Manger
United Nations March
Andante Cantabile
Festival In Seville
The Stars And Stripes Forever

Average customer rating:

interesting classical music collection...
Fantastic Classical Compilation

Exile On Classical Street

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Bartoli, Cecilia | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Te Kanawa, Kiri | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

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Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

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The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000429J
Release Date: 1996-08-13

Tracks:

Ritual Fire Dance
The Rite Of Spring (Excerpts): First Part: Adoration Of The Earth: The Augurs Of Spring - Dances Of The Young Girls
The Rite Of Spring (Excerpts): First Part: Adoration Of The Earth: Ritual Of Abduction
Enigma Variations (Excerpts): VIII. Troyte
Enigma Variations (Excerpts): VIII. W.N.
Enigma Variations (Excerpts): IX. Nimrod
Rhaphsody in Blue (Excerpt)
Beim Schlafengehen
Adagio For Strings
Sposa Son Disprezzata
Violin Concerto No.4: Rondeau
Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: March
Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: Corante
Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: Pavan
Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: Morris Dance
Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: Galliard
Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: La Volta
Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: March (Finale)
String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor: Largo
Clair De Lune
Pictures At An Exhibition (Excerpt): The Great Gate Of Kiev

Customer Reviews:

interesting classical music collection..........2004-12-16

This is an interesting classical music collection that is as their personal favorites. My personal faves are by Manuel De Falla (selected by Steven Tyler), a Mozart piece (Keith Richards), Benjamin Britten (Paul McCartney) and Modest Mussorgsky (Trevor Rabin). It includes a 12 page booklet written by Boston DJ Carter Alan with quotes from each musician on why they choose what they did. The other musicians who picked their favorites include Bruce Hornsby, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Marianne Faithful, Michael Stipe, Bono and Frank Sinatra.

Fantastic Classical Compilation.......1999-12-24

This is one of the best classical compilations around - and these are the pieces that inspired other musicians. Rock musicians at that. Lots of good stuff here, including a heartrending rendition of Sposa son Disprezzata, sung by Cecilia Bartoli. Great fun.

Shostakovich: String Quartet No 8 Op110; From Jewish Folk Poetry Op79

Average customer rating:

Shostakovich: String Quartet No 8 Op110; From Jewish Folk Poetry Op79

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004W3JA
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Tracks:

Chm Sym in c, Op.110a: I. Largo - - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Chm Sym in c, Op.110a: II. Allegro Molto - - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Chm Sym in c, Op.110a: III. Allegretto - - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Chm Sym in c, Op.110a: IV. Largo - - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Chm Sym in c, Op.110a: V. Largo - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Sym in A flat, Op.118a: I. Andante - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Sym in A flat, Op.118a: II. Allegretto Furioso - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Sym in A flat, Op.118a: III. Adagio - - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
Sym in A flat, Op.118a: IV. Allegretto - I Musici de Montreal/Yuli Turovsky
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 1. The Lament For The Dead Child - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 2. The Thoughtful Mother And Aunt - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 3. Lullaby - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 4. Before A Long Parting - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 5. A Warning - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 6. The Abandoned Father - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 7. The Song Of Misery - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 8. Winter - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 9. A Good Life - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 10. The Young Girl's Song - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan
From Jewish Folk Poetry: 11. Happiness - Nadia Pelle/Mary Ann Hart/Rodney Nolan

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Burn the Good Ones Down [EP]

Violin Cto Op 64 / Violin Cto 8 Op 47 / 1938-1941

Verdi: Overtures & Ballet Music

Lonesome Love

Tu Jugaste Con Mi Amor

Tracks We Leave

The World of Neue Deutche Welle, Vol. 2 [Import]

The Power to Believe

The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads [Import]

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 1-3

Southern Fried

Siempre Contigo (Always With You) [Enhanced]

Sufro Porque Te Quiero

Concerto Collection (Box)

The London Collection, Vol. 1