Have been waiting a long time for a new recording of these seminal works to appear. Thankfully, the playing and recording are top notch. My only issue is that the contralto is not singing idiomatic Russian. Her final vowels are faulty. Иисусе should be sung as I(i)-su-sye; it is sung as I-su-se. Likewise, спаси should be sung as spa-syi, not spasi. These things should have been corrected.
5:4October 27, 2025 • 12:21 - 12:21
I could not disagree more. I don’t doubt the accuracy of your linguistic observation, but I doubt entirely its relevance here. In every way this is musically and – vitally – emotionally true to the score. Would you criticise a scream of pain for having imperfect diction? A howl of desperation for distorted articulation? It’s the authenticity that resounds loudest in all these performances, and it resounds like a clarion call. In the wake of that, a couple of minor niggles about pronunciation seems absurdly trivial.
AndreiOctober 27, 2025 • 19:57 - 19:57
I agree with Simon — the main point here is the degree of involvement in the prayers. In these recordings it is high.
Yet I understand the niggle. The pronunciation sounds not much natural to a Russian ear in Symphonies Nos 1 & 4 and it draws attention even one does not want it. But again, that’s not so important here.
Thank you very much for a fine review.
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3 comments
Have been waiting a long time for a new recording of these seminal works to appear. Thankfully, the playing and recording are top notch. My only issue is that the contralto is not singing idiomatic Russian. Her final vowels are faulty. Иисусе should be sung as I(i)-su-sye; it is sung as I-su-se. Likewise, спаси should be sung as spa-syi, not spasi. These things should have been corrected.
I could not disagree more. I don’t doubt the accuracy of your linguistic observation, but I doubt entirely its relevance here. In every way this is musically and – vitally – emotionally true to the score. Would you criticise a scream of pain for having imperfect diction? A howl of desperation for distorted articulation? It’s the authenticity that resounds loudest in all these performances, and it resounds like a clarion call. In the wake of that, a couple of minor niggles about pronunciation seems absurdly trivial.
I agree with Simon — the main point here is the degree of involvement in the prayers. In these recordings it is high.
Yet I understand the niggle. The pronunciation sounds not much natural to a Russian ear in Symphonies Nos 1 & 4 and it draws attention even one does not want it. But again, that’s not so important here.
Thank you very much for a fine review.
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