# New generation Shostakovich/Bruckner/Prokofiev Complete Symphony cycles



## Pmartel63

Hi all;

Having been out of the loop for so long and at 64 getting back into things, I am looking for new generation performances with the past 5 years of Shostakovich/Bruckner/Prokofiev complete symphony cycles

Your thoughts and recommendations on this highly appreciated

I prefer CD format as love my physical media


----------



## Kiki

Last 5 years may be a bit of a tall order. If you are willing to go as far back as 17 years -

Bruckner
*Yannick Nézet-Séguin / Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal / 2006-2017 (ATMA Classique)
*_Elegant Bruckner, although perhaps not to everybody's taste._
*Daniel Barenboim / Staatskapelle Berlin / 2010-2012 Live (Decca)*
_Overall very solid. This cycle took me time to appreciate. Certainly faster and less idiosyncratic than prejudice might suggest._

Prokofiev
*Valery Gergiev / London Symphony Orchestra / 2004 Live (Philips)*
_One of the best all-rounder cycles, but perhaps less wayward/exciting than one would expect from Gergiev._
*Vladimir Ashkenazy / Sydney Symphony Orchestra / 2009 Live (Exton)*
_Genial, unforced Prokofiev, though by no means slack._

Shostakovich
*Vasily Petrenko / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra / 2008-2013 (Naxos) *
_This is a winner. I feel that V.Petrenko really understands the emotions depicted by the music. This is certainly no superficial sound spectacle._


----------



## Pmartel63

Kiki said:


> Last 5 years may be a bit of a tall order. If you are willing to go as far back as 17 years -
> 
> Bruckner
> *Yannick Nézet-Séguin / Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal / 2006-2017 (ATMA Classique)
> *_Elegant Bruckner, although perhaps not to everybody's taste._
> *Daniel Barenboim / Staatskapelle Berlin / 2010-2012 Live (Decca)*
> _Overall very solid. This cycle took me time to appreciate. Certainly faster and less idiosyncratic than prejudice might suggest._
> 
> Prokofiev
> *Valery Gergiev / London Symphony Orchestra / 2004 Live (Philips)*
> _One of the best all-rounder cycles, but perhaps less wayward/exciting than one would expect from Gergiev._
> *Vladimir Ashkenazy / Sydney Symphony Orchestra / 2009 Live (Exton)*
> _Genial, unforced Prokofiev, though by no means slack._
> 
> Shostakovich
> *Vasily Petrenko / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra / 2008-2013 (Naxos) *
> _This is a winner. I feel that V.Petrenko really understands the emotions depicted by the music. This is certainly no superficial sound spectacle._


Interesting you mention the

Interesting you mention the Seguin as I had stumbled into that recently, pity only as a download as I find a paint listen on my setup, Barenboim could also be interesting

For Prokofiev and Shostakovich also interesting as naxos does produce some interesting stuff and will look at the Prokofiev choices

Thanks


----------



## wkasimer

For Bruckner, there are recent cycles by Simone Young and Ivor Bolton, both on the Oehms label - they're both decent, but non-essential (the Young set appears to be out of print). There's also a big box by Gerd Schaller on Profil, that includes a lot of variant versions.

For Shostakovich, there's an excellent, fairly recent set on Sony conducted by Michael Sanderling, but its availability appears to have lasted only a few seconds.


----------



## Kiki

How could I forget Schaller. He did tend to, although not always, use new editions of some less commonly recorded versions. Also the Profil box included only two earlier #9 Finale recordings of the Carragan 2010 edition and his own 2015 edition, but not his latest 2018 edition. Performance-wise, IMO he achieved a good balance between earthiness and sublimity.


----------



## Pmartel63

Pmartel63 said:


> Interesting you mention the
> 
> Interesting you mention the Seguin as I had stumbled into that recently, pity only as a download as I find a paint listen on my setup, Barenboim could also be interesting
> 
> For Prokofiev and Shostakovich also interesting as naxos does produce some interesting stuff and will look at the Prokofiev choices
> 
> Thanks


Update on the Bruckner/Seguin set, I found a CD set through Archambault in Montreal and ordered for just over $60 CAD


----------



## Pmartel63

wkasimer said:


> For Bruckner, there are recent cycles by Simone Young and Ivor Bolton, both on the Oehms label - they're both decent, but non-essential (the Young set appears to be out of print). There's also a big box by Gerd Schaller on Profil, that includes a lot of variant versions.
> 
> For Shostakovich, there's an excellent, fairly recent set on Sony conducted by Michael Sanderling, but its availability appears to have lasted only a few seconds.


Yes, the Sanderling is one I'm looking for and very hard to find but I will


----------



## Kiki

Pmartel63 said:


> Update on the Bruckner/Seguin set, I found a CD set through Archambault in Montreal and ordered for just over $60 CAD


60 CAD sounds reasonable. Nézet-Séguin's exquisite ways in Bruckner can be sublime if that is one's cup of tea.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Any comments of Marin Alsop's Brazilian Prokofiev cycle?









Or Litton's?


----------



## Josquin13

Like Kiki, I don't know if I'll stay within a strict five year time frame, but in regards to the cycles that I've purchased in recent years or know about, here it goes,

1. Prokofiev:

I wasn't altogether crazy about Gergiev's Prokofiev Symphony 1-7 London SO cycle. But I know others have liked it, including certain critics at the British classical rags. Dmitrij Kitajenko's Köln cycle did even less for me.

I've preferred the young Kyril Karabits cycle in Bournemouth to both. Two highlights of Karabits' set, for me, are an imaginative 3rd & a remarkable 7th (coupled together on one disc) that I'd put in the same league with the 'classic' 7ths from Nikolai Malko and Gennady Rozhdestvensky. Which is really saying something, considering that Karabits has much better sound engineering than either of his older rivals, courtesy of Onyx.

--Symphonies Nos. 3 & 7: 



. For the sake of comparison, here are links to Malko's 1955 mono 7th: 



, and the 1965 Rozhdestvensky 7th, too: 




--Symphonies Nos. 4 (Op. 47, original 1930 version) & 5, and Dreams, Op. 6: 




--Symphonies Nos. 4 (Op. 112, revised 1947 version) & 6, and Movements from Symphony in G (1902): 




--Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2, Sinfonietta: https://www.amazon.com/Prokofiev-Sy...arabits&qid=1639182366&s=music&sr=1-1-catcorr






Another highlight is that Karabits was able to gain access to the Prokofiev family archives, & as a result the cycle includes some rarities, such as the world premiere recording of the 11 year-old Prokofiev's first attempt at a symphony; as well as both versions of the 4th Symphony, etc.. At the same time, I won't be getting rid of my Abbado or Chailly recordings of Prokofiev's Symphonies any time soon. But I am pleased to have added Karabits' recordings to my Prokofiev collection.

Like others, I'm also curious about conductor Andrew Litton's recently boxed cycle on BIS hybrid SACD, having enjoyed Litton's Stravinsky recordings for BIS, and likewise his hybrid SACD recording of Prokofiev's Piano Concertos 2 & 3 with pianist Freddy Kempf,

--Symphonies 1-7, along with various orchestral works, played by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Litton: 



.

In addition, there is another Prokofiev cycle out from the American conductor James Gaffigan on Challenge Classics, which has received some good reviews, too, but I haven't heard any of these recordings myself,

--Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 (first version): 




--Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7: 




--Symphonies 1 & 5: 




2. Bruckner:

The only Bruckner cycle that I've purchased in recent years has been conductor Jaap van Zweden's set, which began on the Japanese Exton label, & was finished on Challenge Classics. The Exton recordings are licensed by Challenge Classics & included in the box set. Not surprisingly, they sound extremely fine, considering that Exton is an audiophile's dream for orchestral sound engineering. As for the performances, they're mostly very good, yet I'd hesitate to call it one of the great Bruckner cycles. Nevertheless, I'd recommend it for fans of this conductor & to those that are looking for a very fine Bruckner cycle in audiophile sound: https://www.amazon.com/Anton-Bruckn...192068&sprefix=bruckner+zweden,aps,194&sr=8-1,

--Symphony No. 1 (this was one of the highlights of the cycle, for me, as it's a great 1st, & I'd strongly recommend it): 



--Symphony No. 6: 



--Symphony No. 8: 




3. Shostakovich:

I too have been looking for a copy of Michael Sanderling's cycle in Dresden, but unfortunately didn't buy it when it was affordable. The other recently boxed cycle is Mark Wigglesworth's hybrid SACD set on BIS, but I'm only aware that the individual issues have received some favorable reviews over the years: https://www.amazon.com/SYMPHONIES-N...91910&sprefix=wigglesworth+sho,aps,192&sr=8-1. I've also yet to spring for Vasily Petrenko's cycle on Naxos, which has received strong reviews & Brit awards: https://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich...s=petrenko+shostakovich&qid=1639192010&sr=8-1

However, the bigger news, as far as I'm concerned, is that Kyril Kondrashin's long OOP cycle has become available as a download: https://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich...n+shostakovich&qid=1639187856&s=dmusic&sr=1-1. Which has left me wondering if the set might finally get re-released on CD at some point in the near future? If so, hopefully a new remastering of Gennady Rozhdestvensky's OOP cycle will follow soon after. As I see it, it's a disservice to Shostakovich's music & to his fans to keep these two cycles OOP & so difficult to find used on CD at an affordable price, considering that both conductors knew, worked with, & premiered works by the composer. Although maybe the recording industry fears that if they do get re-released, that none of the recent Shostakovich cycles will continue to sell very well.


----------



## Kiki

Nicely written Josquin!

About the Kondrashin set - I am still hanging on to my LP set which is not something that I am particularly fond of spinning because it is always troublesome to do so. Therefore, out of curiosity, I took a look at melody.su, and it stated the Kondrashin set is available _digitally_ from Apple Music, Spotify, ВКонтакте, Yandex Music, YouTube Music, Amazon, Deezer, СберЗвук and TIDAL. (It certainly is not available from some usual suspects like hdtracks, 7digital, highresaudio and eclassical.) While some of those listed by Melodiya are obviously _lossy streaming_ only, I wonder if any of them offers _lossless download_ with proper _recording data_? That would be very nice!


----------



## jegreenwood

Tidal sells the FLAC download for $79.19. I can't comment on recording data


----------



## Pmartel63

Josquin13 said:


> Like Kiki, I don't know if I'll stay within a strict five year time frame, but in regards to the cycles that I've purchased in recent years or know about, here it goes,
> 
> 1. Prokofiev:
> 
> I wasn't altogether crazy about Gergiev's Prokofiev Symphony 1-7 London SO cycle. But I know others have liked it, including certain critics at the British classical rags. Dmitrij Kitajenko's Köln cycle did even less for me.
> 
> I've preferred the young Kyril Karabits cycle in Bournemouth to both. Two highlights of Karabits' set, for me, are an imaginative 3rd & a remarkable 7th (coupled together on one disc) that I'd put in the same league with the 'classic' 7ths from Nikolai Malko and Gennady Rozhdestvensky. Which is really saying something, considering that Karabits has much better sound engineering than either of his older rivals, courtesy of Onyx.
> 
> --Symphonies Nos. 3 & 7:
> 
> 
> 
> . For the sake of comparison, here are links to Malko's 1955 mono 7th:
> 
> 
> 
> , and the 1965 Rozhdestvensky 7th, too:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --Symphonies Nos. 4 (Op. 47, original 1930 version) & 5, and Dreams, Op. 6:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --Symphonies Nos. 4 (Op. 112, revised 1947 version) & 6, and Movements from Symphony in G (1902):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2, Sinfonietta: https://www.amazon.com/Prokofiev-Sy...arabits&qid=1639182366&s=music&sr=1-1-catcorr
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another highlight is that Karabits was able to gain access to the Prokofiev family archives, & as a result the cycle includes some rarities, such as the world premiere recording of the 11 year-old Prokofiev's first attempt at a symphony; as well as both versions of the 4th Symphony, etc.. At the same time, I won't be getting rid of my Abbado or Chailly recordings of Prokofiev's Symphonies any time soon. But I am pleased to have added Karabits' recordings to my Prokofiev collection.
> 
> Like others, I'm also curious about conductor Andrew Litton's recently boxed cycle on BIS hybrid SACD, having enjoyed Litton's Stravinsky recordings for BIS, and likewise his hybrid SACD recording of Prokofiev's Piano Concertos 2 & 3 with pianist Freddy Kempf,
> 
> --Symphonies 1-7, along with various orchestral works, played by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Litton:
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> In addition, there is another Prokofiev cycle out from the American conductor James Gaffigan on Challenge Classics, which has received some good reviews, too, but I haven't heard any of these recordings myself,
> 
> --Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 (first version):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --Symphonies 1 & 5:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. Bruckner:
> 
> The only Bruckner cycle that I've purchased in recent years has been conductor Jaap van Zweden's set, which began on the Japanese Exton label, & was finished on Challenge Classics. The Exton recordings are licensed by Challenge Classics & included in the box set. Not surprisingly, they sound extremely fine, considering that Exton is an audiophile's dream for orchestral sound engineering. As for the performances, they're mostly very good, yet I'd hesitate to call it one of the great Bruckner cycles. Nevertheless, I'd recommend it for fans of this conductor & to those that are looking for a very fine Bruckner cycle in audiophile sound: https://www.amazon.com/Anton-Bruckn...192068&sprefix=bruckner+zweden,aps,194&sr=8-1,
> 
> --Symphony No. 1 (this was one of the highlights of the cycle, for me, as it's a great 1st, & I'd strongly recommend it):
> 
> 
> 
> --Symphony No. 6:
> 
> 
> 
> --Symphony No. 8:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. Shostakovich:
> 
> I too have been looking for a copy of Michael Sanderling's cycle in Dresden, but unfortunately didn't buy it when it was affordable. The other recently boxed cycle is Mark Wigglesworth's hybrid SACD set on BIS, but I'm only aware that the individual issues have received some favorable reviews over the years: https://www.amazon.com/SYMPHONIES-N...91910&sprefix=wigglesworth+sho,aps,192&sr=8-1. I've also yet to spring for Vasily Petrenko's cycle on Naxos, which has received strong reviews & Brit awards: https://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich...s=petrenko+shostakovich&qid=1639192010&sr=8-1
> 
> However, the bigger news, as far as I'm concerned, is that Kyril Kondrashin's long OOP cycle has become available as a download: https://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich...n+shostakovich&qid=1639187856&s=dmusic&sr=1-1. Which has left me wondering if the set might finally get re-released on CD at some point in the near future? If so, hopefully a new remastering of Gennady Rozhdestvensky's OOP cycle will follow soon after. As I see it, it's a disservice to Shostakovich's music & to his fans to keep these two cycles OOP & so difficult to find used on CD at an affordable price, considering that both conductors knew, worked with, & premiered works by the composer. Although maybe the recording industry fears that if they do get re-released, that none of the recent Shostakovich cycles will continue to sell very well.


Hey, I actually found the Sanderling/Shostakovich set through Archambaullt like I did the Brukner/Seguin cycle it's ordered.
will now grab these box sets while I can


----------



## Triplets

CnC Bartok said:


> Any comments of Marin Alsop's Brazilian Prokofiev cycle?
> 
> View attachment 161978
> 
> 
> Or Litton's?
> 
> View attachment 161979


I'll take Litton over Alsop, who is consistently boring


----------



## Triplets

Shostakovich--the main interesting cycle of the last 5 years is Petrenko/Liverpool
Bruckner-again, 5 year restriction, Jaap van Zweeden or Nelsons/Leipzig. Not sure either cycle is completed

Prokofiev would be Litton


----------



## Pmartel63

Pmartel63 said:


> Yes, the Sanderling is one I'm looking for and very hard to find but I will


Update, found it, like the Bruckner through Archambault


----------



## Pmartel63

Pmartel63 said:


> Hey, I actually found the Sanderling/Shostakovich set through Archambaullt like I did the Brukner/Seguin cycle it's ordered.
> will now grab these box sets while I can


Update on the Sanderling/Shotstakovich set found it in Grece through Musical Offering in Athens at total of 49 Euros with shipping
Would take forever through Archambault in Montreal if at all


----------



## starthrower

I have the Prokofiev / Kitajenko cycle released on Capriccio in 2015. It features both versions of No.4. For Shostakovich I still feel like the Barshai cycle is one of the best available. I prefer it over what I've heard from Petrenko, and Sanderling.


----------



## Josquin13

Pmartel63 said:


> Update on the Sanderling/Shotstakovich set found it in Grece through Musical Offering in Athens at total of 49 Euros with shipping
> Would take forever through Archambault in Montreal if at all


Thanks for your information. I tried to order the Sanderling set from the Greek store's website, but there was no space to write down the "state' were I live on their order form. So, they may not ship to the United States, or to my specific state. If you don't mind me asking--if you are not located outside the U.S., did you somehow get around this? If so, please let me know how you did it, if that would be possible? Thanks. (& feel free to PM me, if you wish.)


----------



## mbhaub

I've enjoyed the Gaffigan set, but good luck getting them all. Challenge Classics disks have an unfortunate habit of going out of print way too soon. Maybe they'll pack them all up in a nice box some day. The SACD sound was the main draw, and it's good. Litton I find hit and miss. Gergiev was ok, but it should have been so much more. The constricted sound does not help. After all these newer recordings I still find myself going back to Martinon on Vox, '60s sound, French orchestra and all. The other favorite set is Walter Weller on Decca. No complaints.


----------



## Pmartel63

Josquin13 said:


> Thanks for your information. I tried to order the Sanderling set from the Greek store's website, but there was no space to write down the "state' were I live on their order form. So, they may not ship to the United States, or to my specific state. If you don't mind me asking--if you are not located outside the U.S., did you somehow get around this? If so, please let me know how you did it, if that would be possible? Thanks. (& feel free to PM me, if you wish.)


If you email them directly, they will respond and use Paypal 
I'm in Canada and awaiting it's arrival.
Do write them as they respond within 48hrs


----------



## Subutai

The Sanderling Shostakovich symphonies are available as FLAC downloads from Prestomusic website as individual symphonies.


----------



## Forster

Triplets said:


> I'll take Litton over Alsop, who is consistently boring


I like Alsops' Prokofiev 5. It's my default version.


----------



## Pmartel63

Update on the Sanderling/Shostakovivh
IT'S HERE
This will be fun listening
Enjoying the Seguin/Bruckener cycle
Stupidly cheap at 49 Euros including shipping to Canada from Musical Offering in Athens, Greece


----------



## hoodjem

Kiki said:


> Shostakovich
> *Vasily Petrenko / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra / 2008-2013 (Naxos) *
> _This is a winner. I feel that V.Petrenko really understands the emotions depicted by the music. This is certainly no superficial sound spectacle._


A big second to the recommendation of this set.
The best Shostakovich I've heard in decades, in excellent recordings also. 

The Tenth is stupendous!


----------



## hoodjem

mbhaub said:


> The other favorite [Prokofiev] set is Walter Weller on Decca. No complaints.


On this set, symphonies 3,4,5,and 6 were done by that great recording engineer Kenneth Wilkinson.

No wonder!


----------



## hoodjem

Oops. Sorry, double post.


----------



## permanent.red

I believe the Sanderling Shostakovich cycle is still available in the Dresdener Philharmonie webstore.


----------



## zikarus

As for Bruckner: the cycle from Franz-Xavier Roth with his Les Siècles as well as the Gürzenich Orchestra is far from being completed but the issues being available so far (1 & 3-5) are very well indeed. What makes me look forward to the rest is that his latest recording of Bruckners 4th is absolutely stunning imo.


----------

