@MrAkihiros: yeah that's a good point, and I was wondering about that just now myself. It's possible that seeing that these guys are from Venezuela contributed to the overall impression... but I do think that movement II sounds too "cocky" and too crisp. It reminds me very much of Manuel de Falla's "Ritual Fire Dance" arranged for the cello. It doesn't sound painful, whereas I think Shostakovich put a lot of pain into this piece.
Again, in terms of interpretation I feel that it's far too... Hispanic. They play it as if it was written by a Spanish composer for example, with too much "swagger", and I think they make it sound a lot more "jaunty" than Shostakovich intended. I don't feel the pain coming across, compared to, say, the Borodin Quartet :)
But the performance and their ability are excellent! I'm in awe of how tight it is.
Simply numinous...utter perfection. I'm prejudiced because the Bolivars have been my favorite 'medicine' for years; but to hear them perform a piece which the best professional orchestras and any high-dollar conservatory has just butchered and rendered unlistenable---well, they're peerless. And I live in L.A.! Please, please keep these gems available to those of us who listen "to" music, not"at" music!
So much emotion! How could anyone make something so beautiful?
RegalMusician22 3 weeks ago
Bravo, bravo, bravo!! FABULOUS.
lucylusea 5 months ago
@mysweetrarefish Venezuela!!
lhizestrella 7 months ago
@MrAkihiros: yeah that's a good point, and I was wondering about that just now myself. It's possible that seeing that these guys are from Venezuela contributed to the overall impression... but I do think that movement II sounds too "cocky" and too crisp. It reminds me very much of Manuel de Falla's "Ritual Fire Dance" arranged for the cello. It doesn't sound painful, whereas I think Shostakovich put a lot of pain into this piece.
But still, fabulous musicians! :)
markgcarroll 7 months ago
Hola, genial interpretación, de dónde es este cuarteto?
mysweetrarefish 8 months ago
i wonder if u would say the same thing if u didn't know the group and there were no visuals.
MrAkihiros 8 months ago
Again, in terms of interpretation I feel that it's far too... Hispanic. They play it as if it was written by a Spanish composer for example, with too much "swagger", and I think they make it sound a lot more "jaunty" than Shostakovich intended. I don't feel the pain coming across, compared to, say, the Borodin Quartet :)
But the performance and their ability are excellent! I'm in awe of how tight it is.
markgcarroll 9 months ago
Simply numinous...utter perfection. I'm prejudiced because the Bolivars have been my favorite 'medicine' for years; but to hear them perform a piece which the best professional orchestras and any high-dollar conservatory has just butchered and rendered unlistenable---well, they're peerless. And I live in L.A.! Please, please keep these gems available to those of us who listen "to" music, not"at" music!
geezeret 10 months ago
best performance of these movements that I've ever heard
Cdog1233 11 months ago
simplemente hermoso ..
NmAlRs 1 year ago