Brilliant 10-CD set 9010
A while back, Brilliant Classics issued a 10-CD set [9010] taken from live recordings made in Russia between 1956 and 1974. Many of us know well Barshai's work as a violist, but perhaps even more, lately, as a conductor. Sets such as this historical one by Brilliant Classics gives an incredible insight into the man's work. Between this set and the two-disc Doremi set [7909/10] of Mozart's Piano Concertos 14, 15, 17, 22, and 27 with pianist Sviatoslav Richter and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra conducted by Rudolf Barshai, I have had a veritable "Festival of Barshai" that has shed considerable light on the artistic and musical prowess of this man. For now, there's just a couple of discs from the Brilliant boxed set that I draw your attention to with Barshai conducting the Moscow Chamber Orchestra:
Disc 3: FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN
•Concerto for Trumpet in E-flat Major
Timofei Dokshitzer, trumpet
•Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major
Arthur Moreira Lima, piano
•Symphony No. 100 in G Major {“Military”}
Having long admired the great Russian trumpeter, it is a joy to hear Dokshitzer perform the great Haydn concerto in this December 1961 recording. Aside from a tonal "wobble" that seems to be typical of Russian brass performers, this is a stirring performance of the work, especially the final movement where the trumpeter takes off in what sounds to these ears like a different performance or odd cadenza. Having heard several Russian conductors take on the music of Papa Haydn, this is the first time I have heard several works taken on by a conductor (Barshai) where the overall orchestral sound does "not" have that typical Russian "flavour." Barshai, obviously a scholar, who has heard Haydn's music, studied deeply the music, gives memorable performances in each case on this disc. The quality of playing in the piano concerto by orchestra/conductor/pianist was of the highest order, yet entirely distinctive without the stigma of Russian sound we so often hear, especially in the early recordings. The Military symphony, too, fell upon these ears stunningly.
Disc 2: VARIOUS
J.S. BACH: Die Kunst der Fuge (conclusion)
GLUCK, RAMEAU, LULLY, MARAIS, PURCELL:
Concertos, dances and fantasias
What is immediately apparent with conductor Rudolf Barshai, is his ability to move from early music right up to contemporary music and capture each period so perfectly with his Moscow Chamber Ensemble, a group of musicians of the highest caliber. On this disc, we have a charming one-minute piece by Gluck from Don Giovanni entitled Allegretto (Pizzicato), and here Barshai's stick technique charms the audience immediately. Also on this disc is music by so-called ancient composers such as Rameau, Lully, Marais, and concludes with Henry Purcell. You will be elated with what Barshai accomplishes with Rameau, and even more so with the rarely heard and charming music of Marin Marais in Troi pieces de viola entitled (1) La Provencale; (2) La Musette; (3) La Basque with Boris Dobrokhotov and Irina Morozova playing the violas da gamba. These recordings were made from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s.
My admiration for Rudolf Barshai has just gone up several notches even though I am well aware of other exceptional recordings on EMI, RCA, Decca, Revelation, Laurel, Multisonic, Piano 21 and myriad other labels. Hearing Barshai in these live settings is ear- and mind-opening where one immediately recognizes something special. One catches to Barshai “fever” quickly.
The following s an important blurb about what is included in this set, and a more in-depth biographical sketch about Rudolf Barshai, who is still living today.
RUDOLF BARSHAI EDITION
Historical Russian Archives
CD 1
J.S. BACH: Die Kunst der Fuge (beginning)
[The Art of the Fugue]
CD 2
J.S. BACH: Die Kunst der Fuge (conclusion)
GLUCK, RAMEAU, LULLY, MARAIS, PURCELL:
Concertos, dances and fantasias
See above comments
CD 3
HAYDN: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat
Timofei Dokshitzer, trumpet
Keyboard Concerto No. 4 in G
Arthur Moreira Lima, piano
Symphony No. 100 “Military”
See above comments
CD 4
MOZART: Symphony No.29
Divertimento No.17 K334
CD 5
MOZART: Divertimento K138
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No.2
John Lill, piano
Symphony No.8
CD 6
DEBUSSY, POULENC, HINDEMITH, MARTIN°U:
Serenades and divertimenti
BARTÓK: Divertimento · For Children
BRITTEN: Simple Symphony
CD 7
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No.14
Galina Vishnevskaya, soprano · Mark Reshetin, bass
WEINBERG: Sinfonietta No.2
CD 8
SHOSTAKOVICH: Chamber Symphony Op.118a (arr. Barshai)
RÄÄTS: Concerto for Strings
BORIS TCHAIKOVSKY: Chamber Symphony
CD 9
PROKOFIEV: Visions fugitives
MEEROVICH: Serenade
KAREN KHACHATURIAN: Aria
LOKSHIN: Symphony No.7
CD 10
BUNIN: Symphony No.5
Concerto for chamber orchestra
STRAVINSKY: Concerto in D · Dumbarton Oaks
Moscow Chamber Orchestra
Rudolf Barshai, conductor
LIVE RECORDINGS made between 1956 and 1974
One of the most fascinating and elusive musicians of the Soviet age. This set provides a unique opportunity to experience the artistry of a man lauded by so many great composers and fellow artists
Much unusual repertoire including Weinberg, Rääts, Loshkin, Bunin is included along with a classic recording of Shostakovich’s Symphony No 14
‘The playing of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra has great intensity and feeling, indeed it could hardly be bettered.’ Gramophone review of Shostakovich 14, 1971
‘Barshai’s orchestration of 15 of Prokofiev’s 20 capricious short pieces…is really masterly. Such imaginative and ingenious scoring as this demands an orchestra of virtuoso soloists, and this he is fortunate enough to have.’ Gramophone 1963
The Russian conductor Rudolf Barshai was born in 1924 and studied at the Moscow and Leningrad Conservatories. He quickly became part of a group of outstanding young Soviet musicians and composers including Shostakovich, Richter, Oistrakh and Rostropovich. He frequently performed with them, and as he was a highly skilled arranger, had Shostakovich’s agreement to adapt several of his string quartets for string orchestra – the 10th quartet can be heard in this form in this extensive survey of his work as conductor and arranger.
Barshai established the Moscow Chamber orchestra in 1955 and it soon gained a world class reputation for its searching performances of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn and Schubert. It would be impossible to include all of the prolific number of recordings Barshai has made, but this set captures the essence of the man – a highly skilled arranger, a champion of new music.
A perceptive interpreter of the classical and romantic repertoire (and who believed that a 45-strong chamber orchestra of today was indistinguishable from that of a full orchestra of the classical period), with an awareness of what would become known as ‘period’ interpretation.
Barshai was also meticulous to the point of obsession over rehearsals. This tried the patience of many Western orchestras, but always produced superb performances. Very much a ‘musician’s musician’, Barshai became friends with Tippett, Britten and Menuhin. Now in his eighties, he lives in Switzerland and works tirelessly to serve ‘the composer’s will’, still producing his wonderful transcriptions for string ensemble. ♪
