Shostakovich

Seven Romances On Poems of Alexander Blok, Op 127

Does anyone know anything about these songs? Heard a recital by Susan Gritton on radio a year or so ago. Not what I was expecting (don't really know what I was expecting come to that) very lyrical for Russian I guess, no reason it shouldn't be, but things sometimes take you by surprise.

 

I know, looks a bit sad replying to my own question but...

Found the above on a recording by Galina Vishnevskaya, not much choice in this case but looks like it should be good.

Point of the post is that the BBC Radio 3 website is becoming a very useful resource. The composer biography section includes an extensive discography (with clips) within which I found it much easier to locate these songs than I had at Amazon. Recommended.

 

See this review of an alternative, looks quite good, especially whats also on the disc
http://www.dschjournal.com/reviews/rvs14trios.htm

 

Thanks for the pointer, site looks useful as I know very little of the rest of his work (coincidentally cello concerto is on R3 at present)

The line that stands out in the review for me is:

"Gerassimova's voice possesses a silvery gloss as compared with Galina Vishnevskaya's brassy timbre" hmm...

Am keeping to the same Amazon order for now partly because I would prefer an all song disc and partly for the Rostropovich connection. Btw, it's not the live recording in your link but this one:

http://www.dschjournal.com/reviews/rvs21op109.htm

which also includes a review of a Magdalena Kozená disc; two threads answered in one!

 

Well, you'll be missing the 2nd piano trio then.... its a masterpiece which I strongly recommend if you don't already know it.

 

No I don't, but - heard the Scherzo on radio last week, and it's not music to drive to; have to admit I couldn't really see myself sitting down to it at home either.