Search - Dmitry Shostakovich, Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky (Kirov) Theater Orchestra :: Shostakovich: Symphonies 4-9 "The War Symphonies"

Excellent performances, but no bargain

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 05/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We'll pass over how anyone stretches the term "war symphony" to include three works written in the 30s and one written after the war ended. Gergiev's are among the best modern recordings of Sym. #4, #5, #7, and #9. I was decidedly less impressed by Sym. #8, which was recorded a decade earlier than the others. It feels technically raw and has inferior sonics compared to what came after. In fact, the hybrid SACD vresion of Sym. #4 that I play on my regular two-channel CD equipment surpasses even the excellent Haitink recording from Decca.



The real problem here is economic: most serious collectors will already own most if not all of these recordings. To tempt us to pay a lot of money for duplications, Philips provides one new item: Sym. #6. I would call Gergiev's performance a bit uninspired--this is a work that needs total commitment to come off at its best, and we are still waiting for a modern reading that equals the passion of Mravinsky's classic LP recordings on Melodiya. Meanwhile, rather than lay out $60, I'll make do with the Sixth from Temirkanov on RCA--it's cut from the same cloth as Gergiev's but is just that much more intense. (The slack Jansons recording on EMI is a disappointing miss.)"

Amazing collection - Gergiev struts his stuff.

Stanley D. Wolfersberger | Ohio | 01/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The symphonies presented in this collection comprise the ones most folks are familiar with (the 11th would likely be next in line). Gergiev is full of spirit, and the recording quality is very good.



I often end up comparing these interpretations with those of the Rostropovich recordings (of which I own the relatively newly released 5th, 8th and 11th). For me, having both is the right answer. Rostropovich's 5th is a bit more relaxed and perhaps a bit more ironic. The ending is almost too slow, but effective enough. Gergiev's 5th is far more vivacious. (On an unrelated note, I really don't care for the tuning of the timpani at the opening of the finale.) In general, Gergiev chooses swifter tempii than Rostropovich; perhaps it's an age thing?



I'm a huge fan of the 4th on this disc... and I quite like how the 8th is presented as well. My only wish is for a complete run of the symphonies to be produced by this conductor/orchestra combo.



This is another of those landmark recordings that any Shostakovich fan needs to have; the related DVD documentary is nice as well, even if a bit superficial."