Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14, Op. 135

Amazon.com
This is probably the best recording of Shostakovich's grimmest work. It picks up where Symphony No. 13 leaves off, except here the theme is entirely about death, written in 1969 when Shostakovich was in the hospital. The symphony is a setting of 11 poems by Garcia Lorca, Apollinaire, Rilke, and Wilhelm Kuchelbeker. In all of them, death is depicted as terrifying and inescapable--embracing murder, suicide, death in battle, death in prison, or death in exile. It's as much a statement about the Soviet Union's political climate in the Sixties as it is about the climate in the Thirties that led to Symphony No. 8. And Leonard Bernstein knows his Shostakovich inside and out. --Paul Cook

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14, Op. 135,Isser Bushkin,Lorne Munroe,Dmitry Shostakovich,Leonard Bernstein,John Schaeffer,New York Philharmonic,Teresa Kubiak,Sol Greitzer,Rodney Friend,Sony,20th/21st Century Symphony with Multiple Solo Voices,Classical,Classical Music,Symphonic

Average customer rating: A Historically Significant Box Set with Lasting Significance Amazing performance of the 14th Great set, but Symphony 14 sounds a little off Great Recordings of Great Music at a Great Price. fine

Shostakovich: Complete Symphonies Manufacturer: Teldec ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Rostropovich, Mstislav | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Dvorak & Saint-Saens: Cello Concertos Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems Mahler: The Complete Symphonies Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies Prokofiev, Shostakovich: Violin Concertos no 1 / Rostropovich, Vengerov ASIN: B000005824 Release Date: 1998-01-13

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 10: Allegretto
2. Symphony No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 10: Allegro
3. Symphony No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 10: Lento
4. Symphony No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 70: Allegro molto
5. Symphony No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 70: Allegro
6. Symphony No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 70: Moderato
7. Symphony No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 70: Presto
8. Symphony No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 70: Largo
9. Symphony No. 9 In E Flat Major, Op. 70: Allegretto

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 2 In B Major, Op. 14: Largo
2. Symphony No. 2 In B Major, Op. 14: Quarter Note = 152
3. Symphony No. 2 In B Major, Op. 14: Poco meno mosso - Allegro molto
4. Symphony No. 2 In B Major, Op. 14: Chorus: 'To October'
5. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 20: Allegretto
6. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 20: Piu mosso - Allegro
7. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 20: Andante
8. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 20: Allegro - Allegro molto
9. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 20: Andante - Largo
10. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 20: Chorus: 'The First of May'

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 4 In C Minor, Op. 43: Allegretto poco moderato - Presto
2. Symphony No. 4 In C Minor, Op. 43: Moderato con moto
3. Symphony No. 4 In C Minor, Op. 43: Largo - Allegro

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 5 In D Minor, Op. 47: Moderato - Allegro non troppo - Largamente - Moderato
2. Symphony No. 5 In D Minor, Op. 47: Allegretto
3. Symphony No. 5 In D Minor, Op. 47: Largo
4. Symphony No. 5 In D Minor, Op. 47: Allegro non troppo

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 6 In B Minor, Op. 54: Largo
2. Symphony No. 6 In B Minor, Op. 54: Allegro
3. Symphony No. 6 In B Minor, Op. 54: Presto
4. Symphony No. 12 In D Minor, Op. 112: Revolutionary Petrograd
5. Symphony No. 12 In D Minor, Op. 112: Razliv
6. Symphony No. 12 In D Minor, Op. 112: Aurora
7. Symphony No. 12 In D Minor, Op. 112: The Dawn Of Humanity

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 7 In C Major, Op. 60 'Leningrad': Allegretto
2. Symphony No. 7 In C Major, Op. 60 'Leningrad': Moderato (poco allegretto)
3. Symphony No. 7 In C Major, Op. 60 'Leningrad': Adagio
4. Symphony No. 7 In C Major, Op. 60 'Leningrad': Allegro non troppo

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 65: Adagio - Allegro non troppo
2. Symphony No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 65: Allegretto
3. Symphony No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 65: Allegro non troppo
4. Symphony No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 65: Largo
5. Symphony No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 65: Allegretto

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 10 In E Minor, Op. 93: Moderato
2. Symphony No. 10 In E Minor, Op. 93: Allegro
3. Symphony No. 10 In E Minor, Op. 93: Allegretto
4. Symphony No. 10 In E Minor, Op. 93: Andante - Allegro

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 11 In G Minor, Op. 103: The Palace Square
2. Symphony No. 11 In G Minor, Op. 103: The Ninth Of January
3. Symphony No. 11 In G Minor, Op. 103: In Memoriam
4. Symphony No. 11 In G Minor, Op. 103: The Tocsin

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 13 In B Flat Minor, Op. 113 'Babi Yar': Babi Yar: Adagio
2. Symphony No. 13 In B Flat Minor, Op. 113 'Babi Yar': Humour: Allegretto
3. Symphony No. 13 In B Flat Minor, Op. 113 'Babi Yar': In The Store: Adagio
4. Symphony No. 13 In B Flat Minor, Op. 113 'Babi Yar': Fears: Largo
5. Symphony No. 13 In B Flat Minor, Op. 113 'Babi Yar': Career: Allegretto

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: De profundis: Adagio
2. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: Malaguena: Allegretto
3. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: Lorelei: Allegro molto
4. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: The Suicide: Adagio
5. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: On Watch: Allegretto
6. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: Madam, Look!: Adagio
7. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: At The Sante Jail: Adagio
8. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: The Zaporozhian Cossack's Answer To The Sultan Of Constantinople: Allegro
9. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: O Delvig! O Delvig!: Andante
10. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: The Poet's Death: Largo
11. Symphony No. 14, Op. 135 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra: Conclusion: Moderato

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 15 In A Major, Op. 141: Allegretto
2. Symphony No. 15 In A Major, Op. 141: Adagio - Largo - Adagio - Largo
3. Symphony No. 15 In A Major, Op. 141: Allegretto
4. Symphony No. 15 In A Major, Op. 141: Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio - Allegretto

Amazon.com essential recording

Mstislav Rostropovich was a friend of the composer, and his performances of the 15 Shostakovich symphonies are uniquely authoritative. It's true that as a conductor the great cellist has had his ups and downs, but unlike so many far less musical personalities, he has only recorded the music that he feels most passionately about, and the results have been generally impressive. His performances of Symphonies Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are really among the best ever, and there isn't as single performance among the rest that isn't at least very good. The National Symphony Orchestra of Washington in particular plays with real guts and conviction. An essential set for fans of the composer. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A Historically Significant Box Set with Lasting Significance.......2004-10-03

This set of 12 CDs is a recording of all fifteen symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich by the cellist/conductor Mstislav Rostropovich. Not only is this survey of Shostokovich's very important symphonic output one of the few times we are able to listen to all the symphonies with as few variables as possible, allowing us to truly hear the course of thought and creativity and turmoil of Shostokovich, but it also fulfills a promise between the composer and his pupil (Rostropovich) to create this project. Rostropovich premiered some of these symphonies and had direct instruction from the composer as to the interpretation of them all. All of these facts make this a compendium of recordings that belong in the libraries of music lovers devoted to the genius of Shostakovich.

Now if only the individual performances were as solid as the project itself! While we may be hearing these works with the knowledge that the composer sanctioned them, they are variable in success. Part of this is due to the variable quality of sound the conductor elicits from the three orchestras involved (the National Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Members of the Academic Symphony Orchestra Moscow). The tempi are less successful than those chosen by better conductors performing these works today, and the usual degree of excitement obtained by other batons is missing. But the performances of all 15 symphonies are never less than interesting and are indeed at times illuminating. In all, this is an important body of recordings and belongs in collections of all those who appreciate the significance of Dmitri Shostakovich.

Amazing performance of the 14th.......2001-08-10

I currently own 5 versions of the 14th symphony (Kondrashin, Bernstein, Barshai (a relay of the preimiere in Moscow), Haitink, and another Rostropovich version on the Russian Revelation label. The Bernstein is saggy and contrived, the Haitink fails to excite, the earlier Rostropovich is in terrible audio, The Kondrashin is excellent and full of white heat, and the Barshai is even more hair raising.

And where does this version of the 14th belong? Among the very best. This perfomance's soloists were the original soloists Shostakovich intended (Vishnevskaya and Rhestin). The orchestra though different from the primiere is still excellent. When listening to the Haitink, the orchestra plays with emotional reservation. Not the case here

Great set, but Symphony 14 sounds a little off.......2001-07-26

Rostropovich's performance is very good, but I haven't particularly liked the 14th (my favourite!). Comparing this recording to the other two I own (Bernstein with the NY Philarmonic and Haitink with the Concertgebouw -- this last has lyrics in each poem's original language, which I like better), I found the performance sub-par. It seems the orchestra is not performing cohesively during some piano passages.

Also, it is a shame (or should I say a sham) that not all the CDs are sold individually. I tried to buy the series one-by-one across 3 countries (US, Brazil and Chile), and haven't found Symphony No. 7 so far...

Great Recordings of Great Music at a Great Price........2000-03-31

I feel bad for those of you who have passed by this title and have not ordered it. Buy it now or else buy a gun and shoot yourself because you don't know what you're missing! Great recordings of great music at a great price. Buy it now!

fine.......2000-03-17

Sorry,I cannot write or speak English well.

Average customer rating:

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14; Six Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Ovation--Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 / Haitink ASIN: B00000E39M Release Date: 1990-10-25

Average customer rating: A Richly Nuanced Performance of Shostakovich's Symphony of Death Please note: This isn't in Russian Shostakovich And Matters Of Death Utterly spiritual! Surprisingly, Perhaps, a Dimly-Burning Wick of Hope

Shostakovich: Symphony No 14, etc / Varady, Fischer-Dieskau, Wenkel; Haitink Dmitri Shostakovich , Bernard Haitink , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Julia Varady , Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam , and Ortrun Wenkel Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 / From Jewish Folk Poetry - Bernard Haitink Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 Ovation--Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 / Haitink Shostakovich: Symphonies No 6 & 12 /Haitink ASIN: B00000IP3J Release Date: 2000-08-08

Tracks:

1. Symphony No.14, Op.135: De profundis
2. Symphony No.14, Op.135: Malaguena
3. Symphony No.14, Op.135: Loreley
4. Symphony No.14, Op.135: Le Suicide
5. Symphony No.14, Op.135: Les Attentives I
6. Symphony No.14, Op.135: Les Attentives II
7. Symphony No.14, Op.135: A la Sante
8. Symphony No.14, Op.135: Reponse des cosaques zaparogues...
9. Symphony No.14, Op.135: O Delvig, Delvig!
10. Symphony No.14, Op.135: Der Tod des Dichters
11. Symphony No.14, Op.135: Schluss-Stuck
12. 6 Poems Of Marina Tsvetaeva, Op.143a: My Poems
13. 6 Poems Of Marina Tsvetaeva, Op.143a: Such Tenderness
14. 6 Poems Of Marina Tsvetaeva, Op.143a: Hamlet's Dialogue With His Conscience
15. 6 Poems Of Marina Tsvetaeva, Op.143a: The Poet And The Tsar
16. 6 Poems Of Marina Tsvetaeva, Op.143a: No, The Drum Beat
17. 6 Poems Of Marina Tsvetaeva, Op.143a: To Anna Akhmatova

Customer Reviews:

A Richly Nuanced Performance of Shostakovich's Symphony of Death.......2006-02-04

Despite the fact that there are multiple recordings of Shostakovich's deeply moving Symphony No. 14, this rather old but remastered recording is unique in the quality of performance: Bernard Haitink conducts his Concertgebouw Orchestra and elected to use non-Slavic singers Julia Varady and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau who in turn sing the poems in their original languages rather than the Russian translations used in the original premiere. The effect is staggeringly beautiful and if one must choose a single recording of this symphony, this would be the one that captures the essence of Shostakovich's vision.

Written in 1969 while ill, Shostakovich was naturally achingly concerned about his impending death and in response to his admiration for Moussorgsky's 'Songs and Dances of Death' he wished to make his musical statement about the end of life. 'They wanted the finale to be comforting, to say that death is only the beginning. But it's not a beginning, it's the real end, there will be nothing afterwards, nothing.' And with this grim concept he selected eleven poems by a varied group of poets who mostly died young: Garcia Lorca, Guillaume Appollinaire, Wilhelm Kuchelberger, and Rainer Maria Rilke. The poems are sung by soprano and baritone solo and in duet, and the beauty of Varady and Fischer-Dieskau intoning the words in Spanish, French, Russian, and German somehow gives the poetry more immediacy.

The orchestration is for twenty-one performers: two percussionist, celesta, and eighteen strings. The writing is transparent and delicate with some of the most gorgeous sectional ensemble playing (particularly for cellos and double bass) Shostakovich ever wrote. Haitink serves the score well. As an additional bonus on this CD, Haitink conducts the `Six Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva' beautifully sung by Ortrun Wenkel. For this reviewer the experience of hearing this chamber work that speaks so profoundly about death in the wonder of the acoustic of Disney Hall in Los Angeles makes this symphony emphatically one of Shostakovich's finest works. Esa-Pekka Salonen with the LA Philharmonic approached the work with such humanity and utter clarity of performance, using as soloists Matthias Goerne and brilliant young Russian dramatic soprano Tatiana Pavlovskaya to breathe meaning and incredible atmosphere that the effect was one of those once in a lifetime experiences. If only THAT performance could be added to the recorded repertoire.... Highly recommended. Grady Harp, February 06

Please note: This isn't in Russian.......2005-09-29

I haven't researched the various versions of the Shostakovich 14th, but my other CD under Bernstein is sung entirely in Russian, even though the poems come from other languages as well. I believe that's the standard way, but here Haitink's singers adapt to French, Spanish, etc. as these languages come up. This gives the original poets their native voices back, which i like. It also eliminates one layer of Slavic lugubriousness, which frankly can become quite oppressive when the texts are performed entirely in Russian.

Shostakovich And Matters Of Death.......2005-08-06

Like Gustav Mahler before him, Dmitri Shostakovich, towards the end of his life, began concerning himself with matters of death in his works. Here was a composer who had seen the horrors of two world wars, seen his artistic ambitions constricted by the demands of Joseph Stalin, and seen his older contemporary Sergei Prokofiev suffer the tortures of the damned under Stalin's reign of terror, and yet Shostakovich had survived and succeeded, largely thanks to sage champions on this side of the Iron Curtain such as Bernstein, Stokowski, and Ormandy.

But in his own ironic way, by the 1960s, he was dealing with Death itself, as can be gauged from his Fourteenth Symphony, a work in eleven parts that utilizes texts from writers such as Federico Garcia Lorca, Guillaume Apollinaire, Wilhelm Kuchelbecker, and Rainer Maria Rilke. The symphony, which requires soprano, bass, percussion, and string orchestra, was composed by Shostakovich in 1969 and premiered by his fellow composer Benjamin Britten in England in 1970. It remains thoroughly modern, but its subject is timeless. The same is true for the song cycle "6 Poems Of Marina Tsvetaeva", which he first scored for contralto and piano in 1973 and orchestrating them the following year, one year before he passed away.

Featuring Julia Varady, Ortrun Wenkel, and the legendary Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau, this recording is equally stunning for the conducting of the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam by its longtime music director Bernard Haitink. Though these works were recorded a quarter century ago as part of Haitink's complete survey of Shostakovich's symphonies (a set that also included the London Philharmonic), the recording has aged fantastically well, and the three-prong combination of vocalists, orchestra, and conductor are superb in bringing Shotakovich's visions to the forefront, though they don't skip over the ever-present irony that was a trademark of the composer. A must-have for anyone with a taste for modern music in general, and Shostakovich in particular.

Utterly spiritual!.......2005-07-26

Mondelli and kph37's reviews are really into the spirit of the work, and I have no complaints with them at all.

There are political considerations on two levels. Let me dispose of the first quickly, though I don't mean to do so, because Haitink is truly one of the great conductors of the 20th century. But let's face it that he got caught up in the conductor contest of the Post-Reiner era, when recording companies were elevating Their Man over the others in a marketing joust. Poor Bernard was, in my opinion, a victim in this competition. He was the one who saw the value in letting us hear the inner parts, apart from the raging brass of Solti and colorful antics of Bernstein. Mercy!

As for Fidi's shortness of breath or trailing line, well, I think this was the reason for staging him in the work. Imagine, by contrast, bringing in, say, the great Erich Kunz. The bass-baritone portions of this work are those of resignation, not of confidence. For the sake of the poetry, Fidi was perfect. He is not supposed to be the bombast vocalist. His is the voice of sad resignation.

Now, the other political level, that of the composer. Shostakovich lived under Stalin's thumb, to an extent that no composer today can imagine. Some understanding of history is in order. Dmitri was in a life and death struggle with the homicidal maniac controlling the former Soviet Union. Some understanding of art requires an understanding of history. And, therefore, of empathy with Dmitri.

All told, this is a sublime recording. In future generations, the work will be reviewed only from the technical point of view. It takes musicians who lived through that ghastly horror of the German invasion of Russia, of one racist terrorist regime invading another.

This is a very perturbing work. Who could have done it better than those who lived through it?

Then, Ortrum Wenkel's performance of the Tsvetaeva songs should be given more attention. Yes, they are pretty literal readings. But aren't the works written the same dead pan way? These are hardly folksongs in the sense of Mahler or Britten, but introspective pieces. I really like her work here.

Buy this CD it while it lasts.

Surprisingly, Perhaps, a Dimly-Burning Wick of Hope.......2002-01-24

This is a clean and exciting performance of the fourteenth symphony; I still remember the chills I felt, hearing it the first time some seventeen years ago. This is the sort of piece which only Edward Gorey would like to listen to on a daily basis, but it is an exquisitely artistic outpouring of grief, rage, despair ... yet not, I think, of absolute resignation.

Most of the texts have to do with death, and almost none of the texts regards death in any light other than hopeless, or at the least sardonic. But there is one note something discordant to the otherwise unremitting gloom.

"O Delvig, Delvig!" always struck me as the heart of the fourteenth symphony, all the more for its warm, passionate cello choir, standing in stark contrast to the "flint-faced" sardonicism ("Malagueña," "Les Attentives I & II," "Réponse des cosaques zaporogues") and the externally-dramatic bleakness ("Lorelei," "À la Santé," and the bookends "De Profundis" and "Der Tod des Dichters") of most of the rest of the symphony.

And here at what, musically, I have always felt to be the quiet, self-effacing heart of the piece, we find a text which differs, not sharply perhaps, but significantly, from the unrelieved tone of despair-at-darkness of all the rest of the texts, which (with epochal significance) are more recent ... the sharp-relieved word-paintings of Garcia Lorca, the urbane rationalism and withering wit of Appolinaire. Here, in the company of some of the world's most highly-regarded poets (to add Rilke) we find a highly personal dedicatory poem, written by the unknown-outside-Russia Küchelbecker.

Baron Anton Antonovich Delvig (1798-1831) and Wilhelm Karlovich Küchelbecker (1797-1846) were both friends of Pushkin's, from their school days at the Imperial Lyceum at Tsarskoye Selo (where there still stands a magnificent palace with extensive grounds). All three were poets, men of education and refinement. Delvig was packed off to Siberia, and executed as a revolutionary.

O Delvig, Delvig! What reward is there
for noble deeds and verse?
Where and what is the joy in talent
amongst villains and fools?
In Juvenal's austere hand
the dreaded lash whistles at the villains
and wipes the color from their cheeks.
The power of the tyrants trembled

O Delvig, Delvig, what is persecution?
Immortality is the reward
both of valiant, inspired deeds
and of sweet singing!
Thus our union will not die,
proud, joyful and free!
In happiness and grief, firm is the union
of lovers of the eternal Muse!

The poem fits into Shostakovich's work with conveniently thorough aptness. The two obscurer poets were friends of Pushkin's, himself not only the Great Man of Russian letters, but an artist who found that his works needed to pass a censor. Delvig was a poet who got caught in the wheels of politics, and paid with his life.

Yet the message of the poem is not gloom alone; it is not simply a weeping at the injustices of society against Art and the Individual. It is an assurance that noble deeds and sweet singing are rewarded with immortality, and that the artistic bond of the friends will never die, either. The poem is actually a positive response to external grief.

For all the unrelenting gloom of the rest of the symphony, for all that Shostakovich is quoted as saying, "Death is it, after death, there is nothing" ... for all this, I don't believe that Shostakovich could have LIVED like that ... and certainly here in the fourteenth symphony, he did not quite write like that. This text, its musical treatment, and its place in the shape of the symphony, all this together is the dimly burning wick which would not be blown out.

And too, the one text set in the symphony which has nothing in particular to do with death ("Réponse des cosaques zaporogues") is about rage at, and contempt for, despots, expressed by a fiercely proud, free people. This reminds me that another piece of Shostakovich's which I have long meant to investigate is "The Execution of Stepan Razin," a cossack folk-hero who is a symbol of the spiritual power of free resistance against an oppressor.

And the ending of the fourteenth symphony is not the bleak, still resignation of "De Profundis/Der Tod des Dichters" ... but an ironic clip-clop "Conclusion"... and the closing musical gesture is a clipped, tutti, raging in the strings.

Certainly a great deal of his experience would teach Shostakovich despair, and it would have taken an extraordinarily strong and determined character to resist learning so.

Yet in this work, I see more than just the cynicism. You can be taught to say things, taught even to feel things as though they are practically inside you, and a lot of the life you step through can be about those things ... and yet, down underneath all the accreted layers, you may feel that, really, it isn't, cannot be, true.

Like Martin Luther King's "there cannot be great disappointment where there is not great love" ... I wonder if the sharpness, the bitterness, is a refusal to accept. At any rate, I do not see it as an idea he has come to peace with ... at least, not in the fourteenth symphony.

Average customer rating: Best recorded version NOT THE GREATEST RECORDING

Symphony No. 14 The Royal Edition, No. 79 Of 100: Dmitri Shostakovich Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6 Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 ASIN: B0000027NP Release Date: 1993-09-21

Tracks:

1. Sym No.14, Op.135: I. De Profundis. Adagio - Isser Bushkin
2. Sym No.14, Op.135: II. Malaguena. Allegretto. Attacca: - Teresa Kubiak
3. Sym No.14, Op.135: III. Loreley. Allegro Molto - Adagio - A Tempo. Attacca: - Teresa Kubiak/Isser Bushkin
4. Sym No.14, Op.135: IV. The Suicide. Adagio - Teresa Kubiak
5. Sym No.14, Op.135: V. On The Alert. Allegretto - Adagio - Allegretto. Attacca: - Teresa Kubiak
6. Sym No.14, Op.135: VI. Look Here, Madame! Adagio. Attacca: - Teresa Kubiak/Isser Bushkin
7. Sym No.14, Op.135: VII. At The Sante Jail. Adagio - Isser Bushkin
8. Sym No.14, Op.135: VIII. Zaporozhye Cossacks' Reply To The Sultan Of Constantinople. Allegro... - Isser Bushkin
9. Sym No.14, Op.135: IX. O Delvig, Delvig! Andante - Isser Bushkin
10. Sym No.14, Op.135: X. The Poet's Death. Largo. Attacca: - Teresa Kubiak
11. Sym No.14, Op.135: XI. Conclusion. Moderato - Teresa Kubiak/Isser Bushkin

Amazon.com

This is probably the best recording of Shostakovich's grimmest work. It picks up where Symphony No. 13 leaves off, except here the theme is entirely about death, written in 1969 when Shostakovich was in the hospital. The symphony is a setting of 11 poems by Garcia Lorca, Apollinaire, Rilke, and Wilhelm Kuchelbeker. In all of them, death is depicted as terrifying and inescapable--embracing murder, suicide, death in battle, death in prison, or death in exile. It's as much a statement about the Soviet Union's political climate in the Sixties as it is about the climate in the Thirties that led to Symphony No. 8. And Leonard Bernstein knows his Shostakovich inside and out. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Best recorded version.......2000-08-18

With due respect to another of the reviews on this page, this is the best of the recorded versions of this magnificent symphony. The symphony utilises various texts on death and the psychology of despair, and is a perfect hymn to survival. Such is the constant mystery of Shostakovich's art. Perhaps in no other symphony is it plumbed as in the Fourteenth. The musicianship of Bernstein seems happily to manifest most clearly in the artists with whom he chooses to work, and in few other instances that come to mind is this more true than his choice of soprano Teresa Kubiak. The Malaguena, and Lorelei, touch the ineffable. Bernstein's telepathy with Shostakovich makes palpable the bitterness, joy and humor in the heart of torture. This is a great version of the work, a preternatural symbiosis of composer and conductor. I'm astonished with each listening, and would venture that Kubiak's singing rivals Vishnevskaya's in the work. Bernstein follows his heart from beginning to end. Would that a mere dirge could achieve as much. It's a work to stave off death and its sorrows forever. Copies of this edition are surely still available.

NOT THE GREATEST RECORDING.......1999-11-02

This is however, the benchmark for those unaquainted with this most powerful of works. Bernstein simply lacks the passion and white fire here. He is not shockingly abrasive like Kondrashin and Barshai (the latter even added extra timpani and a bass drum to the closing notes) nor is there a relentless drive accosted at the price of subtlties (Rostropovich). The recording is sleak , like Haitink but the bassist lacks the histrionics that Make this piece all the more frightening. Not definitve by far.

Average customer rating:

Shostakovich: Symphonies (Complete), Vol. 2 (Box Set) Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B000009K8I Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

1. Moderato
2. Allegretto
3. Largo
4. Allegro Non Troppo
5. Allegro
6. Moderato
7. Presto
8. Largo
9. Allegretto

Tracks:

1. Adagio
2. Allegretto
3. Allegro Non Troppo
4. Largo
5. Allegretto

Tracks:

1. Moderato
2. Allegro
3. Allegretto
4. Andante: Allegro

Tracks:

1. The Palace Square
2. The 9th Of January
3. In Memoriam
4. The Tocsin

Tracks:

1. Babi Yar
2. Humor
3. At The Store
4. Fears
5. Career

Tracks:

1. De Profundis - Magdalena Hajossyova
2. Malaguena - Magdalena Hajossyova
3. Loreley - Magdalena Hajossyova
4. The Suicide - Magdalena Hajossyova
5. On The Alert - Magdalena Hajossyova
6. Look Here, Madame! - Magdalena Hajossyova
7. At The Sante Jail - Magdalena Hajossyova
8. Zaporozhye Cossacks Reply To The Sultan Of Constantinople - Magdalena Hajossyova
9. O Delvig, Delvig! - Magdalena Hajossyova
10. The Poet's Death - Magdalena Hajossyova
11. Conclusion - Magdalena Hajossyova

Average customer rating: I've wanted this record for a long time...

Rostropovich Performs Shostakovich - Symphony No. 14 Op. 135 / Seven Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok, Op. 127 Manufacturer: Russian Revelation ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Rostropovich, Mstislav | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Vainberg - Quintet & Quartet No. 8 - Borodin Quartet ASIN: B000006BBA Release Date: 1998-04-21

Tracks:

1. Sym No.14, Op.135: De Profundis: Adagio - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
2. Sym No.14, Op.135: Malaguena: Allegretto - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
3. Sym No.14, Op.135: Lorelei: Allegro Molto - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
4. Sym No.14, Op.135: The Suicide: Adagio - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
5. Sym No.14, Op.135: On Watch: Allegretto - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
6. Sym No.14, Op.135: Madam Look!: Adagio - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
7. Sym No.14, Op.135: In The Sante: Adagio - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
8. Sym No.14, Op.135: The Zaporozhian Cossac's Reply To The Sultan ... - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
9. Sym No.14, Op.135: O Delvig, Delvig!: Andante - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
10. Sym No.14, Op.135: The Death Of The Poet: Largo - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
11. Sym No.14, Op.135: Conclusion: Moderato - Mark Reshetin/Galina Vishnevskaya
12. Seven Romances: 1. Ophelia's Song - Galina Vishnevskaya/David Oistrakh/Mstislav Rostropovich/Moisei Vainberg
13. Seven Romances: 2. Gamayyun, Bird Of Prophecy (Viktor Vasnetsov's Picture) - Galina Vishnevskaya/David Oistrakh/Mstislav Rostropovich/Moisei Vainberg
14. Seven Romances: 3. That Troubled Night - Galina Vishnevskaya/David Oistrakh/Mstislav Rostropovich/Moisei Vainberg
15. Seven Romances: 4. Deep In Sleep - Galina Vishnevskaya/David Oistrakh/Mstislav Rostropovich/Moisei Vainberg
16. Seven Romances: 5. The Storm - Galina Vishnevskaya/David Oistrakh/Mstislav Rostropovich/Moisei Vainberg
17. Seven Romances: 6. Secret Signs - Galina Vishnevskaya/David Oistrakh/Mstislav Rostropovich/Moisei Vainberg
18. Seven Romances: 7. Music - Galina Vishnevskaya/David Oistrakh/Mstislav Rostropovich/Moisei Vainberg

Customer Reviews:

I've wanted this record for a long time..........1999-07-22

Symphony No. 14, Op. 135. Galina Vishnevskaya, soprano. Mark Reshetin, bass. Mstislav Rostropovich, conductor. Chamber Orchestra of Moscow, recorded 12 February 1973.

Seven Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok, Op. 127. Galina Vishnevskaya, soprano. David Oistrakh, violin. Mstislav Rostropovich, cello. Moisei Vainberg, piano. Premiere performance recording, 27 October 1967.

The first of Rostropovich's two recordings of Shostakovich's 14th Symphony, employing the same cast as the world-premiere performance (under Rudolf Barshai - Russian Disc) is a record your reviewer has long coveted. Once again available, on the Russian Revelation label (which may have already expired?), this issue holds obvious appeal for devotees of Shostakovich and the well-loved cellist/conductor.

The recordings, as might be expected from Russia in 1973 and 1967, are in somewhat faded sonics. But the performances are devoted and passionate, perhaps even a 'Revelation.'

Be warned the booklet does not include the texts to either the symphony or the songs. Enterprising Shostakovians will have texts from alternative recordings (of more recent provenance,obviously).

Average customer rating: Terrific symphony and amazing performance One of the Few Perfect Recordings Period

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14 Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Shostakovich: Symphonies No 6 & 12 /Haitink Shostakovich: Symphonies 2 & 15 Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 / From Jewish Folk Poetry - Bernard Haitink Shostakovich: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Sonata No. 2 Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3 "The First of May" ASIN: B0000013VB Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: De profundis
2. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: Malaguena
3. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: Loreley
4. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: The Suicide
5. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: On the Alert
6. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: Look Here, Madame!
7. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: At the Sante Jail
8. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: Zaporozhye Cossack's Reply to the Sultan of Constantiniple
9. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: O Delvig, Delvig!
10. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: The Poet's Death
11. Symphony No. 14 For Soprano, Bass And Chamber Orchestra, Op. 135: Conclusion

Customer Reviews:

Terrific symphony and amazing performance.......2003-10-29

This symphony, perhaps, one of the best darkest, pessimist works ever written (with Mahler's 6th Symphony, Sibelius 4th Symphony, Vaughan Williams' 4th and 6th Symphonies)...

This work, be constitued in 11 movements and based on poems by F. Garcia Lorca (in 1 and 2), G. Appolinairre (3 -8), W. Küchelbecker (9) and Rainer M. Rilke(10 and 11). I impressed especially, 3rd mvt: Lorelei, At the Sante Jail, O Delvig, Delvig! and a short Conclusion (1 mnt.)

Shostakovich was used 12-tone system for the first and last time in this work. Only, the 9th movement, "O Delvig, Delvig!" written in D-flat Major and I think, this is the most romantic movement of symphony and comes without a break and suddenly after 8th movement which tells a war between Cosscaks and Byzantines. And after this tense music, suddenly comes a romantic and sentimental music from violas and violoncellos which tells a love story.

Highly recommended for any Shostakovich fans.

One of the Few Perfect Recordings Period.......2001-11-08

Shostakovich's 14th Symphony is actually more of a song cycle, made up of settings of poems by Lorca, Rilke and others, centered around the topic of death, scored for soprano, bass and chamber orchestra augmented by a variety of percussion instruments. It's not really like anything else I've heard. The singers are excellent. Slovak' conducting is right on. The performance is mercurial, by turns impassioned, heartbreaking, spooky, angry, ironic and sardonically humorous. The sound is excellent, on heardphones or speakers. The only slight complaint about this CD is that the booklet doesn't print the actual texts of the poems, it just summarizes their contents. Every time I listen to this recording I am amazed at how good it is, and how, out of the many hundreds of recordings I have listened to and owned over the years, this is one of the few that always seems to be perfect.

Average customer rating:

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14 Manufacturer: Bis ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 [Hybrid SACD] ASIN: B00005Q44X Release Date: 2001-09-25

Tracks:

1. De Profundis. Adagio - John Tomlinson
2. Malaguena. Allegretto - Joan Rodgers
3. Loreley. Allegro Molto - Joan Rodgers
4. The Suicide. Adagio - Joan Rodgers
5. On The Watch. Allegretto - Joan Rodgers
6. Madam, Look! Allegretto - John Tomlinson
7. In The Sante Prison. Adagio - John Tomlinson
8. The Zaporozhian Cossacks' Answer To The Sultan Of Constantinople. Allegro - John Tomlinson
9. O Delvig, Delvig! Andante - John Tomlinson
10. The Poet's Death. Largo - Joan Rodgers
11. Conclusion. Moderato - Joan Rodgers

Average customer rating: Excellent soloists, orchestra, conductor, and sound.

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 14 Manufacturer: Denon Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 "Babiy Yar" Shostakovich: Symphonies #1 & 14 - Sir Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra ASIN: B0000034W4 Release Date: 1996-02-20

Tracks:

1. Sym No.14, Op.135: I. De profundis, Adagio: 1. Prld: presentation of main theme...
2. Sym No.14, Op.135: II. Malaguena, Allegretto: 1. A: first verse, first half...
3. Sym No.14, Op.135: III. Loreley, Allegro molto-Adagio-a tempo...
4. Sym No.14, Op.135: IV. The Suicide, Adagio: 1. Opening: first verse first half...
5. Sym No.14, Op.135: V. On the Alert, Allegretto-Adagio-Allegretto: 1. Xylophone theme...
6. Sym No.14, Op.135: VI. Look Here, Madame!, Adagio: 1. Opening
7. Sym No.14, Op.135: VII. At the Sante Jail, Adagio: 1.Main theme...
8. Sym No.14, Op.135: VIII. Zaporozhye Cossacks' Reply to the Sultan of Constantinople, Allegro...
9. Sym No.14, Op.135: IX. O Delvig, Delvig!, Andante: 1. Opening theme/2. First verse/3. Interlude...
10. Sym No.14, Op.135: X. The Poet's Death, Largo: 1. Reappearance of first theme of first movt...
11. Sym No.14, Op.135: XI: Conclusion, Moderato: 1. First half/2. Second half/3. Postlude

Customer Reviews:

Excellent soloists, orchestra, conductor, and sound........2005-04-04

Eliahu Inbal's recordings of the Shostakovich symphonies have not garnered the plaudits of other sets - Haitink, Rostropovich, Barshai, Kondrashin, for example. Like the Naxos cycle, these Denon recordings are generally considered to be uneven in result from an interpretive point of view. The recordings themeselves are among the finest when it comes to matters of engineering -- they sound excellent.

I am most familiar with this among Inbal's traversal; I think it is very fine. The soloists are at home in the language, and the Vienna orchestra and conductor are clearly at home in the music. This song-cycle symphony is probably the closest in spirit to the world of the Second Viennese school -- especially the music of Schoenberg and Berg -- while remaining utterly Russian in character, and obviously the work of Shostakovich.

It may be the selection of poems -- Apollinaire, Rilke, among others -- which, in spite of being in Russian translation, lend a more cosmopolitan sensibility to the work. Shostakovich also approved a version that uses the original languages of the poems, and that version was recorded by Haitink for Decca.

This recording by Inbal shows the conductor's affinity for this work in particular, and for the music of Shostakovich in general. If price is an issue, one can not do better than the Naxos recording. However, it would have to be very good indeed to match the sound and performance offered on this disc.

Average customer rating: Rough-Edged, but Compelling

Shostakovich: The Complete Symphonies Dmitri Shostakovich , Ladislav Slovak , and Czecho-Slovak Symphony Orchestra Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Shostakovich: The String Quartets ASIN: B00005QISC Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

1. Allegretto - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
2. Allegro - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
3. Lento - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
4. Allegro Molto - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
5. Allegretto-Allegro-Andante-Allegro-Largo-Moderato - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus

Tracks:

1. Symphony No.2 In B Major, Op.14 'October' - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
2. Allegretto - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
3. Adagio - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
4. Allegretto - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
5. Adagio - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus

Tracks:

1. Allegretto Poco Moderato
2. Moderato Con Moto
3. Largo-Allegretto

Tracks:

1. Moderato
2. Allegretto
3. Largo
4. Allegro Non Troppo
5. Allegro
6. Moderato
7. Presto
8. Largo
9. Allegretto

Tracks:

1. Largo
2. Allegro
3. Presto
4. Revolutionary Petrograd
5. Razliv
6. Aurora
7. Dawn Of Humanity

Tracks:

1. Allegretto
2. Moderato (Poco Allegretto)
3. Adagio
4. Allegro Non Troppo

Tracks:

1. Adagio
2. Allegretto
3. Allegro Non Troppo
4. Largo
5. Allegretto

Tracks:

1. Moderato
2. Allegro
3. Allegretto
4. Andante: Allegro

Tracks:

1. The Palace Square
2. The 9th Of January
3. In Memoriam
4. The Tocsin

Tracks:

1. Babi Yar - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
2. Yumor (Humor) - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
3. V Magazinye (At The Store) - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
4. Strakhi (Fears) - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
5. Karyera (Career) - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus

Tracks:

1. De Profundis - Magdalena Hajossyova
2. Malaguena - Magdalena Hajossyova
3. Loreley - Magdalena Hajossyova
4. The Suicide - Magdalena Hajossyova
5. On The Alert - Magdalena Hajossyova
6. Look Here, Madame! - Magdalena Hajossyova
7. At The Sante Jail - Magdalena Hajossyova
8. Zzaporozhye Cossacks' Reply To The Sultan Of Constantinople - Magdalena Hajossyova
9. O Delvig, Delvig! - Magdalena Hajossyova
10. The Poet's Death - Magdalena Hajossyova
11. Conclusion - Magdalena Hajossyova

Amazon.com

Newly repackaged in a space-saving, super-bargain box, the Naxos Shostakovich cycle may entice shoppers looking to acquire the 15 symphonies cheaply and all at once. Certain performances are better than others. The First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, 10th, and 12th require more dynamism and heft than the Czecho-Slovak Symphony Orchestra give Ladislav Slovák, notwithstanding marvelous first-desk solos. By contrast, the caustic wit and slippery chamberlike qualities of Nos. 9 and 15 are expertly realized. Bass Peter Mikulas and soprano Magdaléna Hajóssyová enliven and brilliantly characterize texts in the two "song symphonies," Nos. 13 and 14. Slovák, in turn, revels in the disjunctive sound worlds of the Second and Third, and traverses the Fourth, Seventh, Eighth, and 11th with an eagle-eyed overview of their sprawling canvasses. You shouldn't be without key individual recordings like Bernstein's 1959 New York Philharmonic Fifth, Berglund's 11th, or Haitink's 13th, and Rudolf Barshai's bargain cycle on Brilliant Classics offers greater sonic impact and more personalized conducting. Still and all, the present set's finest moments are worth the modest investment. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Rough-Edged, but Compelling.......2002-03-07

I like this set. I'm not about to claim that it's perfectly played or beautiful to listen to; Inbal on Denon, Haitink on Decca and Rostropovich on Teldec all command better - and more opulent sounding - orchestras than the Slovak Radio Symphony. But there is a certain raw honesty about these Naxos performances that I find tremendously appealing. The Shostakovich symphonies, after all is said, aren't 'haute cuisine' music. They reflect some of humankind's ugliest experiences and their beauties always come packaged in scar tissue. For that reason, I've always enjoyed the 'rough and ready' Shostakovich played by east european and Russian orchestras: the performances just seem more truthful. That's the case here, although I intend no disrespect toward Inbal, Haitink and Rostropovich (especially the latter who was, of course, a great friend of the composer). But Ladislav Slovak has his own Shostakovich credentials and they are solid. He worked in the 1950s with the great Yevgeny Mravinsky at the Leningrad Philharmonic when it was one of the world's greatest orchestras. Mravinsky was one of Shostakovich's favorite conductors and he performed most of these symphonies, some for the first time, and many under Shostakovich's direct supervision. So Slovak saw a lot and up close. Nevertheless, Slovak's performances aren't slavish copies of Mravinsky. He has his own ideas. For example, listen to the richly barbed irony Slovak projects in symphonies 1 and 9, or how well he conveys eloquence, without pomposity, in the problematic 7th ('Leningrad') symphony. Or listen to Slovak's tight and cogent performances of two of Shostakovich's most fascinatingly diffuse scores, symphonies 4 and 11 ("The Year 1905"). In short, Slovak is never less than thought-provoking and if his orchestra were better, I think his achievement would be more widely acclaimed. As it is, the orchestra plays quite competently, with particularly alert and characterful woodwinds (usually; they miscalculate the magical opening of the last movement of Symphony 13). If the orchestra suffers from a consistent fault, it's that there aren't enough strings to sound comfortable playing "above the stave," as the British say. No matter; the imagination, intensity & spirit of these performances are what count with me. In fact, I think there's only one out-and-out failure in the set: a performance of Symphony 12 that's just too slow and heavy, making a tedious piece seem even more tedious than usual. (Mravinsky played this symphony at breakneck speed; surely the only way to make it endurable!) I wish I could say that the digital sound quality is consistently fine, but it varies too much from performance to performance. It's never less than good, but variable. Still, don't get me wrong: warts and all, this set's a real bargain. Eleven (11) cds come packaged in a compact box with an extensive booklet that includes full texts and translations. Final word: cheap without quality is false economy. In spite of the shortcomings I've mentioned, there's real quality here.

Track Listings:

1. Stones, Time and Elements
2. Strange Beauty: New Music For Piano
3. Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustral/Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3
4. Stravinsky/Debussy: Le Sacre Du Printemps/Jeux
5. Symphony 1 / Academic Fest
6. Symphony 1 / Symphony Movement " Blumine "
7. Symphony of the Universe
8. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.1 "Winter Dream" - The Nutcracker / Abbado, CSO
9. The English Songs Series, Volume 1: Ralph Vaughan Williams
10. The Lady's Banquet Volume II: Lessons For The Mistress

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

The World is a Stupid Place [Explicit Lyrics]

Beethoven in Berlin

Babylon

Music: The Best of Michael Franks: A Backward Glance

All the Rage

Abstractions [Import]

American Folk, Game and Activity Songs for Children

Brotons conducts Brotons

American Cajun

Alma Brasilera

Action, Pt. 2 [CD-single] [Import]

Anthology [Import]

Ambient Lounge, Vol. 7

Howard Hanson Conducts Howard Hanson

Mcdonald & Giles