Customer Reviews

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 Leningrad

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been searching for a satisfactory of Shosty 7 for quite some time now, and I finally found this one. The recording is absolutely incredible! The playing is as flawless as I've ever heard a recording, and you would be hard-pressed to find something to disagree with in Masur's expert interpretation of the work. Of special note to me is the bassoon solo at the end of the first movement - often this is the part that brings down the entire recording, but Judith LeClair's world-class performance leaves the listener breathless. A simply stunning performance!

Shostakovich was an ambitious Russian artist and a contemporary of Stalin. He was famous for running into conflicts over his music with the dictator, and his towering 10th symphony - a work characterized by terrible, frightening, dissonant sounds that was written immediately following Stalin's 1953 death - is believed to be Shosta's short recap of Stalin's reign.

This seventh symphony, and probably his best, of 1941 was also a work with a programmical idea. It, of course, was Shosta's account of the Nazi seize of Leningrad happening before his own eyes. Like all Shosta orchestra works, this symphony is a large, loud, and strong one. It uses a big orchestra often with emphasis on brass and percussion lines. The NYPO, known for their magnificant brass musicians, plays the symphony with skill under the baton of long time friend Kurt Masur.

Considering it is a live recording from Avery Fisher Hall, the sound on disc is actually very surprisingly well done. Absolutely try to obtain a copy of this.

As with all of Shostakovich's music, the 7th has an underlying message usually dealing with war stricken Russia throughout the earlier part of the 19th century. More expicit than his other works, this symphony being titled 'Leningrad' truly is a cry from the heart of Shostakovich expressing his distain for the situation of the day. I feel the New York Pilharmonic does a wonderful job capturing this essence. I have read other reviews were there is disagreement about how rubato should play a part in some of the more espressivo sections. As a first time listener, I feel that this does not have to be so in order for this work to be effective in its purpose. Masur captures the seemingly endless struggle of the people through tempos and dynamics and reveals the true sarcasm of this work, especially in the grotesque military marches. And let's not forget the incredible musicians that comprise the New York Phil. They play everything with perfection and the utmost musicallity. The sound of this live teldec recording is warm (never harsh even in the climaxes) and captures each section individually very well, but fits those individual sections beautifully into the whole.

I have read good and bad reviews of this recording of the 7th, so I didn't know what to expect from it. When I listened to it for the first time, I was blown away! I have no idea why some people have bad things to say about this recording. If you want to compare this recording to other ones, then so be it. The bottom line is that this orchestra has something that the other orchestras who have recorded this piece cannot match up to, and that is talent. The New York Philharmonic is without a doubt, one of the best orchestras in the world (if not, THE best). So, if you want a copy of Shostakovich's 7th that is played how it is supposed to be played, then buy this recording. With a Shostakovich symphony, it is just stupid to settle for anything less than the New York Philharmonic. Their sound cannot be matched.

It seems my personal view of what this symphony should sound like is quite different from that of most other people. I think this recording might be one of the most compelling performances of this symphony that I'm aware of. For some reason, people seemto think that you have to have a Russian orchestra/conductor to "deliver" for this symphony - I'd be more than happy to differ. In comparison with, for example, Mr Ashkenazy's or Mr Rostropovich's recordings, this version of Shostakovich's (in)famous 7th symphony shines. Also, it clearly exceeds Mr Haitink's, and it's probably the best recording of this symphony that I own.

Now, it seems that about 50 percent of classical music listeners are horrified by the presence of any such thing as audience sound. It escapes me how those people can actualy enjoy classical music - do they rely on their stereo? Clearly, they will never be able to go to a real concert. Having said this, this CD does contain a recording done at an actual concert. There is some background noise, but it is quite well behaved, and it's not nearly as bad as some reviewers want to make you believe. If you want no noise whatsoever, get a studio recording - but then you'll miss out on this excellent interpretation of Shostakovich's 7th.

Just a note to the reviewer below and all interested buyers - this IS a live recording (as stated on the back cover quite prominently). There is no way the NYPO would be that unprofessional and the producer that sloppy to have that much noise in a non-live performance.

Otherwise, the sound people have done a decent job of covering up the horrid acoustics of Avery Fisher. I'm no Shostakovich expert but the NYPO play superbly, especially the woodwinds (flutes quite prominent in this piece) and the lower strings. I haven't heard other versions but this does sound perfectly satisfactory.

This is not the review that I was hoping to write when I purchased this CD. I agree with some of what has been written by other reviewers - the sonics are outstanding, maybe the best of any recording that I have heard; and the nyp playing is very good. The problem is Masur's interpretation. There really isn't any interpretation at all - it's just a straight-forward expression of the score. To eschew extreme interpretation is a good thing, but there has to be some attempt to present the material as music, not just as the series of notes that are on the printed page. While quite beautifully played, the presentation is just totally lacking in energy and passion. In a word - it's tame.

It's really hard to find a good version of this symphony for some reason. Bernstein is painfully slow (especially in the second movement), Jarvi is too fast - almost frantic, most of the Russian comductors are expressive but very slow... and so it goes.

Ashkenazy is quite fleet, but very unemotional. Instead, his version is lean, taut and exciting, and moves along like a gathering storm. This may be the best of the modern recordings, unless you like a lot of expressiveness. The third movement adagio is played quite fast, but it is very good that way. Also, the volume variation low to high is on the extreme side in the first movement march. The soft places in the beginning are barely audible, and the loud sections later are deafening. I think he is trying to convey the approaching invading army, distant at first, then right on top of you. You may have to adjust the volume a little, but this is an effective interpretative approach.

Toscanini's American premier from 1942 was remastered by RCA in the early 1990's. While the sound was surprisingly vibrant for a 78 rpm recording, there is quite a bit of surface noise, and an unacceptable repetitive tick in the second movement which makes it impossible to listen to. A new remaster was released on the Urania label in 2010 (which also contains the beautiful Barber Adagio for Strings) which is even noisier - just awful sound quality.

The best version as far as interpretation goes may be Karl Ancerl's on Supraphon; with a vivid, energetic, expressive, passionate commitment to both the pathos and excitement in the piece and perfect tempos - really very well done. But the sonics are a little lacking in that 1956 mono recording. The recording is quite clear, but with somewhat diminished bass and muted drums, both of which are always important in Shostakovich's symphonies. Despite the dated sonics, this is still a very engaging version of this symphony.

This isn't a review, but a correction of what a previous poster said. The breathtaking bassoon solo was actually performed by Danny Matsukawa (now principal bassoon in Philadelphia), not Judith LeClaire. Ms. LeClaire was on maternity leave at the time of this live recording and Mr. Matsukawa was engaged to play for this concert.

I agree that it is an excellent interpretation and performance. Sonically it is great. That is the good part and based on that I would give it 4 or even 5 stars.

The reason I only gave it two stars is all the noise from orchrestra members (I presume). There is a lot of coughing, clearing throats, squeaking chairs and shuffling feet. It is very noticeable in the soft parts throughout the recording. It is what I expect to hear in a live performance from an audience not from a "studio" performance in Avery Fisher Hall or wherever.

I would not buy this CD again!!

Masur & the NYPO are a match made in heaven.

Everything about this CD is wonderful.