Friday 16 May 2008

Revelling in my new pile of 11 CDs awaiting listening, I plumbed for: the Shostakovich piano quintet, played by Richter and the Borodin Quartet (1966), a CD kindly sent to me by Carlos. Since I first began finding my way with different composers in the 1950s, Shostakovich's stock has risen and risen. Back in the 1950s and 60s he was treated condescendingly as a "socialist realist" and stooge of the Soviet régime and musically no better than Arnold Bax. But since then, the favourites of the 50s and 60s have faded, and Shostakovich has risen (quite rightly, in my view). I like the piano quintet very much. One day I really must listen seriously a few times to my collection of the 15 string quartets, but their number is daunting even though their quality seems to be high. I must also persevere with the symphonies -- especially the 10th that everyone admires but has never greatly appealed to me. There is so much great or interesting music still to be listened to!

3 comments:

oisfetz said...

I can provide Shosta SQ No.3 with
Julian Sitkovetsky on violin
and Rudolf Barshai on viola. Plus
DFO-Lev Oborin playing Brahms 1 and
Grieg 1.

Harry Collier said...

The Shostakovich is a good performance (and a fine string quartet). You sent me the CD (with the Oistrakh pieces) in November last year!

Unknown said...

Well, it seeams that Mr.Alzheimer
is getting close to me.