Shostakovich: The Complete Symphonies - Mariss Jansons (10 CD) [Box set]

Dmitry Shostakovich (Composer), Mariss Jansons (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Symphponieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Orchestra), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Larissa Gogolewskaja (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Larissa Gogolewskaja
• Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, et al.
• Conductor: Mariss Jansons
• Composer: Dmitry Shostakovich
• Audio CD (September 12, 2006)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 10
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000G6BJS0
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,003 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

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Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
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Release Date: 12-SEP-2006

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Cycle of Shostakovich Symphonies, September 13, 2006

By 

Daniel L. Ayala (Columbia, SC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shostakovich: The Complete Symphonies - Mariss Jansons (10 CD) (Audio CD)

Mariss Jansons and various orchestras have finally completed a noteworthy and valuable Shostakovich symphonic cycle just in time for Dmitri's Century birthday year. I have to be the first to say that I love the cycle. Performances from 1988-2005, these really are arguable definitive recordings of the works. At first, I was skeptical of the Jansons cycle because I myself was a little disappointed with his Tchaikovsky cycle with the Oslo Philharmonic. But having studied with great shostakovich conductors seem to really add something to all of his performances whether its the 1st symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic, the 8th with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, or the incomporable 11th with the Philadelphia Orchestra. It certainly demonstrates that Jansons is a man of many talents if he can whip any orchestra into shape.

I definitely think this cycle outshines Bernard Haitink's late 70's early 80's performances with the RCO/LPO. I also would go far as to say that they are on par with Jarvi's cycle with RSNO/GSO. Rudolf Barshai also produced a cycle in the 80's with the West German Symphony and its also quite good, but again, I feel as though Jansons benefits by first rate orchestras and suporior sound quality.

In short - its quite an achievement, and I await further recordings from a first rate conductor.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reaching The Cosmos with Mariss Jansons and Shostakovich, September 24, 2007

By 

Kromme - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shostakovich: The Complete Symphonies - Mariss Jansons (10 CD) (Audio CD)

Mariss Jansons,Latvian conductor,who was a protege of legendary Evgeny Mravinsky,finally completed his Shostakovich cycle 20 years after starting.Jansons had magnificent orchestras at his disposal.Not to mention first class sound quality by EMI.So eveything was set for Jansons to score the perfect Shostakovich cycle.He could not manage to do that (5th symphony)but he came very,very close.

Jansons seems to love Shostakovich with every single aspect of his composing.He understands and shares the point behind each symphony.His interpretations are full of inner fire,tension,drama and purpose.That puts him head and shoulders above the competition at the unknown symphonies;1,2 and 3.At the fourth Jansons delivers a hypnotic experience.Top notch execution by Symphonieorchester des BR.Fifth is far from Russian.The only problematic interpretation of the set is the fifth.It is odd really,charming and delicious fifth was really enjoyable but i expected more.Jansons tries to put tension and high drama on it but gorgeous Viennese sound -though the execution is simply put perfect- was not a good choice for this bitter masterpiece.Sixth alongside with 9th are however Russian in sound,perfect in climax and exemplary as a whole.Seventh is not exaggerated like Bernstein's Chicago version but wonderfully dark and Russian,wonderfully played by Leningrad Philharmonic.8th symphony matches the magnificence of Mravinsky's definitive BBC account with a better sound and without a cough brigade.Under Jansons' baton the tension never drops.10th is also magnificent.The famous Scherzo which is said to be the dances over Stalin's grave or a musical portrait of bloody tyrant never sounded more demonic than this(Mravinsky however sounded as demonic).Eleventh is full of drama and tension.Jansons sent me to that bloody Sunday morning in 9th of January 1905 and brought tears to my eyes.I never cared for the 12th like i care for 11th but it seems Jansons does.Again he is dramatic, builds climaxes superbly and gives a definitive account.13th is a hair-raising account.Symphonieorchester is full of commitment and Aleksashkin is unbelievably dark and emotional as soloist.14th and 15th shows the obsessive genius's fear of death so clearly and closes this superb cycle greatly.

So this cycle is worthy of a 20 year waiting.These are definitive recordings of 14 Shostakovich symphonies.Fifth is also delicious but not Russian.In its full of tension and dramatic ways the music in these 10 cds definitely reaches the cosmos(Jansons stated in an interview:"In a concert or in a recording the aim should be reaching the cosmos.Players should be thinking about that only.They should not think about if they should play more crescendo.Rehearsal is the time for that.)just like his earlier cycles of Rachmaninov's orchestral works and Tchaikovsky's symphonies.

29 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A nice tour of seven orchestras, but the interpretations lack fire, June 24, 2007

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Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shostakovich: The Complete Symphonies - Mariss Jansons (10 CD) (Audio CD)

I am being a little stingy not granting Jansons' complete Shostakovich cycle four stars, but I can't escape feeling disappointed. Over the long years and many orchestras that have come to pass since he started, Jansons has promised a successor to Haitink's acclaimed Decca cycle with the Concertgebouw and London Phil. of the Eighties. Yet nothing has much improved. I know both cycles fairly well, and Jansons hits no definite home runs. Despite his musical pedigree -- both Mariss and his father Arvid were associated with Mravinsky and the Leningrad Phil.--Jansons tends to be more cautious and even faceless compared to Haitink, who is no firebrand.

I cant' argue with admirers who point to the fine execution and excellent balances, the discipline and the good engineering here. But Shostakovich needs fire and inspiration to overcome his weaknesses, which are severe. The music often sprawls, relies on banal themes, dips into depressive melancholy, or at the other extreme indulges in insincrere jollity that seems politically motivated. Whatever your position on these issues, Shostakovich is an enigma looking for someone to unlock it. As steady and purposeful as these readings are, I don't think Jansons holds that key.

If I were collecting the fifteen symphonies individually, which is still the best way, I'd go for the relatively unknown ones from Jansons, such as #2, #3, and #4, which bring out the best in him. He doesn't excel at the famous Fifth and is middle-of-the-road in the Sixth and Seventh (his live Seventh with the Concertgebouw is another story--I would place it among the very best). At a high standard but not keeping up with the legendary Mravinsky are Jansons' Eighth, Nintth, and Tenth. I don't much care what happens in the windy Eleventh and Twelfth, but the final trio, #13-15, greatly interest me. In these works I found Jansons steady and reliable but not riveting or inspired.

On the whole, then, this is a consistent cycle that keeps up with Haitink's without cresting over it.