The formidable Russian conductor has died at the age of eighty-seven. One of his signal feats was leading the world première of Alfred Schnittke's First Symphony in 1974 — a venture that would have been daring in any context, but was particularly courageous in Brezhnev's Soviet Union. His Soviet-era recording of the Shostakovich Fourth, embedded above, remains incomparable; listen to the strings at 14:35.
Wagnerism
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Nightafternight playlist
New and recent releases of interest.
— James Tenney, Harmonium; Scordatura Ensemble (New World)
— Philip Venables, Below the Belt; David Hoyle, the London Sinfonietta, Phoenix Piano Trio, Ligeti Quartet, Leigh Melrose, Nick Blackburn, Melinda Maxwell, Richard Baker (NMC)
— Gillian Whitehead, Shadows Crossing Water; Stamic Quartet, Jindřích Pazdera, Vilém Veverka, Patricia Goodson (Rattle)
— Josh Modney, Engage: works of Kate Soper, Eric Wubbels, Sam Pluta, Taylor Brook, Anthony Braxton, Modney, and Bach (New Focus)
— Bethany Beardslee sings Schubert, Schumann, Brahms; with Richard Goode and Lois Shapiro (Bridge)
— Vaughan Williams, Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6; Andrew Manze conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (Onyx)
— John Adams, Doctor Atomic; Gerald Finley, Julia Bullock, Brindley Sherratt, Jennifer Johnston, Aubrey Allicock, Samuel Sakker, Andrew Staples, Adams conducting the BBC Singers and BBC Symphony (Nonesuch, out June 29)
