Search - Shostakovich, Mravinsky :: Mravinsky Edition 9

Live performance with too much background noise

Rob | 02/10/1999

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The good news about this CD is that it captures a great live performance by the Leningrad Philharmonic of these two Shostakovich classics. Mravinksy was a contemporary of Shostakovich who completely understood these works. Unfortunately, they appeared to have been recorded during the height of Moscow's flu season. The quiter passages, particularly during the 6th Symphony, are frequently peppered with sneezes, coughs, wheezes and other indicia of declining health. I found these background noises completely disconcerting."

Wow!

Elliott V. Grabill III | Virginia | 05/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An excellent performance of two of DSCH's greatest symphonies.You won't find a better interpretation of these works for [such a price]. Mravinsky was one of Shostakovich's best friends, and he always made sure that the DSCH's symphonies were performed exactly the way composer wanted them to be played. The recording itself isn't an engineer's choice, but it adds a great effect. It adds more turmoil to the 6th; in the 10th you can hear the echo of the auditorium which gives a feeling of loneliness, I think. Overall, the performance blew me away."

Love Mravinsky; Love Shostakovich; Hate this disc!!!!

Daniel L. Ayala | Columbia, SC United States | 09/22/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"As my title would suggest, I am in love with Shostakovich. He is my favorite composer and Yevgeny Mravinsky the longtime solitary eagle director of the LPO is arguably one of the finest Shostakovich interpreters. These performances are sublime. The 6th especially has a tension that had me and still has me on edge whenever I listen to it. I would argue this to be especially true in the 1st movement adagio. It is an underrated performance I am sure given the more popular choices out there - Haitink and Bernstein to name a couple. Perhaps this is even overshaddowed buy the recent Barshai cycle. But, it really is deserving of a good listen.



On to the 10th. With so many wonderful performances...good lord...Jarvi, Previn, Haitink, von Karajan ( both is '66 and his '82) and the classics by Anceral and Mitropolous..its hard to choose. This performance would be outstanding if it wasnt for the poor recording conditions that existed in the Soviet Union at the time. Just think if DG or another reputable label would have been allowed to record there how great of documents Mravinsky could have left. The most disappointing blunder is in the development and climax section of the first movement where the engineers actually turn down their mics and back off of the performance to an almost inaudible level. Mircophone placement and balance in this particular live recording are wretched. Even the soviet brass which are known to be brash (a characteristic i really like actually) are muddy and sound awful, like honking geese in the same climax in the first movement. Percussion is too heavy and bass-like as well.



IN summary - a beautiful 6th from 1972...its recorded gorgeously. The 1976 10th is disappointing in the 1st movement especially, but it does recover nicely. Only a true Mravinsky devotee would own this cd."