Customer Reviews

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4 in C minor

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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Shostakovich's sprawling, athematic and evocative Fourth Symphony has been one of my favorites since I was a kid. This recording, on Naxos at a super-budget price, is a great way to become familiar with this mysterious work, which suffered a 30-year delay in its premiere. The performance is quite good, as is the sound, and among Slovak's recordings of Shostakovich symphonies on Naxos, only his 14th is better. In comparison with other recordings of this work, this one more than holds its own.

Shostakovich's Fourth Symphony has proven a thorny piece for performers to penetrate. Slovak's performance is perhaps the clearest exposition of the work I've ever heard. Tempos seem just and unhurried, while the moments of "grandiosomania" that Shostakovich talked of are overwhelming. The Bratislava orchestra covers itself with glory. Other orchestras perhaps play this piece more loudly, but Slovak's ensemble relishes all the details to an unusual extent. The first chair players are particulary excellent, especially the winds. I just feel that Slovak conveys an understanding of the work to a degree that I've never heard matched. The sound engineering is excellent, clear and balanced throughout its dynamic range.

This is a great CD; performance and sound alike are superb. If you have enjoyed Shostakovich (particularly his Fifth symphony), this is a CD that allows a deeper appreciation of his art. I pretty much agree with Mr. Dougal's comments, so what else to say? Buy it.