Shostakovich: Symphonies (Complete), Vol. 2 (Box Set) [Box set]

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich

Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

2. Symphony No. 9 in E flat major, Op. 70
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich

Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

3. Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 65 (Stalingrad)
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

4. Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

5. Symphony No. 11 in G Minor, Op. 103 (The Year 1905)
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

6. Symphony No. 13 in B flat Minor, Op. 113 (Babi Yar)
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava) with Peter Mikulas
Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

7. Symphony No. 14 for soprano, bass, strings & percussion, Op. 135
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava) with Magdalena Hajossyova, Peter Mikulas
Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

Tracks:

Symphony No.5 In D Minor, Op.47: I. Moderato
Symphony No.5 In D Minor, Op.47: II. Allegretto
Symphony No.5 In D Minor, Op.47: III. Largo
Symphony No. 5 In D MInor, Op.47: IV. Allegro non troppo
Symphony No.9 In E-Flat Major, Op.70: Allegro
Symphony No.9 In E-Flat Major, Op.70: Moderato
Symphony No.9 In E-Flat Major, Op.70: Presto
Symphony No.9 In E-Flat Major, Op.70: Largo
Symphony No.9 In E-Flat Major, Op.70: Allegretto - Allegro

Amazon.com

Gorgeously recorded so that all of Shostakovich's eerieness of texture (and harps) can be heard, Haitink's performance of the Fifth symphony is pretty wonderful. The bare landscape of the first movement, with its lonely oboe solos, leads into the very Mahlerian, faux-fun second movement with creepy ease. The Largo is introverted but poignant, with handsome, sustained pianissimo playing, and the finale has great energy, but not quite enough of the grotesque--it's a bit too well-groomed. The Ninth, on the other hand, is ideal, with a finale to rollick over, and a refusal to turn the sometimes sappy second movement into empty emotion. It's one of those moments when Haitink's coolness pays off. A good buy. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

One of my favourite symphonies.......2007-01-24

I'm not going to debate who's interpretation of Shostakovich's symphonies is best as some reviewers have. I'll simply say this: the fifth symphony is among my favourite of all symphonies by anyone. I highly reccomend it, whether it is this recording or another one. However, without going into issues of interpretation, I will say that the recording quality on this CD is very good.

Five stars for a sparkling, vivacious Ninth, but set a snooze alarm for the Fifth.......2006-07-20

Here we have one triumphant Shostakovich performance and one nearly inexcusable one. The praise that Haitink's Shostakovich Fifth has garnered here is inexplicable--this is a plodding reading that barely gets on its legs for the entire first movement. Don't the reviewers below detect the total absence of rhythmic vitality and pace? I guess not. Oh well, one person's nobility is another's long nap.

The Scherzo clumps along well enough, but without bite or satire. The centerpiece of Haitink's interpertation is a hushed, singing slow movement expressed with great refinement, if a bit blandly. The finale, needless to say, is among the slowest, but there's so much impact in the brass playing that excitement is generated without undue speed. It will appeal to the tortoise-wins-the-race crowd. The Concertgebouw plays beautifully throughout, and is strikingly captured by Decca's engineers.

Fortunately, the skies brighten with Haitink's Shostakovich Ninth from the London Phil., his second orchestra. It's so good-humored and light on its feet that you are constantly smiling. Tempos are fast, the mood sprightly--Haitink was wise, I thin, not to take the more serious approach adopted by Bernstein and Gergiev. Good as the sonics are for the Fifth, these are of demonstration quality, with loads of inner detail and perfect clarity. The orchestra seems to relish every bar. They should send condolence notes to their counterparts in Amsterdam.

How odd of Decca to pair the very worst of Haitink's cycle with the very best.

A Soviet Artist's Response to Just Criticism?!.......2006-02-25

The Symphony No. 5 is one of Shostakovich's greatest masterpieces, which can hardly be ascertained from its origins as a piece to satisfy the Soviet state's artistically stifling demands in music (for example, all other aspects of music had to be subordinate to melody). The previous year Shostakovich was savagely attacked in the Pravda for his opera `Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District', primarily because Stalin was shocked by its graphic sex and violence, and the fifth symphony was Shostakovich's reaction to this scathing criticism. (He was undoubtedly aware that the article extended further than trying to damage his confidence, if he didn't produce music along the lines of the states prerequisites he would be imprisoned or killed.)

It received the expected reaction: Rostropovich claimed that the ovation lasted for an hour. Whatever optimism and buoyancy the Soviet authorities may have seen in it; to me it seems more like a comic satire. The opening of the quasi-triumphant finale seems like a bitter, lacerating march fit to represent snide ridicule at its own hollow pomposity. This soon gives way to angry explosions in the brass which speak more of fury and violence than joyous optimism. Shostakovich himself said, `There is a feeling of rejoicing, but it is one of forced rejoicing. It is as if someone is hitting you over the head with an iron bar telling you "Your business is rejoicing" over and over again. Eventually, you walk away muttering "My business is rejoicing".'

The first movement is sombre and claustrophobic with its incessantly repeated, probing string melodies which for me speak of desolation and broken, empty landscapes, dead trees etc. etc. ... There are searching, melancholy oboe solos, warm horn chords, urgent string crescendos, pizzicato strings, pseudo-miliatary trumpet and snare drum jollity, and massive anger expressed through explosive brass. But it is also undoubtedly beautifully melodic, as is the entire symphony, and the symphony features enough material in major keys to bespeak at least forced hopefullness.

The second movement is brisk, occasionally pungently Russian, and bursting with Shostakovich's `forced' joy: an effect which is achieved through near superimposition of the melancholy and the mirthful; the minor and the major etc. The third movement can be summarised as one of subdued melancholy.

Haitink's performance is excellent, crystal clear, never over dramatic, and expressing the music with perfect musicianship and feeling. In comparison with this performance Bernstein's is demure, seeming like a piece designed more at ostentatious display than power and dignity. All I can say is buy this disk!!! You won't regret it.

Superb interpretation and ultra superb recording.......2006-01-09

I wish that Haitink made more amazing recordings like this one of the 5th and 9th symphonies by Shostakovich. He is usually thought of as being in the top rank of conductors, but by hearing this disc, you might think that he's just about the best. Maybe the amazing sound quality kind of makes him look good, but not really, this is just a greatly played superb interpretation. The Concertgebouw (which by the way is my favorite Orchestra at the present time) are on their toes throughout this version of the 5th. They are just truly amazing here, just as they are on most occasions. Did you know that this recording won the Gramaphone top prize for it's sound engineering? That was no surprise to me! Haitink alternated between the Concertgebouw and London Philharmonic for this symphony cycle, and of course the Londoners are in really fine form also, but still not the equal (in my opinion) of this fine dutch orchestra. I've never been quite so impressed with a classical cd's sound quality, except for a few cds of the conductors Christopher Hogwood and Trevor Pinnock. I haven't heard more than 8 or 9 different versions of the 5th, but this and Semyon Bychkov's version with the BPO in 1986 are my favorites at the present time. I think the Bychkov version has almost as good sound quality, and it's severely underrated, because I've never heard the Penguin Guide or any other classical magazine rate it, which is quite crazy, because it's a bold blistering performance that does deserve very high praise. This is also one of the best 9th's out there, but that is a symphony that I have not listened to very much to this point in my life, though I plan to listen to it more very soon. Haitink pretty much can't do wrong when he's conducting Bruckner or Shostakovich, but it you haven't listened to his Bruckner or Shostakovich, do yourself a favor and buy some, because he's definitely one of the top interpreters there are. If nothing else buy this for the demonstration sound quality, and I'm sure you'll fall in love with this incredible disc. ENJOY!!!

Incredible!!!.......2004-09-16

Few superlatives can match the incredible performances which Haitink achieves in Number 5...this has long been one of my favorite recordings for various reasons. Simply put the winds and brass and strings are all on the same waveleagnth...there is not a single phrase in this performance that isn't perfect. On top of this are the incredible heights of the DECCA recording which matches perfectly the great scores.

As to Nine I also love Bernstein in NY...here it also well recorded too. The London Phil plays brilliantly here as well!!

Average customer rating:

Good in quality, typically unusual Bernstein style.
Concerning tempos
an incorrect interpretation
New York saves Bernstein
A moment in history, but not as riveting as before

Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 9

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 7
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; Hungarian Sketches
Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No1, Op107; Violin Concerto No1 (revised), Op99
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO
Schostakowitsch: Symphonie No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93

ASIN: B00000K4J7
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Amazon.com essential recording

Leonard Bernstein's performances of Shostakovich were almost as highly regarded as his Mahler. This performance of the Fifth Symphony was the highlight of his celebrated tour of the Soviet Union with the New York Philharmonic in 1959. The composer himself attended the performances and approved of Bernstein's interpretation, which is the exact opposite of the traditional Russian one. Rather than take the finale ponderously, Bernstein flies through the music at a frantic pace, carrying it forward with irresistible momentum. The Ninth Symphony is the composer's lightest and most carefree. Bernstein walks the fine line between humor and seriousness with acrobatic skill. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Good in quality, typically unusual Bernstein style........2006-11-12

Shostakovich's music (especially the symhonies) is filled with wit and sarchasm, but this recording does not express these aspects. It takes just about all of the music at the kind of brisk pace more appropriate for period performances of pieces like Beethoven's earlier symphonies. One of the things strongly emphasized in this piece is the competition between the lower and higher pitches, and the dynamics of this performance are relatively flat and don't emphasize this. Also, I MUCH prefer the more modern ironic interpretation of the finale, wich is featured in Rostrapovich's recording, among others. Here, Bernstein seems to raise the tempo MUCH faster in the finale in order to force it to be a triumph that it simply is not. I highly recommend Rostropovich's recent recording of this work with the LSO.

Concerning tempos.......2006-04-18

Regarding tempos: yes, this Bernstein recording is famous for being rather quick. Though these ARE the tempos Shostakovitch has down in the score. Most people now take it much slower, and that way is considered 'correct.' FWIW.

an incorrect interpretation.......2006-01-19

The Shostakovich 5th is interpreted incorrectly. The tempos are always way too fast. Bernstein perhaps should have done more research before he conducted this Shostakovich. The ending is misleading. Because of the fast tempo, there lacks sorrow and pain. Buy the Rostropovich recording instead.

New York saves Bernstein .......2006-01-15

I am not here to dispute the great talent of the all-American musical hero Leonard Bernstein. A man far above the rest as far as skill and attention to detail is concerned but as for this recording there are many dissapointing aspects of the interpretation. The Ninth is done quite well. Although it does feel slightly bland and downright boring at times, I attribute this to my own personal preference. The orchestra performs superbly and Bernstein is in his element amongst this famed group of musicians. All in all, this is a solid recording of the Ninth.
It is the Fifth that completely turned me off to this recording. The interpretation was completely headstrong (a Bernstein-ian trait that is very well done in some works but goes way overboard in this Symphony) and at times careless. The tempos that Bernstein employs are much too fast and tend to waver slightly. For instance, the second movt. of the Fifth is a driving introduction introduced by low strings. At the outset, it is much too fast. As the theme is introduced a little later on, the speed is such that the orchestra cannot execute the passages cleanly and this creates a jumble of muddy orchestral sound not up to N.Y. Phil. standards. At the end of this passage, just before the entrance of the horns, there is an anticlimatic fall in the sound. As the bones and tuba have the descending line there is almost a decresendo in the sound rather than a building. This makes the entrance for horns sound quite out of place and overblown. The other movts. tend to fare slightly better, all except the last. While I do like the driving, intimidating tempo of the opening very much, there isn't much else musically that is appealing. The orchestra continues to play beautifully under the somewhat healed interpretation that Bernstein has gained since previous movts. But just when the music becomes its most enthralling, it seems that Lenny gets bored. The final chords of dissonance (the ones thought to represent the screams of Stalin's victims underneath a false hope and happiness) are bowled over. There is no feeling or passion invoked, just the notes on the page. Over all, I was quite dissapointed in the interpretation. The playing was good, if not up to the standards that are the Phil. For me, the orchestra was what shined in this recording, not Bernstein.
I'm not knocking Lenny. I have many amazing recordings of his other works that are beautiful and full of soul and passion. This one lacks in that respect. If you are looking for a wonderful interpretation of the Fifth, pick up LSO's live recording with Rostropovich. Amazing and right on the money, in my opinion.

A moment in history, but not as riveting as before.......2005-11-12

From the mid-Fifties to the mid-Sixties Leonard Bernstein had a complete grip on any "young people"--he didn't call us kids--who wanted to fall in love with classical music. It's hard to turn your back on the influence that shaped your taste, and this Shostakovich 5th was for an entire geneeration the very first time they had heard the work, or any Shostakovich symphony.

The detractors here are right in some respects. The sound, though detailed, is thin and noticeably shrill in the upper strings at forte or louder (they should have heard it before Sony's remastering). There is no muddiness in the bass, however. Bernstein doesn't see this as a savagely ironic or menacing work. But he still conceives a full specturm of emotions: The first movement is lyrical and reflective before the sudden intrusion of a powerful but not threatening march. The Scherzo is paced at medium speed and crisply played but again without satire or menace--LB was almost always positive in this phase of his career, the "Joy of Music" phase.

The Largo is tender, almost dreamy, taken broadly but without a hint of inward grief or respite from the preceding eruptions as some conductors play it. The finale, the touchstone of this performance, is exuberantly fast and triumphant. It comes off as a fitting conclusion--the only possible conclusion--to Bernstein's whole approach. He had no intention of using the Shostakovich 5th as a jab against the Soviet regime, and there's a good chance that the composer didn't, either. This was the work, after all, that he presented to regain favor with Stalin and his apparatchiks.

I must admit that I've gorwn to admire more intensely expressed performances that cover the political ground with a range of bitter, sorrowing, and satiric emotions. Bernstein's vision seems more limited, the piece less significant in his hands. But this was a moment that I can't quite shake.

Average customer rating:

It was faulty on the last title to be played The Carnival of Venice
Awesome Collection!
A Wonderful Collection
Wonderful edition to your trumpet collection.
Quite the CD

Greatest Hits: Trumpet

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Classic Wynton
Famous Classical Trumpet Concertos
Trumpet Concertos
Baroque Trumpet Concertos
Wynton Marsalis - Baroque Music for Trumpet

ASIN: B000002AVK
Release Date: 1994-12-06

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto No.2, BWV 1047: III. Allegro assai
Birthday Ode For Queen Anne: Eternal Source Of Light Divine
Concerto For 2 Trumpets In C Major, RV 537: 1. Allegro
The Prince Of Denmark March
Canzon V
First Symphonic Suite: Rondeau
Trumpet Tune 'Martial Air': Martial Air
Trumpet Concerto In E-Flat Major: III. Finale. Allegro
Sonata a 9 zu der Kayserlichen Serenade
Voluntary In C Major
Trumpet Concerto In E-Flat Major: II. Andante
Trumpet Concerto In E-Flat Major: III. Rondo
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Petrushka: Dance Of The Ballerina & Waltz
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Introduction
Lieutenant Kije: Symphonic Suite, Op. 60: Kije's Wedding
Hary Janos Suite: Entrance Of The Emperor & His Court
Swan Lake, Op. 20: Naepolitan Dance (Act III) - Tchaikovsky
Rondo For Lifey
Concerto No. 1 For Piano, Trumpet & String Orchestra, Op. 35: IV. Allegro con brio
Tsar Saltan: Flight Of The Bumblebee
The Three Aces - Clarke
A Bugler's Holiday
Variations On The Carnival Of Venice

Customer Reviews:

It was faulty on the last title to be played The Carnival of Venice.......2007-06-01

I returned this to New Castle. Box 15550. I have heard nothing. The date of the return was 15/05/07 from my Throop postoffice in Dorset. I sent it recorded delivery. Over to you. There was nothing on the return screen to explain the fault. ie faulty track. So after many attempts to get intouch I sent it to the address on the paper inside the parcel. Please help.
I am a Grandmother so I am over 13 ???

Awesome Collection!.......2006-07-04

As a young boy I would play my trumpet from my father's old Arban's method book. My private trumpet teacher (Mr. Bonfield) would love to play duets with me from the Merchant of Venice. One day I heard Wynoton Marsailas play a a flawless rendition of The Merchant of Venice on my local clasical radio station. It was flawless and brought back many fond memories of studiying the trumpet as a youngster with my beloved teacher. This collection contains that rendition and a wide selecton of clasical trumpet pieces. You may not recognize every song, but you will enjoy the high quality of the music and artists on this CD. Anyone looking for an introduction to quality, classical, trumpet music should buy this CD. The price also makes this an affordable must for any true trumpet fan.

A Wonderful Collection.......2004-01-26

This is a splendid anthology of music. Traditional Baroque and orchestral pieces up front, and a few surprises nearer the end. A splendid work. The price makes it a steal. Add it to your cart. You will not be sorry. There is technical excellence - peace in some of the songs and real energy in others.

Wonderful edition to your trumpet collection........2003-10-21

Trumpet fans should all own this album, that is if they don't already own all of the pieces on here on separate recordings (it would take a while to obtain them all). This recording features a bunch of great classical trumpeters and innovators such as Armando Ghitalla, Phil Smith, Wynton Marsalis, Mark Gould, H.L. Clarke, Ron Romm, Charles Schleuter, William Vacchiano, and more. Great performances of Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 2", the Haydn and Hummel Concertos, Wynton's excellent performance of J.B. Arban's "The Carnival Of Venice", the New England Brass Ensemble performing "Trumpet Voluntary", a very good job done by a Baroque Orchestra of the Vivaldi Concerto for Two Trumpets, "The Three Aces" played by H.L. Clarke, and Leroy Anderson's classic "A Bugler's Holiday".

Overall this is a great listen to some of the best trumpet players of all-time in this idiom. All of the pieces are impeccably played by some of the best. I didn't discover this tape in my collection until recently, and boy I'm glad I did.

Quite the CD.......2001-04-17

If I were you, I would buy this CD. It is a diverse collection of amazing performances of quintessential pieces - an important addition to any classical music fan's collection. Heck, even if you're not big on classical music (or trumpet music or brass music or music at all) you should purchase this compact disc.

Tracks:

I: Allegretto-Allegro Non Troppo - Ludwig Quandt
II: Allegro - Ludwig Quandt
III: Lento - Ludwig Quandt
IV: Allegro Molto-Lento-Allegro Molto - Ludwig Quandt
I: Allegretto - Joakim Svenheden
II: Adagio-Largo-Adagio-Largo - Joakim Svenheden
III: Allegretto - Joakim Svenheden
IV: Adagio-Allegretto-Adagio-Allegretto - Joakim Svenheden

Tracks:

Largo - Andreas Rohn
Poco Meno Mosso-Allegro Molto - Andreas Rohn
Chorus: 'To October' - Andreas Rohn
I: Revolutionary Petrograd - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
II: Razliv - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
III: Aurora - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
IV: The Dawn Of Humanity - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Tracks:

Allegretto - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Piu Mosso - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Allegro - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Andante - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Allegro - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Andante - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Moderato. Chorus: 'V Pervoye Pervoye Maya' - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
De Profundis - Sergei Aleksashkin
Malaguena - Sergei Aleksashkin
La Loreley - Sergei Aleksashkin
Le Suicide - Sergei Aleksashkin
Les Attentives I - Sergei Aleksashkin
Les Attentives II - Sergei Aleksashkin
A La Sante - Sergei Aleksashkin
Reponse Des Casaques Zaporogues Au Sultan Se Constantinople - Sergei Aleksashkin
O Delvig, Delvig! - Sergei Aleksashkin
Der Tod Des Dichters - Sergei Aleksashkin
Schulussstuck - Sergei Aleksashkin

Tracks:

I: Allegretto Poco Moderato - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
II: Moderato Con Moto - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
III: Lento-Allegro - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
No.8: Romance - London Philharmonic Orchestra
No.3: Folk Feast - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Moderato - Werner Hink
II: Allegretto - Werner Hink
III: Largo - Werner Hink
IV: Allegro Non Troppo - Werner Hink
I: Largo - Stig Nilsson
II: Allegro - Stig Nilsson
III: Presto - Stig Nilsson

Tracks:

I: Allegretto - Oleg Talipin
II: Moderato - Ludwig Quandt
III: Adagio - Ludwig Quandt
IV: Allegro Non Troppo - Ludwig Quandt

Tracks:

I: Adagio-Allegro Non Troppo-Adagio - Harold Smoliar
II: Allegretto - Harold Smoliar
III: Allegro Non Troppo - Harold Smoliar
IV: Largo - Harold Smoliar
V: Allegretto - Harold Smoliar
Rehersal Sequence - Harold Smoliar

Tracks:

I: Allegro - Per Hannisdal
II: Moderato - Per Hannisdal
III: Presto - Per Hannisdal
IV: Largo - Per Hannisdal
V: Allegretto - Per Hannisdal
I: Moderato - The Philadelphia Orchestra
II: Allegro - The Philadelphia Orchestra
III: Allegretto - The Philadelphia Orchestra
IV: Andante - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Allegro - The Philadelphia Orchestra

Tracks:

I: The Palace Square: Adagio - The Philadelphia Orchestra
II: The Ninth Of January: Allegro - The Philadelphia Orchestra
III: In Memoriam: Adagio - The Philadelphia Orchestra
IV: Tocsin: Allegro Non Troppo - The Philadelphia Orchestra
I: Waltz - The Philadelphia Orchestra
II: Polka - The Philadelphia Orchestra
III: Foxtrot - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Jazz Suite No.2-Waltz - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Tahiti Trot Op.16 - The Philadelphia Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Babi Yar: Adagio - Sergei Aleksashkin
II: Humour: Allegretto - Sergei Aleksashkin
III: In The Store: Adagio - Sergei Aleksashkin
IV: Fears: Adagio - Sergei Aleksashkin
V: A Career: Allegretto - Sergei Aleksashkin

Customer Reviews:

Essential performances of wonderul music.......2007-07-02

This set is a true bargain. The performances are uniformly excellent, as is the recorded sound. The liner notes are informative and well-written. What I particularly like about this set is the variety of orchestras recorded. It's amazing to hear the St. Petersburg orchestra do the Leningrad symphony, with appropriately pungent woodwinds and brass throughout, then switch to the more "mainstream" 10th done with the super-slick Philly orchestra, etc. Jansons makes excellent cases for the lesser-known works, with sharply defined rhythms and consistently excellent balance throughout all works. The works with chorus or solo voices work extremely well. I wish EMI would have included all of Jansons' couplings (the piano concertos w/ Rudy, cello concertos w/ Mork, etc.) to give a truly unprecedented Shostakovich set, but that's a very minor complaint. The price is right here - don't miss this set.

Great Performances - But one defective pressing.......2007-06-26

This set deserves 5 stars based on the performances. But my set contains a CD number 6 that has problems. I arranged for a replacement set from Amazon, but that set had the same poor CD 6. Thus I have concluded that all current CD sets have a defective CD 6. Some players I used could not access the disc. Those that could produced sounds with pops and clicks: sounded like an old LP record. I have written to EMI, but no results so far.

A nice tour of seven orchestras, but the interpretations lack fire.......2007-06-24

I am being a little stingy not granting Jansons' complete Shostakovich cycle four stars, but I can't escape feeling disappointed. Over the long years and many orchestras that have come to pass since he started, Jansons has promised a successor to Haitink's acclaimed Decca cycle with the Concertgebouw and London Phil. of the Eighties. Yet nothing has much improved. I know both cycles fairly well, and Jansons hits no definite home runs. Despite his musical pedigree -- both Mariss and his father Arvid were associated with Mravinsky and the Leningrad Phil.--Jansons tends to be more cautious and even faceless compared to Haitink, who is no firebrand.

I cant' argue with admirers who point to the fine execution and excellent balances, the discipline and the good engineering here. But Shostakovich needs fire and inspiration to overcome his weaknesses, which are severe. The music often sprawls, relies on banal themes, dips into depressive melancholy, or at the other extreme indulges in insincrere jollity that seems politically motivated. Whatever your position on these issues, Shostakovich is an enigma looking for someone to unlock it. As steady and purposeful as these readings are, I don't think Jansons holds that key.

If I were collecting the fifteen symphonies individually, which is still the best way, I'd go for the relatively unknown ones from Jansons, such as #2, #3, and #4, which bring out the best in him. He doesn't excel at the famous Fifth and is middle-of-the-road in the Sixth and Seventh (his live Seventh with the Concertgebouw is another story--I would place it among the very best). At a high standard but not keeping up with the legendary Mravinsky are Jansons' Eighth, Nintth, and Tenth. I don't much care what happens in the windy Eleventh and Twelfth, but the final trio, #13-15, greatly interest me. In these works I found Jansons steady and reliable but not riveting or inspired.

On the whole, then, this is a consistent cycle that keeps up with Haitink's without cresting over it.

Shastakovich at his best.......2007-01-10

Great collection of the Shostakovich symphonies. Recording is clear; orchestra is dynamic. Great program notes, too. One of the best recordings of #15 that I have heard in a while.

Amazing Cycle of Shostakovich Symphonies.......2006-09-14

Mariss Jansons and various orchestras have finally completed a noteworthy and valuable Shostakovich symphonic cycle just in time for Dmitri's Century birthday year. I have to be the first to say that I love the cycle. Performances from 1988-2005, these really are arguable definitive recordings of the works. At first, I was skeptical of the Jansons cycle because I myself was a little disappointed with his Tchaikovsky cycle with the Oslo Philharmonic. But having studied with great shostakovich conductors seem to really add something to all of his performances whether its the 1st symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic, the 8th with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, or the incomporable 11th with the Philadelphia Orchestra. It certainly demonstrates that Jansons is a man of many talents if he can whip any orchestra into shape.

I definitely think this cycle outshines Bernard Haitink's late 70's early 80's performances with the RCO/LPO. I also would go far as to say that they are on par with Jarvi's cycle with RSNO/GSO. Rudolf Barshai also produced a cycle in the 80's with the West German Symphony and its also quite good, but again, I feel as though Jansons benefits by first rate orchestras and suporior sound quality.

In short - its quite an achievement, and I await further recordings from a first rate conductor.

Average customer rating:

A must have.
A fantastic Performance...
You Should Have Been There!
Once and never more.
The only pairing of Bernstein and the CSO, in good performances

Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 7

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Schostakowitsch: Symphonie No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93
Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 9
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8
Shostakovich: Symphonies no 5 and 9 / Haitink
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

ASIN: B000001GB2
Release Date: 1989-10-20

Tracks:

No. 1 Op. 10; 1. Allegretto - Allegro non troppo
2. Allegro - Meno mosso - Allegro - Meno mosso
3. Lento - Largo - [Lento] (attacca:)
4. Allegro molto - Lento - Allegro molto - Meno mosso - Allegro molto - Molto meno mosso - Adagio
No. 7, Op. 60

Tracks:

No. 7, Op. 60
3. Adagio (attacca:)
4. Allegro non troppo

Amazon.com essential recording

One of the most thrilling musical experiences of my life was seeing Leonard Bernstein and the Chicago Symphony play Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony live. As Bernstein wrung every last ounce of pathos from the slow movement, I found it incredible that anyone could ever have thought this less than great music. The ending was so loud you could hardly even hear the cymbals! Happily, every bit of that experience--including the full dynamic range--has been captured on this recording, along with a terrific First Symphony. This is one of the great ones. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A must have........2007-02-02

While I must admit that this is the only recording I've heard of Shosty's 7th symphony, I can't imagine a more impressive performance. Seriously, this might be the greatest brass playing ever...ever! I highly recommend this recording!

A fantastic Performance..........2007-02-02

Up until I heard the live performance of Berstein and the CSO playing the Shostakovich 7th, I had not been a fan of Bernstein, especially because of his NYPO recording of the Shostakovich 5. However, I was so completely taken aback by the live performance of the 7th, that as soon as I could, I purchased the CD set. The 7th is a seemingly overgrown work, too overt and cumbersome, (think of Bartok making fun of it in his Concerto for Orchestra) yet it delivers an emotional jolt that makes one want to stand up and cheer. This Berstein recording got me back onto his side in 1989. It is sad that he had so little time left, however.

You Should Have Been There!.......2006-03-10

Yes, this "Leningrad" does indeed rate five stars, as most, if not all other writers here have given it. Despite some distortion in the louder passages, this recording certainly is a classic document. (I like Bernstein's 1962 recording on Columbia as well, but this simply has more impact.) One reviewer asked how the brass section did what they did. Having had the honor of being at this performance, I can tell you: the already world class regular section was augmented by extra players. If you think the finale is loud on the CD, you should have heard it when it was taking place!

I must correct one writer who said these performances were done in Medinah Temple in Chicago. They were both done in Orchestra Hall, Chicago, the First Symphony recorded without the audience, the Seventh done live. I was privileged to have been there. I'll never forget it!!

Once and never more........2006-02-01

This is the only recording, as far as I know, Leonard Bernstein did with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a group of players with a very long tradition in the American music and with a great technical playing good enough to play quite all the repertoires.

Like in the case of his Mahler's 9 with Berlin, Bernstein only recording with this orchestra is a miracle that happens once and never more, because of many reasons, the first one because this is a live recording in the Medinah Temple and the emotions felt in this CD could not happen again.

I always thought Chicago is a very appropriate orchestra to play DSCH's music, because of the characteristics of the orchestra and of Shostakovich's music, very hard and very sensitive at the same time. One of the symphonies it's better to this couple DSCH & CSO is the 7th that it's not the most complex between DSCH's works, from the technical and musical point of view, but that demands a great and powerful orchestral response, something you can listen perfectly in this amazing recording, in which CSO gives his best, with a baton that understand very well the score, as far as he can... I think no one could understand completely the meaning of the Leningrad not being in the place of the siege or in the scenario described in the double-program of the symphony, probably linked to the oppression Stalin made with his politics to the pre-communist life of Saint Petersburg. I remember Goethe's words, when he said that reading a book is more complex than reading a book. Of course good Goethe talked about understanding a work, and Lenny, even not living that situation gives us a description of the fears, sadness, oppression, etc, really convincing from the very first bar.

Symphony Nº1 is a piece from DSCH's conservatoire years, from 1926, when the composer was only 19 years old and he was suffering a very disturbing economical situation, after his father's death and in the poor CCCP after the Revolution and the Civil War. It's known DSCH had to work in a cinema, under very hard conditions to eat, and that Glazunov took care of having some official assistance for his conservatoire pupil in order to Dimitri gave attention only to composer. The piece is not a great work like symphonies 5, 7, 8, 10, 13... but it shows some details and the personality of the maestro clearly. It was a great success from the same premiere and it made appear Shostakovich as the emergent figure of the new soviet composers, formed in the communist conservatoire... That was what the regime said, because in fact Leningrad conservatoire was mainly what it was before communist regime.

Leonard Bernstein performance of this symphony is a glory from all the points of view, perfectly played and recorded, the piece is fresh, full of tension and emotion, and even that parts not so fine orchestrated shine with real genius. The fourth and final movement is specially outstanding and the way the symphony ends is so good that sometimes I repeat the last minute when it finish. I really don't know any other version played with this very deep conviction on CD.

Seventh Symphony "Leningrad" is OUTSTANDING too, in every movement the orchestral playing and Lenny's conducting is breathtaking. The gigantic crescendo of the first movement is really a monument in the way Lenny control the dynamics perfectly, having an end that is really impossible to repeat, with the scales of the metals and drums full of terror, like watching the face of the death in front of you, in front of the city.

Central movements are wonderfully described too, the dynamics and the control of the tempo is amazing, as we listen in the second movement, a clear example of alternation between fortissimos and pianissimos, as between an atmosphere were everything is like suspended in fears and moments of pain.

The last movement is another Bernstein's `show', because of the way he proclaims the victory of the initial motif, which we could say is not completely affirmed in order to create that two-senses possibilities in the symphony reading. From the very dark beginning of the movement Lenny creates a crescendo that finally leads an explosion in the last bars, outstanding one more time.

The recording is fine, very present, full of body and not so clean like his recordings with Vienna in the 80's (I think about his DSCH's 6 & 9, for example), but it worth very, VERY, very much.

I could not say this is the only possible version, as I read in other reviews. I know about 5 or 6 performances (Rostropovich, Jansons, Haitink, Barshai...), apart from some others life, and of course this is the one I like much more, but not the only possibility, I try to discover always new ways in art, specially in music performances. Jansons' version in EMI is very good too, and we can not forget DSCH music always use to ask for the soviet performances, which are a very different way of understanding the works generally. Kondrashin or Rozhdestvensky shows another ways too.

Nowadays you can buy this 1st and 7th in this double top price CD or in a very interesting 6CDs box which contains Bernstein performances of DSCH's symphonies 6th and 9th with the Wiener Philharmoniker for not to be missed. That 6CDs box offers too his recordings of Stravinsky for DG. I have all of them and I think it worth too, but you remember the best thing in that box are DSCH's performances.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.

The only pairing of Bernstein and the CSO, in good performances.......2006-01-22

Bernstein was only 70 when he made this, his only recording with the Chicago Sym., but he was already debilitated and tired. Given his bad health, it's a wonder that these performances of the Shostakovich First and Seventh Sym. are as vital as they are. From anyone else, I would give the Seventh five stars. It is a galvanzing reading captured in great sound. But Bernstein's first Seventh, made in 1962 with the NY Phil., was a miracle of spontaneous, totally committed music-making. If you want maximum sonic impact, buy this CSO recording instead, but get it in the new bargain box from DG that contains all of Bernstein's later Stravinsky and Shostakovich recordings. The latest remastering is impeccable throughout.

Paying full price for this 2-CD set would hurt less if the Sym. #1 were better. I find it lacking in mood and color; it sounds very well played and nicely detailed but little more. When it was over I felt neutral, whereas the earlier NY Phil. version is quirky and digs in more. Again, the sonics are excellent, far better than before.

Shostakovich: Symphonies #3 '1st of May' & #14 - Mariss Jansons, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Average customer rating:

Shostakovich: Symphonies #3 '1st of May' & #14 - Mariss Jansons, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 2; Symphony No. 12
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8
Shostakovich: Symphony #4 - Mariss Jansons/Bavarian Radio Symphony
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 "1905"; Jazz Suite No. 1; Waltz; Tahiti Trot

ASIN: B000FVBLUM
Release Date: 2006-07-10

Tracks:

Allegretto - Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Piu Mosso - Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Allegro - Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Andante - Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Allegro - Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Andante - Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Moderato. Chorus:'V Pervoye Pervoye Maya' - Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
De Profundis (Federico Garcia Lorca) - Sergei Aleksashkin
Malaguena (Lorca) - Sergei Aleksashkin
La Loreley (Guillaume Apollinaire) - Sergei Aleksashkin
Le Suicide (Apollinaire) - Sergei Aleksashkin
Les Attentives I (Apollinaire) - Sergei Aleksashkin
Les Attentives II (Apollinaire) - Sergei Aleksashkin
A La Sante (Apollinaire) - Sergei Aleksashkin
Reponse Des Cosaques Zaporogues Au Sultan De Constantinople (Apollinaire) - Sergei Aleksashkin
O, Del'vig, Del'vig! (Wilhelm Kuchelberker) - Sergei Aleksashkin
Der Tod Des Dichters (Rainer Maria Rilke) - Sergei Aleksashkin
Schluss-Stuck (Rilke) - Sergei Aleksashkin

Album Details

With this Release, Mariss Jansons Completes his Masterful Exploration of One of the Greatest Symphonic Sequences of the 20th Century. In this Final Chapter, Jansons Returns to Conduct the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Two Complimentary Works from Either End of the Composer's Lifetime. "Symphony No. Three First of May" is One of the Earliest While Symphony No. 14 with Its 11 Arranged Settings of Poetry, is One of his Latest. The Cycle is Finished in Time for the 100th Anniversary of Shostakovich this Year.

Shostakovich: Symphonies #1 & 14 - Sir Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Rich and deep!
An Eloquent Shostakovich Symphony No. 14
Setting a new standard in (non-Russian) recordings of the Fourteenth
JUST NOT RUSSIAN ENOUGH!

Shostakovich: Symphonies #1 & 14 - Sir Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Mahler: Symphony No. 8 "Symphony of a Thousand"
Mahler: Symphony No. 6; Piano Quartet [Hybrid SACD]
Prokofiev: The Complete Symphonies
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 ("Resurrection")
Stravinsky: Les Noces; Mass; Cantata [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B000EQ449I
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Tracks:

De Profundis - Thomas Quasthoff
Malaguena - Karita Mattila
La Loreley - Karita Mattila
Le Suicide - Karita Mattila
Les Attentives I - Karita Mattila
Les Attentives II - Karita Mattila
A La Sante - Thomas Quasthoff
Reponse Des Cosqaques Zaporogues Au Sultan De Constantinople - Thomas Quasthoff
O Delvig, Delvig! - Thomas Quasthoff
Der Tod Des Dichters - Karita Mattila
Schulssstuck - Karita Mattila

Tracks:

I. Allegretto - Berliner Philharmoniker
II. Allegro - Berliner Philharmoniker
III. Lento - Berliner Philharmoniker
IV. Allegro Molto - Berliner Philharmoniker

Amazon.com

This stunning new recording, taken from live performances in Berlin, features symphonies composed by Shostakovich early and late in his life. The 14th, a cycle of 11 songs, is a series of meditations of one sort or another on death(or immortality, dissent or loss of some sort), for solo bass and soprano voices, and scored for strings and percussion (made up of castanets, woodblock, three tom toms, whip, bells, vibraphone, xylophone, celesta). The songs are potent indeed, each being a microcosm of some type of pain, and Sir Simon Rattle has chosen superb soloists: Karita Mattila, at her most lyrical, refuses to shout, scaling her voice back to a point of intimacy when required, but of course with reserves of power; and Thomas Quasthoff, whose voice is more ravishing with each passing year, wrings all the feeling out of his texts. Rattle gets great playing from the orchestra, with the percussion startling with each of its aggressive entrances. The 1st Symphony is a huge contrast---very classical and bright, but also with surprising depth of feeling in the slow movement---a hint of what was to come in the composer's career. The performance is excellent, with particularly gorgeous, expressive playing from the oboes. Highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Rich and deep!.......2006-09-20

The playing and conducting on this record is simply phenomenal, exactley what one would hope for from an orchestra of this caliber. but what stunned me the most was the quality of the recording!

the sound of this record, (through high quality headphones, studio style), was incredibly rich and deep, yet everything came across clearly.

the record on the whole was simply excellant, and i would recommend it to anyone looking for either of these symphonys, especially the first.

An Eloquent Shostakovich Symphony No. 14.......2006-08-12

Fortunate we are to have several excellent choices in recordings of this brilliant Shostakovich Symphony No. 14. Based on six poems of death by Marina Tsvetaeva and scored for large strings only orchestra the piece demands almost as much from the listener as it does form the performing forces. At a recent performance in Los Angeles, brilliant though it was in every way, many of the audience members walked out, unable to tolerate the dark work.

Here Simon Rattle conducts the Berlin Philharmonic strings with depth and fluid passion and gathers as much color as possible form the writing. The absolutely first rate singers are Karita Mattila and Thomas Quasthoff, and the mere mention of their names should offer sufficient reassurance that the musicianship, color of voice, and communication of these difficult texts is sufficient to guarantee a brilliant performance. But these two singers, and especially Quasthoff, delve so deeply into the meaning of the poems, finding all the subtleties of the writing that the listener is frozen in time. It is a brilliant recording.

The jaunty First Symphony of Shostakovich is an added CD to the set, and a very welcome one at that. Often dismissed as 'youthful' and therefore not worth including in the major works of Shostakovich, this work has so many suggestions of the places the composer would so powerfully go in his tumultuous career. Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic give a fine reading, making us appreciated the work all the more. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, August 06

Setting a new standard in (non-Russian) recordings of the Fourteenth.......2006-07-18

This new EMI recording is so splendid musically and so spellbinding in its sonics that it sets a new standard. The death-soaked Shostakovich Fourteenth is a tough listen. Its Russian blackness has been brightened here in several ways. Instead of a Slavic bass we have Quasthoff's refined German baritone. This removes some of the grim visceral power in the male songs, but Shostakovich is suicidally bleak in many of these songs, and frankly, getting a little relief is welcome. Karita Mattila's soprano is ripe enough to sound almost Slavic, but with a blessed lack of Slavic wobble and shrill edginess.

The second big change is the virtuosity of the Berlin Phil., which offers the ear sensual pleasure amid all the gloom. The strings are sweet, supple, and agile. The percusison is razor-sharp and full of color as recorded live by EMI's engineers. I can see why the reviewer below doesn't think this performance is Russian enough; it just happens that I prefer it less biting and brutal (my old favorite being the Haitink recording on Decca with Fischer-Dieskau and Julia Varady, who leaven the text even more by singing the eleven poems in their several original languages instead of Russian).

EMI has sweetened the mix by adding Rattle's live reading of the popular First Sym. on a bonus disc. The First is a jaunty student work, though it has itws own darker shadings. The listener gets a chance to contrast the old and young Shostakovich; one is more likely to flee to the First to sweep the gloom of the Fourteenth out of the house. Actually, Ratle's performance is a touch seroius and carefully played; it's not the romp that Haitink's was. Gergiev and Dohnanyi, both of whom I heard live in this piece, take the same more sober view. The outstanding thing here is the gorgeous, detailed sound and as ever, the playing of the Berlin Phil.

JUST NOT RUSSIAN ENOUGH!.......2006-07-14

Both Shostakovich's last two symphonies are obsessed with death. And both are profoundly Russian in their approach to their subject matter. They share a deep darkness at their hearts to which Russians seem to have a unique key. And both are leavened by that biting sardonic Russian humour which, in Shostakovich's hands, always seems equally black.

No.14 is perhaps the darker of the two, aided by the monochrome colouring of its strings-only orchestra and abetted by the flashes of colour and texture from the large percussion group that complements it. Despite taking its texts from a broad range of European poets, it is this profound Russian blackness that is the all-pervading characteristic of the piece. De profundis (the title of the first poem) indeed.

And it is perhaps such quintessential Russianness that this disc lacks. Wonderful singers, wonderful orchestra, and a wonderful conductor ultimately cannot substitute for that echt Russian voice. The singers, especially Mattila, certainly have their moments of magical singing - her lilies in the Suicide and, for that matter, Quastoff's O Delvig, Delvig are both intense and moving. But not precisely in the right way. Shostakovich himself tried to provide a way out by authorising the singing of the texts in the poems' original languages (as used by Mr. and Mrs. Fischer-Dieskau on Decca). But it's a stop-gap - no substitute for the real thing. For that you have to turn to real Russians singing in real Russian such as Vishnevskaya and Rezhetin for Rostropovich.

Much the same comments apply to the orchestral playing and conducting, as well. There is certainly the full range of string colour and devices here - rich bass and cello sonorities, full violin tone, col legno and sul ponticello effects, pizzicati that are full and rich or spookily glassy as the score demands - all wonderfully played by the Berlin Philharmonic. But once again, you don't feel this music is in their or their conductor's bones. Rattle too often is caught up by the moment, worrying at a phrase or seeking out deeper truths in the inner voices. But it is all rather counterproductive. The flow and symphonic thrust of the whole piece seems to elude him and it tends to remain just a song-cycle. Even the moving reprise of the opening material much later passes for relatively little.

For that real Russian darkness and intensity, I would turn to Rostropovich with his wife and Mark Rezhetin. Or, for a fascinating alternative, the same singers join Benjamin Britten - the dedicatee of the symphony - in the first performance of the piece outside Russia on a BBC Legends disc. Perhaps not totally echt, but Britten was never less than elucidating when conducting other composers' music as well as his own.

Symphony No.1 on a separate disc fares better. The teeming plethora of ideas and vivid orchestral imagination of the 19-year old composer get the treatment from Rattle and his Berliners. Even here, though, there are times when the sheer variety of the ideas don't always gel together. Nevertheless an exciting performance of a symphony that was always much more cosmopolitan in outlook than its successor from late in Shostakovich's life.

Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 9 [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 9 [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Pentatone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Mahler: Symphony No. 1; Blumine [Hybrid SACD]
Brahms: Violin Concerto and Double Concerto [SA-CD - CD compatible]
Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Schubert: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2 [Hybrid SACD]
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (Hybr)

ASIN: B000MRP1ZU
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Average customer rating:

Worth seeking out for the wonderful Sym. 9, but the Sixth is under par

Symphonies 6 & 9
Shostakovich , Bernstein , and Vienna Philharmonic Orc
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000012UM
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Symphony No. 7 In B-Minor, Op. 54: Largo
Symphony No. 7 In B-Minor, Op. 54: Allegro
Symphony No. 7 In B-Minor, Op. 54: Presto
Symphony No. 9 In E-Flat Major, Op. 70: Allegro
Symphony No. 9 In E-Flat Major, Op. 70: Moderato
Symphony No. 9 In E-Flat Major, Op. 70: Presto
Symphony No. 9 In E-Flat Major, Op. 70: Largo
Symphony No. 9 In E-Flat Major, Op. 70: Allegretto

Customer Reviews:

Worth seeking out for the wonderful Sym. 9, but the Sixth is under par.......2006-01-21

Bernstein never explored the Shostakovich symphonies beyond the half dozen he conducted with the NY Phil--#1, 6, 7, 9 (recorded first on Sony, later on DG) #5 (twice on Sony) and #14 (only on Sony). In general, anyone who already owns the NY performances need look no further. Few critics have seen an improvement in the remakes.

LB's Shostakovich Sixth with the Vienna Phil. from 1986 is lackluster, certainly his most disappointing Shostakovich performance. Despite good digital sonics and the plush Vienna sound, nothing here is quite right. The sorrowful first movement has little emotional depth; it's just slow and well played. The Scherzo is taken fairly slowly and again without much point or emotion, while the finale is breezy and light. If you didn't know this was Bernstein, you would come away feeling neutral.

The Ninth, however, is another story. It was recorded the year before, 1985, and from the first note Bernstein sounds engaged. The general outline of his interpretation hasn't changed since his first outing in NY, but the sound here is so much better, and the orchestra plays as only Vienna can. Nothing seems Russian, exactly--the phrasing is too refined for that--and as usual, Bernstein sees Shostakovich as a less moody composer than almost anyone else does. On his own terms, however, this is a very convincing account, a notch less intense than the NY one but sounding twice as good.

Shostakovich - Complete Symphonies - Kondrashin (11 CD Set)

Average customer rating:

Kondrashin's Shostakovich

Shostakovich - Complete Symphonies - Kondrashin (11 CD Set)

Manufacturer: Melodiya
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Becket

ASIN: B000P733I4

Product Description

Dmitri Shostakovich. Complete Symphonies. CD 1 Symphony No.1 in F minor, Op.10 1 1. Alegretto. Allegro non troppo 2 2. Allegro 3 3. Lento 4 4. Allegro molto etc... 5 Symphony No.2 in B major, Op.14 "To October" 6 Symphony No.3 for Orchestra and Choir in E flat major, Op.20 "The First of May" Russian State Choral Chapel Alexander Yurlov, Choirmaster (5,6) Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Kirill Kondrashin, Conductor Recorded in 1972 TT=75:22 CD 2 Symphony No.4 in C minor, Op.43 1 1. Allegretto poco moderato 2 2. Moderato con moto 3 3. Largo 4 "October". Symphonic poem, Op.131 Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Kirill Kondrashin, Conductor Recorded in 1966 (1-3), 1967 (4) TT=72:45 CD 3 Symphony No.5 in D minor, Op.47 1 1. Moderato 2 2. Allegretto 3 3. Largo 4 4. Allegro non troppo Symphony No.6 in B minor, Op.54 5 1. Largo 6 2. Allegro 7 3. Presto Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Kirill Kondrashin, Conductor Recorded in 1967 TT=68:27 CD 4 Symphony No.7 in C major, Op.60 Leningrad 1 1. Allegretto 2 2. Moderato (poco allegretto) 3 3. Adagio 4 4. Allegro non troppo Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Kirill Kondrashin, Conductor Recorded in 1975 TT=71:10 CD 5 Symphony No.8 in C minor, Op.65 1 1. Adagio 2 2. Allegretto 3 3. Allegro non troppo 4 4. Largo 5 5. Allegretto 6 The Sun Shines on Our Motherland. Cantata, Op.90 Boys Choir of Moscow Choral College Russian State Choral Chapel Alexander Yurlov, Choirmaster (6) Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Kirill Kondrashin, Conductor Recorded in 1967 TT=68:43 CD 6 Symphony No.9 in E flat major, Op.70 1 1. Allegro 2 2. Moderato 3 3. Presto 4 4. Largo 5 5. Allegretto Symphony No.10 in E minor, Op.93 6 1. Moderato 7 2. Allegro 8 3. Allegretto 9 4. Andante. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Kondrashin's Shostakovich.......2007-04-18

I have previously reviewed the Melodiya set of the Shostakovich Symphonies conducted by Kirill Kondrashin that were issued by Audos. This set was re-mastered in the late 1990's while this new set was re-mastered from the original tapes for the Shostakovich centennial last year. This set also includes all of the Kondrashin/Shostakovich recordings that include The Execution of Stepan Razin, the symphonic poem October, The Second Violin Concerto with David Oistrakh (for whom the concerto was dedicated) and the cantata The Sun Is Shining Over Our Motherland. The total discs in the set are greater by one and the symphonies are arranged chronologically with the additional works as fill-ups.

The sound on this new set is an improvement over the prior set and is much clearer. Distortions have been markedly reduced (the louder moments in Stepan Razin remain affected). The accompanying booklet contains a good in-depth discussion of all of the works in the set but it does not have, like the earlier set, any of the texts. Each CD is in a cardboard sleeve that has different woodcut illustrations on the face with a complete description of the contents on the CD, including timings, on the reverse. The CDs are held in a flimsy cardboard box that is certain to become slightly crushed or bent in one place or another. I would have preferred a hard case as with the older Kondrashin set. Despite the poor packaging the trade off with the new set is better sound and the complete recordings of Shostakovich from Maestro Kondrashin. If you are interested in Shostakovich's music, especially by a conductor who worked with him, then this is a must have set.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Recommended Music:

Masters of Hardcore [Explicit Lyrics]

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin Op24; Capriccio Italien Op45

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Op71a; Swan Lake Suite Op20a

Music: Slow E-Motion Sightseeing [Import]

Tortilla Soup [Soundtrack]

The Ruler's Back [Explicit Lyrics]

The Village Green Preservation Society [Deluxe Edition] [Import] [Original recording remastered] [Special Edition]

Time To Go

Saramandaia 1976 [Soundtrack] [Import]

The Essential Leontyne Price [Box set]

The Specials

The Discoteca Collection: Missao De Pesquisas Focloricas

The Last Shall Be First [Clean]

Early Recordings

Agnetha Faltskog - That's Me: Greatest Hits