Last month I saw Steven Isserlis play the Shostakovich Concerto 1. He was giving the first movement a real thrashing (as one does) . So much so, that the silver wire winding on the bow down near the frog started to unwind about half way through the first movement. It kept unwinding until the end of the movement when he bow looked like it had been swallowed by a slinky. Isserlis called for a pair of scissors and for about 10 minutes he sat on stage cutting the wire off his bow while chatting with the audience and orchestra. He then continued with the rest of the concerto with the comment "As we were saying......" After the performance, audience members were scavenging the cut wire from the stage to presumably put in lockets to keep next to their hearts. So unless the performer's bow starts to disintegrate in the Shostakovich concerto, they are just not putting in enough effort!
The Second Concerto is greater than the First, and sits right on the cusp of his middle and late periods; it is a key work and brings together his irony, wistfulness, nostalgia and pain, all overlaying his repressed resistance. It is uniquely poignant. I bought this recording at its release and never kept it out of arm's reach.
This recording won me over to the Second Concerto. I've never heard it played better. The return of the Bubliki tune is appropriate for Halloween, btw.
A suggestion for GRE. Bernstein conducting Poulenc Gloria (with Judith Blegen), Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms, and his own Chichester Psalms (much better than the later DG recording) on Sony. Three masterpieces of the middle of the 20th century fabulously performed.
The Schiff performances are wonderful, and he did indeed raise the standing of the second concerto. But "the finest cello concerto since Dvorak"! Elgar please. Then Shostakovich. If you object to the Du Pre recording try Tortelier.
Last month I saw Steven Isserlis play the Shostakovich Concerto 1. He was giving the first movement a real thrashing (as one does) . So much so, that the silver wire winding on the bow down near the frog started to unwind about half way through the first movement. It kept unwinding until the end of the movement when he bow looked like it had been swallowed by a slinky. Isserlis called for a pair of scissors and for about 10 minutes he sat on stage cutting the wire off his bow while chatting with the audience and orchestra. He then continued with the rest of the concerto with the comment "As we were saying......"
After the performance, audience members were scavenging the cut wire from the stage to presumably put in lockets to keep next to their hearts. So unless the performer's bow starts to disintegrate in the Shostakovich concerto, they are just not putting in enough effort!
That's an amazing story!
The Second Concerto is greater than the First, and sits right on the cusp of his middle and late periods; it is a key work and brings together his irony, wistfulness, nostalgia and pain, all overlaying his repressed resistance. It is uniquely poignant. I bought this recording at its release and never kept it out of arm's reach.
This recording won me over to the Second Concerto. I've never heard it played better. The return of the Bubliki tune is appropriate for Halloween, btw.
A suggestion for GRE. Bernstein conducting Poulenc Gloria (with Judith Blegen), Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms, and his own Chichester Psalms (much better than the later DG recording) on Sony. Three masterpieces of the middle of the 20th century fabulously performed.
i agree.
The Schiff performances are wonderful, and he did indeed raise the standing of the second concerto. But "the finest cello concerto since Dvorak"! Elgar please. Then Shostakovich. If you object to the Du Pre recording try Tortelier.
Elgar, no. Never. It doesn't matter who plays it.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I think that's your loss.