Shostakovich: Piano Concertos; 3 Fantastic Dances; 5 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87 [Original recording remastered]

Dmitry Shostakovich (Composer), André Cluytens (Conductor), L'Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise (Orchestra), Dmitry Shostakovich (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Dmitry Shostakovich
• Orchestra: L'Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise
• Conductor: André Cluytens
• Composer: Dmitry Shostakovich
• Audio CD (October 7, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B0000CG8ES
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #297,122 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Shostakovich Reissued, November 2, 2003

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shostakovich: Piano Concertos; 3 Fantastic Dances; 5 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87 (Audio CD)

It is delightful to have these definitive recordings of the two Shostakovich Piano Concertos available now at a mid-line price in EMI's "Great Recordings of the Century" series. A full-price version of these same recordings continues to be available in the "Composers in Person" series (which I unfortunately recently bought). Rarely in classical music do we get to hear well-recorded performances straight from the baton, or in this case the fingertips, of the composer. Well here we do, with Andre Cluytens conducting the Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise with Shostakovich himself on piano (Ludovic Vaillant performs the trumpet on Concerto No. 1 as well). An added treat is Shostakovich performing some of his works for solo piano, "Three Fantastic Dances, Op. 5" and five of the "Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87." Despite the fact that these are late mono recordings (made in 1958), they sound nearly as good as vintage stereo performances from the same time period. It is a wonderful reissue, and even better at a cheaper price.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shostakovich plays Shostakovich - SUPERB!!!, March 16, 2007

By 

Louie Bourland (Garden Grove CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shostakovich: Piano Concertos; 3 Fantastic Dances; 5 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87 (Audio CD)

It's always a joy to hear a composer's own interpretation of his music. In the case of the great Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich, getting to hear him play his own piano concertos as well as several Preludes and Fugues is nothing short of breathtaking.
While the recordings on this disc (dating from 1958) are in Mono, they sound fantastic and the remastering is stunning. In fact, it is such a clear recording, you would almost think it was stereo.
Shostakovich's piano playing is jaw-dropping throughout this disc especially on the two concertos. You can hear the seriousness and the contrasting humor in both of these works as well as serene romanticism.
The "Three Fantastic Dances" and the five "Preludes and Fugues" which follow show off Shostakovich's superb solo piano technique and are definitive authentic performances of these works. It's a shame that although Shostakovich performed all 24 Preludes and Fugues himself in concert, he never recorded all 24. It would've been awesome had he done so.
Definitely, this CD is a must for anyone's Shostakovich collection. It's a rare opportunity to hear Shostakovich as a performer and in excellent quality sound. This is truly an historic album and with the 100th anniversary of his birth still being celebrated even after the passing of 2006, I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than with this CD.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a powerful recording from the master's hands, January 4, 2008

By 

John Murray (Ohio) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shostakovich: Piano Concertos; 3 Fantastic Dances; 5 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87 (Audio CD)

DDS was a masterful pianist, and while he was beginning to lose the full power of his right hand, you wouldn't notice it here (maybe in the Fantastic Dances). His playing is straightforward, not too quick or slow, loud or soft, but utterly hypnotic and thrilling at the same time. If you listen to this recording enough it will become the standard by which you judge other Shostakovich players.

The concerti both demand unbelievably close coordination between soloist and conductor--which is achieved here. The trumpet soloist in the first is also excellent (Ludovic Vaillant). The fantastic dances are light but not precious. They could have been omitted and replaced by more of the preludes and fugues with no real loss. DDS played the five preludes and fugues here perfectly. It is a shame that only five of the 24 appear here, but they are jewels. I have Nikolayeva's Hyperion recording, Scherbakov's on Naxos, and Jarrett's odd and interesting version, which are all insightful and engaging. But to hear DDS's own interpretations--you will not forget his playing.

For the concerti and the preludes and fugues, this recording is both a historical document and a collection of powerful performances. For 12 bucks it's a must have for all DDS listeners.