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Gennady Rozhdestvensky - Racmaninov Rimsky-Korsakov Shostakovich (2008) [DVD9 NTSC]
Label: Medici arts
Catalog No: EUA 3085278
Format: DVD-Video
Release Date: 2008-09-30
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 109 min.
Picture Format: NTSC, 4:3, B&W
Sound Format: Mono
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Gennady Rozhdestvensky was the first Russian conductor to be appointed head of major Western orchestras such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra 1978-81 and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra from 1981. The insightful beauty and the colour and rhythm of his interpretations have helped to make Russian repertoire a favourite among central European audiences. Gennady Rozhdestvensky enchants orchestras and audiences alike with the magic of his baton: witty and implacable, easy-going by nature, he draws his inspiration directly from the compositions. This DVD offers a wonderful opportunity to experience this musical character and influential figure on the podium.
All three performances come from the BBC Proms, the Rimsky and Rachmaninov from the 1979 season, the Shostakovich from 1978. (An old diary and a programme tell me I was present at the latter prom!)
I seem to recall recently an announcement that the BBC would be making a number of prom performances available on DVD in the future. If true, this is most exciting news. Although every prom gets broadcast on radio, without exception, while I was in the UK, (it may be different now, I emigrated 7 years ago), roughly one prom a week would be televised, so there are riches in store!
These performances come from Rozhdestvensky's tenure as the BBC SO's chief conductor, and Shostakovich's 4th Symphony is played with far greater security than one might have anticipated, particularly the manic 1st movement fugue. Not a work any orchestras, even Russian/Soviet ones, would have been playing with any frequency. My copy had a brief moment of audio 'drop-out' about 21 minutes into the first movement, followed by one more, a couple of minutes later. Also, from the Menu I could of course choose which of the three pieces to play, but within a work I couldn't choose a movement, which was irritating. (My machine, my disc? I don't know). The 4th Symphony plays 63 minutes, and score in hand, I wanted today to just listen to the last movement, so I was forced to use the FForward button all the way from the start of the symphony.
Minor points in my view. There are too few Shostakovich symphonies on DVD, - 1st 5th 6th and 9th from Bernstein, the 10th from Kogan, and on Japanese DVDs I also have Mravinsky's 5th 8th and 12th, and Svetlanov's 5th and 6th, so to have the 4th in an excellent performance is wonderful! Pictures and sound are excellent too. The Rimsky-Korsakov must have sounded fantastic 'live' in the spacious Royal Albert Hall, still pretty good on this DVD.
Postnikova's Rachmaninov 1st Concerto is brilliantly played. She was a frequent visitor to London of course at this time. I occasionally felt the piano to be slightly 'under-recorded' in comparison to the orchestra, but this can often be the impression when we are given big close-ups of the pianist's hand during big tuttis. I shall welcome other reviewers' opinions on this!
A big, big welcome to this programme, and I hope the BBC can find the Prom 'Leningrad' televised 8 or 9 years ago, particularly as I no longer have my off-air VHS....memory suggests it was either Gergiev or Temirkanov at the helm. Often they filled the Prom interval with a relevant 30-minute documentary on the main work, so I hope they consider including that, as the did with their DVD of Elgar's 'Gerontius' from St Paul's Cathedral.
Works Summary
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai : Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36
Rachmaninov, Sergei : Concerto for Piano no 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 1
Shostakovich, Dmitri : Symphony no 4 in C minor, Op. 43
Conductor
Rozhdestvensky, Gennadi
Ensemble
Composers
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873 - 1943)
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 - 1975)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 - 1908)
PLEASE GIVE AT LEAST WHAT YOU HAVE TAKEN
STAY IN SEED PLEASE
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