As a pianist, the string quartet repertoire was largely unknown to me… the 15 Shostakovich quartets have not only opened to me to the intimate world of Shostakovich, but also the beauty of four string players’ collaboration to produce such emotional gems of music. Listening to all of them, the Ninth is still my favorite of the 15.
Wunderschöne Interpetation dieses neoklassischen doch ein bisschen neuesachlich komponierten Streichquartetts im veränderlichen Tempo mit seidigen Tönen beider Violinen, mildem Ton der Bratsche und tiefem Ton des Violoncellos. Der dritte Satz klingt echt lebhaft und auch beweglich. Die intime und perfekt entsprechende Miteinanderwirkung zwischen den vier Virtuosen ist wahrhaft ergreifend. Einfach wunderbar!
Sure but if you are paid by the state and UT is your job you should always have "fire in the tank" so to speak. If a poor genius with no funding would not necessarily hesitate to come back harder every time. But I hear what you're saying for sure 8 is intense af
@@ExxylcrothEagle I don't think Shostakovich ever ran low on internal fire or darkness to fuel his creativity. The piano concerto he composed for his son for instance is arguably one of his sunnier compositions, and it still has a very dark Soviet/Russian slow movement. This particular quartet happens to feel like a moment of repose when comparing it to what comes before it - literally imitations of gun fire, dances or death, etc - and what comes after it as well - The 10th, 11th and 12th have their moments of harshness and violence as well.
@erika6651 thank you for this comment. I'm not even familiar with this piano concerto. I was thinking a few days ago about the "cosmopolitan" aspect of Shostakovich compared to maybe Russian composers who could be considered more uhh "Steppe-based"? Or from further out areas of the Russian/Soviet empire. Is there something to that?
@@ExxylcrothEagle Which "steppe based" Soviet/Russians were you thinking of as a comparsion? When I think of a cosmopolitan Russian composer, Tchaikovsky immediately comes to mind as the perfect example, especially when you compare him to the Five.
Very little know quartets outside of, perhaps, academia or Shostakovich fans. Nevertheless, an underrated composer who creates a unique mood very different than Shostakovich and one whose several quartets I had the pleasure of seeing performed live in Katowice a year and a half ago.
As a pianist, the string quartet repertoire was largely unknown to me… the 15 Shostakovich quartets have not only opened to me to the intimate world of Shostakovich, but also the beauty of four string players’ collaboration to produce such emotional gems of music.
Listening to all of them, the Ninth is still my favorite of the 15.
My favourite piece of all time
My favorite of the 15. Absolutely love this one, and the Fitzwilliam Quartet more than does it justice.
24:08 That is so remarkably similar to the second theme in the first movement of the 14th quartet, I wonder if he just pulled that theme from here
Wunderschöne Interpetation dieses neoklassischen doch ein bisschen neuesachlich komponierten Streichquartetts im veränderlichen Tempo mit seidigen Tönen beider Violinen, mildem Ton der Bratsche und tiefem Ton des Violoncellos. Der dritte Satz klingt echt lebhaft und auch beweglich. Die intime und perfekt entsprechende Miteinanderwirkung zwischen den vier Virtuosen ist wahrhaft ergreifend. Einfach wunderbar!
I came here after listening to the eighth quartet, this one sounds just as good!!
You should listen to all of them. They are all awesome.
A recovery quartet of sorts, after the emotional onslaught of the 8th.
Sure but if you are paid by the state and UT is your job you should always have "fire in the tank" so to speak. If a poor genius with no funding would not necessarily hesitate to come back harder every time. But I hear what you're saying for sure 8 is intense af
@@ExxylcrothEagle I don't think Shostakovich ever ran low on internal fire or darkness to fuel his creativity. The piano concerto he composed for his son for instance is arguably one of his sunnier compositions, and it still has a very dark Soviet/Russian slow movement. This particular quartet happens to feel like a moment of repose when comparing it to what comes before it - literally imitations of gun fire, dances or death, etc - and what comes after it as well - The 10th, 11th and 12th have their moments of harshness and violence as well.
@erika6651 thank you for this comment. I'm not even familiar with this piano concerto. I was thinking a few days ago about the "cosmopolitan" aspect of Shostakovich compared to maybe Russian composers who could be considered more uhh "Steppe-based"? Or from further out areas of the Russian/Soviet empire. Is there something to that?
Not really, this has a similar intensity to the 8th
@@ExxylcrothEagle Which "steppe based" Soviet/Russians were you thinking of as a comparsion? When I think of a cosmopolitan Russian composer, Tchaikovsky immediately comes to mind as the perfect example, especially when you compare him to the Five.
4:54 🤯😭
Weinberg's string quartets also plz.
Very little know quartets outside of, perhaps, academia or Shostakovich fans. Nevertheless, an underrated composer who creates a unique mood very different than Shostakovich and one whose several quartets I had the pleasure of seeing performed live in Katowice a year and a half ago.
13:19