Search - Dmitry Shostakovich, Mariss Jansons :: Shostakovich: Symphony No.5

A Shostakovich Fifth that's more Viennese than Russian

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 07/28/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Despite Jansons' heritage and training, this Shostakovich Fifth oculdn't be further from Russian style, which is to say, Soviet style. The Soviet way with the Fifth is brash, extroverted, satiric in the Scherzo, triumphant in the finale. But Jansons has the glorious Vienna Phil. at his disposal. He goes for luscious sonority, and the rich, deep tones of the orchestra dominate everything. A beautified Fifth sounds odd, and in fact the first movement sorely lacks dramatic grip at the outset. Jansons quickly picks himself up, however, and the movement successfully builds to a satisfying climax.



The Scherzo has no satiric edge at all, and Jansons pacing is heaavy-footed. He's saved here by the orchestra, which goes on to caress the slow movement with golden syrup oer the violins. There seems to be a consensus building that the finale shouldn't be a thrilling race a la Bernstein but a slower march. Oddly, Mariss hits on the ploy of four slow bars to start off, then a sudden accelerando into a gallop. He can't keep up tension throughout, unfrtunately, and only the blazing Viennese brass save the triumphalism of the ending.



As an interpretation per se, Jansons' is nowhere near the top, but the execution and recorded sound certainly are."