They Gave The Premiere And Made Recording(s): Oistrakh Plays Shostakovich!

Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1. David Oistrakh (violin), New York Philharmonic, Dmitri Mitropoulos (cond.) Sony

[@scuunjieng]

Agree enthusiastically

[@deutschlander85]

What a great selection for this series! I've been doing research on the Soviet violin school and found the history surrounding this concerto to be very interesting. Oistakh did a lot to keep the work from falling off the edge of the Soviet cliff after the premiere; he stuck his neck out for Shostakovich in the face of opposition from the composer's union. And he played it pretty well, too! Might I suggest that it might be time to swing back around to Heifetz soon for a discussion on the Korngold concerto? Pretty hot stuff! And Rhine Classics just came out with a re-mastered recording from a radio broadcast in New York in 1945 which is about as close as we'll get to the actual premiere. Heifetz played it for the first time in St. Louis (If I remember correctly) a week or so before the New York concert. Pretty good sound, too.

[@Bobbnoxious]

Splendid choice. On this topic a very honorable mention can go to another Shostakovich "desk drawer" work, the song cycle "From Jewish Folk Poetry", written in 1948 as a protest against rising antisemitism in Stalinist Russia. It was premiered in Leningrad in January 1955 with the composer at the piano, soprano Nina Dorliak, mezzo Zara Dolukhanova, and tenor Aleksei Maslennikov, and they recorded it (in mono) soon afterwards. An absolutely essential Shostakovich experience, which you can hear on KZbin.

[@MDK2_Radio]

I was introduced to this work via the Oistrakh/Mitropoulos recording which at one time was paired with the Rostropovich/Ormandy premier recording of Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto. I had bought the CD for the latter, but boy are you right about the work and recording. There’s something about Oistrakh’s interpretation, particularly in the passacaglia, that I just haven’t found in anyone else’s playing. It also served as my introduction to Oistrakh and Mitropoulos. Great way to come by that incredible work and those terrific artists.

[@WesSmith-m6i]

Thank you so much, Dave, for your intriguing thoughts on the relationship between scarcity and audience favorites. I'll ponder that one for a bit.

[@JamesCello]

I’ve always felt that same way about the Beethoven concerti; it’s a shame how many people have a habit of latching especially onto pieces with ‘names’ like the ‘Moonlight’ sonata or the ‘Pathetique’ symphony when plenty of neighbouring opera are just as good (e.g. Beethoven PC 4, Tchaikovsky 5, etc.). Hope we can have a follow-up on the Slava/Ormandy cello concerto recording, the one made when Shostakovich was there. My cello teacher gave me the Sony disc of that recording paired with this Oistrakh one for Christmas one year, and I’ve loved it ever since!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I've talked about that one many times.

[@SiChange]

Perhaps you’ve covered it already, but highly meriting publicity is Oistrakh’s recording of the Khachaturian Violin Concerto under the baton of the composer. Stunning: both the concerto itself and Oistrakh’s driving performance, his rich tone and musicianship on full display. Excellently recorded.

[@mhc2231]

Thanks Dave. I'll have to check this out... BUT I don't remember you doing a repertoire video (best and worst) for the Shotakovich Violin Concerto. I suppose #1 is the more popular? Did I miss it somehow? There seem to be quite a few recordings out there.