110th Anniversary of Shostakovitch's Birthday

[MylesBAstor]

Dare I say that no other classical composer has been shrouded in more controversy than Dmitri Shostakovitch? Brilliant but always in and out of favor with the government of one of the world's most evil dictators ever? Ever waiting for the KGB to come knocking at his door to take him away as happened to so many of his benefactors, fellow artists, friends and like during Stalin's purges. Down to the question of whether anti-government messages were actually coded into Shostakovitch's works.

What's some good starting points for those interested in delving into more of Shostakovitch's music?

[MylesBAstor]

[Guest]

Alas, most of what I'll suggest is digital.


Blu-Ray Disc. MTT does a pretty good job with these. Also try his Mahler BD narrative.

There are others but the Borodin Quartet + Richter is my choice. BMG Classics / Melodiya Box Set, 6 discs



Capriccio, SCD 71 037, 12 discs
A superb SACD set with Dmitri Kitayenko and the Cologne Gurzenich Orchestra. There aren't many of these left - if you have any interest in Shosty's music, buy this now and you'll thank me later.


You may remember Kitayenko from Sheffield's Moscow Sessions LP box, where he and Lawrence Leighton Smith each conduct the Moscow Philharmonic in a cold war handshake of musical glasnost. That set offers S's Symphony 1 along with his plate-spinning Festive Overture.

From the SACD set, try Symphony 12 "The Year 1917". To quote myself from my Esoteric C-03 review: "If you like the bombastic side of Shosty, here is your piece -- after all, it is revolutionary. Step by ponderous step, the inexorable carapace of proletarian praxis rides athwart the imperial walker of historical inevitability. ... There is no joy here, only the inevitable crush of synthesis, the sledgehammer of history delivered in huge dynamic swings of massive timpani whacks and cymbal clashes."

I'll pull this from the stacks and play it this evening:

Paavo Berglund with the Bournemouth Symphony EMI SLS 5177, 2LPs
Pretty sure this was on HP's list.