Romy the Cat wrote:

Amphissa wrote: Mats, I agree with you. The recording of the cello concerto by Natalia Gutman with Svetlanov conducting is the best overall performance of this beautiful concerto. It is unfortunate that she never toured in the West. She is relatively unknown outside Russia. But all of the recordings I have heard by her are very good. She is an excellent cellist. Actually it is not exactly accurate, David. Natalia Gutman toured very actively. According to her she has twice per month concerts outside of Russia. A month ago she was here in Boston. Interning that where you read her interviews that she so exposed to word that it is hardly feels that she is Russian. I agree – she is an excellent cellist – probably the one of the today’s world one of the greatest cellist. Rgs, the Cat

Romy the Cat wrote:

Romy the Cat wrote:  Amphissa wrote: Mats, I agree with you. The recording of the cello concerto by Natalia Gutman with Svetlanov conducting is the best overall performance of this beautiful concerto. It is unfortunate that she never toured in the West. She is relatively unknown outside Russia. But all of the recordings I have heard by her are very good. She is an excellent cellist.    Actually it is not exactly accurate, David. Natalia Gutman toured very actively. According to her she has twice per month concerts outside of Russia. A month ago she was here in Boston. Interning that where you read her interviews that she so exposed to word that it is hardly feels that she is Russian. I agree – she is an excellent cellist – probably the one of the today’s world one of the greatest cellist. Rgs, the Cat    Today the WGBH broadcasted the live concert of Natalia Gutman plays In Boston Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto with Boston Philiharmonic Orchestra under Benjamin Zander. Wow, what a play! Just phenomenal cellist! Furthermore she played two Bach’s pieces on encore.  It is shame that the concert of this caliber will live once over FM and never will be heard by wide public. Anyhow, Bostonians, April 23, 26, 2009 Natalia Gutman plays in Sanders Theatre and April  25 in Jordan Hall (where I most likely will go) with the same BPO and Zander. In program the Prokofiev’s  Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra and Brahms Second  Symphony.   The Cat

Two hours after the end of the glorious Götterdämmerung from MET, I was sitting at the D row, center sit of Jordan Hall right in front of conducting podium of Boston Philiharmonic and Natalia Gutman. What can I say? I knew that Ms. Gutman is hell of a cellist. I knew that the concerto long and difficult but I did not expect THAT level of performance. I was the absolutely the best LIVE cello concert I heard, period.

Natalia Gutman played in a way sloppy, not even sloppy but I would say without any particular care to her phrasing. She played like it was a dally concert for her (and I am sure it was) and she did invest more efforts in her play then you parking your car in your 20 years old driveway.  Some of the things he did I disagreed and would call them as “questionable” but here is Natalia Gutman’s genius come to play - whatever she did sound so phenomenally authetiek and beautiful that it clearly indicated the delta between us – the ordinary mortal and her. It was one of those concerts when the level of soloist was so far beyond the supporting orchestra that the orchestra was not even able to interact with soloist. It is not the Boston Philiharmonic played bad (the first violin section showed off some incredible interaction with Gutman’s cello) but it was clearly visible who runs the show.  It kind of fun to hear Prokofiev concerto with “defeated” orchestra as in this concerto cello shall fight with orchestra. The fight did not happen but it was rather Gutman very sparingly despise virtuosity and the virtuosity was not in her play the cello but how to do it in the best way with THIS orchestra. Gutman’s virtuosity has no single sign of shine, glitz, effectiveness or sentimentalism. It was rather virtuosity play with stunning reserve; it was in way funny to hear how simple, tasteful and brilliantly she was crashing through the most complex expressions of cello repertoire.

I usually am not big fan of applauding after concerts, if I do it them seldom, shortly and very unwillingly. Here I found myself absolutely ecstatic and was applauding up to the pain in my arms…

I left the consert after the Natalia Gutman play and I did not stay to listen the Boston Philiharmonic’s Brahms Second Symphony. It was a long day and after the Wagner I figured out that the lighting does not strike in the same spot trice…

Yes, you are right. I did not know about the label. At the concert I asked the concert organizers if any Gutman’s CDs are available, usually the gussets sell own CD with BPO concerts. They told me that Ms. Gutman does not record CDs. It did sound a bit odd to me…

http://www.live-classics.com/gutman_cat.htm

It is shame that her stunning super humble planning manner will not be visible on CDs…

Cellist Natalia Gutman and the Boston Philharmonic: Prokofiev and Brahms at their Best
by Elizabeth Perten

Under the baton of Benjamin Zander, the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra presented two masterpieces: Prokofiev’s Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 125, featuring Russian cellist Natalia Gutman, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73, on Thursday, April 23 at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre. As part of the Philharmonic’s “Discovery Series,” Zander described the historical background and gave musical insights and listening cues prior to each composition’s performance to ensure that every member of the audience could connect with the piece on some level, even if they were attending their first classical concert. Zander further engaged with the audience by welcoming specific groups in the audience and greeting concert-goers during the intermission, adding a unique personal touch to the evening.

Prokofiev wrote the Symphony-Concerto (1950-52) as a reworking of his Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 58 (1933-38), for famed Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. After hearing Rostropovich perform the aforementioned E minor Cello Concerto, a composition with which Prokofiev was greatly dissatisfied, he vowed to write a revised piece for Rostropovich; and over the next three years, Prokofiev and Rostropovich worked together to produce the Symphony-Concerto, the last large-scale piece Prokofiev wrote before his death in 1953. Consisting of three movements - an opening Andante (instead of the expected Allegro of the fast-slow-fast standard concerto structure), an elaborate and extended scherzo (Allegro giusto), and concluding with a theme and variations (Andante con moto - Allegro) - this piece is one of the most challenging in the cello repertoire.

Zander presented Gutman, who studied under Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter, as having “absolute authenticity of every bone in her body.” Gutman, whose body language and face changed little throughout the performance, confidently led the BPO through the wild ride of Prokofiev’s cello masterpiece. After a couple of shaky interactions, with the orchestra hurrying to maintain pace with the cello at the beginning of the Andante, they both settled into a moving rendition of the movement, illustrated through the orchestra’s expertly executed dynamic swells and support of each soloist, whether the cello, flute or oboe. Gutman proved her mastery of the entire range of the cello (in the Andante, the cello part covers more than four octaves), especially when handling runs of double-stopped notes (a difficult technique of playing two notes at the same time) with ease.

The orchestra, an intermingling of professionals, amateurs and students, provided a strong foundation under Gutman’s cantabile, lyrical lines and virtuosic runs over the next two movements. The orchestra’s support was especially apparent in its sensitivity to Gutman’s entrances, subtly quieting into the background to give her opening runs and melodies maximum attention. An especially impressive moment was the skillful balance of the solo cello with the celesta entrance and ensuing eight measures of music (the celesta’s only appearance in the piece) in the third movement, both solo instruments’ melodic lines emerging from the rhythmic accompaniment of the entire orchestra.

Prokofiev employs essentially all fathomable applications of the cello in this piece - in addition to the anticipated solo and orchestral uses, the cello is also plucked like a harp, provides pizzicato bass-like accompaniment, plays on open strings, and uses double-stopped notes and the entire range of notes the cello can produce, among other techniques. Gutman did an extraordinary job in her treatment of each of these uses, each with their own character and feel. The slight drawback to Gutman’s performance was her treatment of the espressivo passages - each occurrence marked by a slowing down of the tempo coupled with flexibility in the meter. Often, this proved effective, with the music focusing intently on the cello’s melody, yet soon this method began to feel contrived with the orchestra occasionally needing to catch up to Gutman’s flexibility with the tempo. Overall, the Boston Philharmonic and Gutman presented a fantastic rendition of this beautifully challenging yet, sadly, seldom-performed Prokofiev orchestral masterpiece.

Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major (1877), one of his most popular works, featured many talented members of the orchestra, in addition to illustrating the orchestra’s ability to work together in producing swells of sound, exhibiting rhythmic control and distinct articulation - especially through their precise accents and seamless phrasing. The opening Allegro non troppo movement, steadily building on two motives presented in the opening bars by the basses and horns, also features Brahms’ love of simultaneously juxtaposing two beats against three (a variation on the hemiola). Highlights of this movement included the effortless sounding runs and melodies of the flutes and oboes as they wove in and out of the unified voice of the orchestra.

The second and third movements, featuring strong performances by the horn and woodwind sections, continued the wondrous impression of the first movement, with emphasized dynamics, swells of crescendos and decrescendos, and strict adherence to tempo markings and their returns. The careful attention to tempo proved especially effective in the third movement with the return of the opening Allegretto grazioso (Quasi Andantino) towards the end of the movement, successfully recreating the opening atmosphere in a different key and orchestration. Another strong presence of the third movement was the witty solo oboe presenting the opening theme and its recurrence at various points in this movement.

The concluding fourth movement again presented the orchestra as a unified force of music, playing with fantastic balance and sensitivity to each instrument’s part and changes in texture.  The forceful, effortlessly synchonized attacks of the string section provided the power behind this movement. Overall, this performance provided undeniable testimony to the Philharmonic’s musical skill and strength as an ensemble.

The Boston Philharmonic will be repeating this program at 8pm on Saturday, April 25 at Jordan Hall and again at 3pm on Sunday, April 26 at Sanders Theatre. Please visit http://www.bostonphil.org/BPO/ for additional details.

Elizabeth Perten is a doctoral student in Musicology at Brandeis University and also is pursuing a Joint MA in Women’s and Gender Studies. She graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University, with a BA in Music.

Romy the Cat wrote:

Melodia released Complete Myaskovsky Symphonic Works by Evgeni Svetlanov. It contains beside “other” symphonic works the Symphonies #7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 19, 25, 4, 5, 12, 15, 17, 20, 22, 26, 6, 21

David,

You complained that were not able to found Myaskovsky’s 23 and 24 Symphonies. I found a good source for you. There is in St-Petersburg, Russia a State Academic Symphony Orchestra and they released an interesting collection: Russian Wartime  composed music . Among the recordings the Myaskovsky’s 23 and 24. I do not know how they play but they are very unfriendly performed. They have a site that available in English.

http://www.spb-orchestra.ru/record_eng.php

“In 2008, the St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Alexander Titov launched a series of CD recordings of works by outstanding Russian composers created during the Great Patriotic war of 1941-1945. The first releases of the giant “Wartime Music” archive – opuses of G. Popov and N. Myaskovsky, V. Scherbachev and M. Weinberg, D. Shostakovich and S. Prokofiev, A. Mossolov and L. Knipper, Y. Kochurov and L. Polovinkin, O. Yevlakhov and R. Gliere had a noticeable impact on the professional music community and excited response from music lovers.”

David, are you around. A day after tomorrow my Local WHRB broadcast Myaskovsky Orgy. The have internet feed

http://www.whrb.org/

Thursday, December 3

1:00 pm MYASKOVSKY AND THE SOVIET SYMPHONY

Born in 1881, Nikolai Myaskovsky witnessed and responded to the transformation of the Russian musical world under the Soviet regime, composing striking works that addressed contem­porary themes, eschewing programmatic forms in favor of neo-romantic and even neoclassical styles. His prolific symphonic output, twenty-seven in total, was highly influential on Soviet composers from Khachaturian to Shostakovich. We’ll hear the entire symphonic output of this “father of the Soviet Symphony,” plus his intensely expressive concerti and other works that suffer an unfortunate neglect in the modern performance repertoire.

Time divisions below are only approximate.

1:00 pm

1908: Symphony No. 1 in c, Op. 3; Rozhdestvensky, USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra (Russian Disc)

1909: Hulpigung’s Overture in C; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1908: Sonata No. 1 in d; McLachlan (Olympia)

1909: Silence,Symphonic Poem after Poe; Stankovsky,Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bratislava (Marco Polo)

1910: Sinfonietta in A; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1911: Symphony No. 2 in c-sharp; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

4:00 pm

1912: Sonata No. 2 in f-sharp; Hegedűs (Marco Polo)

1913: Alastor, Symphonic Poem after Shelley; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1914: Symphony No. 3 in a; Verbitzky, USSR Symphony Orchestra (Melodiya)

1918: Symphony No. 4 in e; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1918: Symphony No. 5 in D; Ivanov, USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra (Olympia)

7:00 pm

1920: Sonata No. 3 in c; Richter (Melodiya)

1923: Symphony No. 6 in e-flat; Järvi, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (DG)

1922: Symphony No. 7 in b; Ginsburg, U.S.S.R. Radio Symphony Orchestra (Melodiya)

1925: Symphony No. 8 in A; Stankovsky, Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra of Brataslava (Marco Polo)

1924: Sonata No. 4 in c; McLachlan (Olympia)

10:00 pm

1927: Symphony No. 9 in e; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1927: Reminiscences; McLachlan (Olympia)

1927: Symphony No. 10 in f; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1928: Yellowed Leaves, Nos. 1 and 6; Dokschutzer, Zhak (Melodiya LP)

1929: Serenade in E-flat; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

Friday, December 4

1:00 pm MYASKOVSKY AND THE SOVIET SYMPHONY (cont.)

1929: Sinfonietta in c; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1929: Lyric Concertino in G; Verbitzky, USSR Symphony Orchestra (Melodiya)

1930: Quartet No. 3 in d; Leningrad Taneiev Quartet (Melodiya)

1932: Symphony No. 11 in b-flat; Dudarova, Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Olympia)

1932: Symphony No. 12 in g,”Kolkhoz (Collective Farm)”; Stankovsky, Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra of Bratislava (Marco Polo)

1933: Symphony No. 13 in b-flat; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1933: Symphony No. 14 in C; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

1934: Symphony No. 15 in d; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

4:00 pm

1936: Symphony No. 16 in F; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

1937: Symphony No. 17 in g-sharp; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1937: Symphony No. 18 in C; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

7:00 pm

1938: Violin Concerto in d; Oistrakh, Gauk, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Brilliant Classics)

1939: Symphony No. 19 in E-flat; Sergeyev, Russian State Brass Orchestra (Russian Disc)

1940: Symphony No. 20 in E; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

1940: Symphony No. 21 in f-sharp; Gould, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Chicago)

1941: Symphony No. 22 in b, “Symphony-Ballad”; Svetlanov, USSR Symphony Orchestra (Melodiya)

1941: Symphony No. 23 in a, “Symphony-Suite on Kabardinian Themes”; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra

10:00 pm

1942: Sonatine in e; McLachlan (Olympia)

1942: Song and Rhapsody; Ginsburg (Phillips)

1943: Symphony No. 24 in f; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

1944: Sonata No. 5 in B; McLachlan (Olympia)

Saturday, December 5  

5:00 pm MYASKOVSKY AND THE SOVIET SYMPHONY (cont.)

1944: Sonata No. 6 in A-flat; Hegedűs (Marco Polo)

1945: Cello Concerto in c; Rostropovich, Sargent, Philharmonia Orchestra (EMI)

1945: String Quartet No. 10 in F; Leningrad Taneiev Quartet (Melodiya)

1945: Sinfonietta in a; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

1946: Symphony No. 25 in D-flat; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (Warner)

1946: Slavonic Rhapsody; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

1947: Pathetic Overture; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

1948: Symphony No. 26 in C; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

8:00 pm

1948: Divertissement; Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony

1949: Cello Sonata No. 2; Turovsky, Edlina (Chandos)

1950: Sonata No. 7 in C; McLachlan (Olympia)

1951: Sonata No. 8 in d; McLachlan (Olympia)

10:00 pm

1952: Sonata No. 9 in F; McLachlan (Olympia)

1949: String Quartet No. 13 in a; Gostelradio Quartet (Vox)

1950: Symphony No. 27 in c; Polyansky, Russian State Symphony Orchestra (Chandos)