Boris Godunov - Bolshoi - Full opera (1)

Modest Mussorgsky
BORIS GODUNOV

cast:
Boris Godunov - Eugeny Nesterenko
Xenia - Galina Kalinina
Pimen - Valery Yaroslavtsev
Dimitry (pretender) - Vladislav Piavko
Marina Mnishek - Irina Arkhipova
Simpleton - Aleksei Maslennikov
prince Shuisky - Alexander Sokolov

The Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre.
Conductor - Boris Khaikin.
Moscow - 1978.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• mussorgsky
• bolshoi
• opera
• boris
• godunov
• nesterenko
• arkhipova
• piavko
• khaikin

[Strefanash]

I must admit I tried listening to Mussorgsky's original version and found it dreadfully duill. Rimsky was a far better orchestrator and overall better technician than the self taught genius Mussorgsky.

[RADAMES1983]

@Strefanash

Can not agree with you.

Korsakov was more "academic" orchestraitor, but I think Mussorgsky went 50 years forward in this opera trhen his time...

I find there many extreamly beautiful and interesting moments when i think: How could somebody t write like this in 1872?...

But I agree that it's "harder" to listen to his version.

In the other hand- he is much closer to the Pushkin's peace and the history - full of darkness, misticism and micsture between christianity and paganism...

[Strefanash]

@RADAMES1983

I was speaking only of my taste.I must also admit to not knowing Pushkin's work, in fact I had forgotten that it was based on Pushkin.

I know a little more of the historical Godunov than the literary, as I am a keen reader of Russian history

I do like colourful orchestration yet I know that Shostakovich adored Mussorgsky and was a strong champion of his original scores. And I respect shostakovich greatly

So i hope we can both accept mere differences of taste here

[RADAMES1983]

@Strefanash

Well, sure :)

I like Korsakov Version, cause Korsakov for me is like Bellini - just beautiful- beautiful and beautiful!

But Mussorgsky is deeper and darker...

There is much more Psychology and misticism in his music, as well as new and original ideas.

We also shouldn't forget that it's not a symphony, it's a musical theater.



[solarmanful]

Is this mussorgsky s original version or Rimsky Korsakovs version ?

[RADAMES1983]

@solarmanful It is a Korsakov version.

[sondano]

the best prologue of all opera history

[NemoProkofiev551]

@TheGlasnost1 Mozart opera is like... vaudeville... ALL THE WAY. When it comes to opera, Mozart is Wagner's bitch, or rather Mozart is both Mussorgsky's and Wagner's bitch. Mind you, that's just my limited perspective.

[NemoProkofiev551]

Wow.

That's pretty much all I have to say. Wow. The introduction is absolutely GORGEOUS.

[MariaCaIIas]

I knew this opera from Korsakov's orchestration... Usually when I am accustomed to a certain thing of beauty, it is almost impossible to switch to its twin product.

This was not the case with Boris... When I first heard the original orchestration I realised what genius is all about...

In fact the comparisson destroyed for me all of Korsakov's oeuvre as I now have to always compare it to Mussorgsky and his sombre, nightly colours!

[MainiacBrainiac]

The intro is all of Russian history composed into one little theme for an oboe.

[lbredikhin5]

Thank you soooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gonorreox]

@RADAMES1983 I've been crazy about Boris Godunov since a kid, and although the Rimsky version is the one I'm most familiar with, the one I've heard most, I still agree with you totally. The Mussorgsky version is... just Mussorgsky, and it's the one that I actually like best, even though I very much enjoy Rimsky's orchestration. Your comment was very interesting as I had never really reflected on this.

[P1B1U1H1]

@BringbackLKandMX It would be of interest to learn why Stalin liked this piece.

[TheGlasnost1]

So wonderful, much better than operas than Mozart or Wagner!!! The opening melody is so beautiful, with a great Russian flavour, not to mention that Leopold Stokowski arranged the opera in such an attractive way (the Symphonic Synthesis of Boris Godunov).

[MauComposer10]

Maravillosa