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| 1. Symphony No.8 in C Minor, Op.65: I. Adagio |
| 2. Symphony No.8 in C Minor, Op.65: II. Allegretto |
| 3. Symphony No.8 in C Minor, Op.65: III. Allegro non troppo |
| 4. Symphony No.8 in C Minor, Op.65: IV. Largo |
| 5. Symphony No.8 in C Minor, Op.65: V. Allegretto |
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
powerful performance of the symphonic Guernica,
By R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 (Audio CD)
Shostakovich's 8th Symphony is one of his greatest, along with the 4th, 5th and 10th. Written during WWII, it is sometimes referred to as "The Stalingrad," though with less cause than the 7th being known as "The Leningrad" -- Shostakovich was indeed in Leningrad when the German siege began, and composed the first three movements of the 7th before being evacuated. The 8th Symphony is a powerful expression of the horror of war, which has been compared to Picasso's painting "Guernica." First performed on November 4, 1943 with Mravinsky conducting, it was largely ignored at first. Eventually in 1948 the Soviet authorities denounced Shostakovich for producing such a pessimistic work, failing to celebrate the great victory. This is not a work of propaganda, but rather a profound tragedy, the only appropriate response to such massive brutality, suffering and death.
While similar in some respects to the 5th -- for instance the 3-note opening theme echoes its 4-note opening -- the 8th is larger and more complex, expressing much of what Shostakovich had been holding back due to Stalin's threats. This is not speculation -- Shostakovich himself said that the war made it possible for artists to more freely express themselves. It was not only the victims of Hitler's aggression but the victims of Stalin's terror prior to the war that the 8th commemmorates. The 8th has an unusual construction, opening with a 26-minute adagio, followed by two fast movements of six minutes each, then a nine-minute largo and finally a 15-minute allegretto. The dramatic center is the allegro non troppo, which is a battle scene, punctuated by a crazed trumpet, symbolizing to me the insanity of war. In the several versions of the 8th that I've heard, the central movement, which is horrifying and vivid, burning itself into your brain, is what makes or breaks a performance. The first movement builds up to it, and the last two movements decompress from it -- if it fails, the entire symphony fails. Haitink and his Concertgebouw in this 1982 performance storm the battle scene with manic intensity. It is far more effective than the mushy performance of Rostropovich and the National's 1991 recording on Teldec (see my review). The recording which to me represents perfection is also on Decca, a 1989 performance by Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (#425 675-2). Solti drives the CSO with relentless intensity throughout the entire work, and the allegro non troppo is not quite as manic as Haitink's, striking the perfect balance of precision and intensity. The Rostropovich recording is superior to the Haitink in the last two movements, coming closer to Solti in attaining a smooth, compelling narrative flow. This Haitink version is more static and cold in the largo and allegretto, failing to fully capture the poignance and tragedy of the war's aftermath. Shostakovich's 8th Symphony is one of the towering masterworks of 20th century music, and 20th century art overall. I listened to the Solti recording especially over and over from August of 2002 through the U.S. war on Iraq in April 2003.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dark architecture, richly revealed,
By
This review is from: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 (Audio CD)
Appropriately, there's not much light that filters into this deeply troubling work. Though different in certain ways, I'm reminded a bit of the Sibelius Fourth, but there is a broader concern here than that represented by the Finnish composer. In this recording, Haitink and the Concertgebouw Orchestra proceed in a direct manner and convey convincingly the recurrent feelings of desolation and despair. Though tones throughout are primarily black and gray, there is an occasional flash of silver, usually in the form of declarative punctuations from the outstanding Concertgebouw brass. ( No oxymoron intended.) In several instances, the combined weight and thrust of that brass with strings and the piquant Amsterdam woodwinds is rendered tellingly. Especially noteworthy are the biting, piercing features of the driving third movement, projected with superb clarity and vividness. Overall, I feel, Haitink gives the impression of darkness and gloom its proper measure simply by permitting things to unfold naturally. This symphony essentially speaks for itself. With excellent sound reproduction, this is yet another winner in the Haitink/Shostakovich cycle.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superb indictment of war,
By
This review is from: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 (Audio CD)
After his 7th Symphony, partially written from within the crumbling walls of Leningrad as it valiantly defended itself against Hitler's armies, Shostakovich turned his attention to the subject of war itself. The eighth symphony is the result, a profoundly angry and disturbing piece which rails against the voices of conflict, the unstoppable war machine, and the inevitable results. Needless to say, this intelligent attack on the belligerent mindset and furiously negative look at the consequences resulted in the composer being denounced - again - by Communist Party officials.It's a wonderful piece of music. Shostakovich is, as usual, original and inventive, and composes a very accessible, moving and emotional symphony. This is music that sweeps you up, only to shake you angrily, demanding you open your eyes to the nightmare that surrounds you. Shostakovich's horror at the war that surrounded him in 1943 is clear, and there is no triumphant or hopeful ending to this piece. Bernard Haitink conducts the Concertgebouw Orchestra for this performance, which captures with some gusto the themes of the symphony. I sensed some minor glitches on the CD, but can't determine if these are audio problems or just players out of breath. Haitink, as usual, is at his interpretive best, I honestly have not heard another conductor with the gift for interpreting Shostakovich that Haitink has. It is a superb performance of a brilliant symphony, and I certainly recommend it
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