Symphony 1 / Festive Overture

Shostakovich (Artist), Ormandy (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 24, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000029RR
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #221,118 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10: I. Allegretto - Allegro non troppo

2. Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10: II. Allegro

3. Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10: III. Lento

4. Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10: IV. Allegro molto

5. Festive Overture, for orchestra in A major, Op. 96

6. Moscow, Cheryomushki, operetta, Op. 105: Galop

7. Ballet Suite No. 2, for orchestra (assembled by Atovmyan): Polka

8. The Gadfly, suite from the film score, Op. 97a (assembled by Atovmyan): Barrel-Organ Waltz

9. Ballet Suite No. 1, for orchestra (assembled by Atovmyan): Galop

10. The Gadfly, suite from the film score, Op. 97a (assembled by Atovmyan): Nocturne

11. Moscow, Cheryomushki, operetta, Op. 105: Act 3. Overture Waltz

12. The Gadfly, suite from the film score, Op. 97a (assembled by Atovmyan): Folk Festival

13. Ballet Suite No. 1, for orchestra (assembled by Atovmyan): Music Box Waltz

14. The Gadfly, suite from the film score, Op. 97a (assembled by Atovmyan): Galop

15. The Age of Gold, ballet, Op. 22: Polka

16. Ballet Suite No. 1, for orchestra (assembled by Atovmyan): Dance

17. The Gadfly, suite from the film score, Op. 97a (assembled by Atovmyan): Introduction

18. Ballet Suite No. 2, for orchestra (assembled by Atovmyan): Galop

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too good to pass up., October 12, 2001

By 

Howard G Brown "brownswan" (Port St. Lucie, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Symphony 1 / Festive Overture (Audio CD)

The Philedelphia Orchestra has a long tradition of Shostakovich performance, dating from Stokowski's US premiere of the 1st Symphony in the 30s. This is a brilliant recording of the 1st. Ormandy followed Stokowski in championing the music of Shostakovich, and his affection for the score is evident in every measure. The overture and ballet bits that fill out the disc are great fun. Kostelanetz was in his element here -- all pop and fizz, but never just tossed off as trash. This is a great buy. If you don't own a recording of the First, this is the one to have. If you do have a recording, this one is probably better!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clarity and Verve, January 13, 2005

By 

John Marcher (SF Bay Area, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Symphony 1 / Festive Overture (Audio CD)

For many years the thought of purchasing this version of the Shostakovich First has danced to the foreground and dashed off stage left. Fortunately I did find a copy...and thank goodness...the show is worth it. The Philadelphia Orchestra plays with individually clear voices conversing with each other in a sparkling performance that is unmatched by any other recording that I own...or that I have heard of the First. It's not an overstatement to say that Ormandy has brought us a youthful, vibrant account of the young Dmitri's sly wit and charm. Don't pass up a chance to hear this. By the way, the accompanying Ballet Suites display Kostelanetz bringing out the delightful balance of High Society and Circus that makes Shostakovich's music of this genre a commentary of society with a sense of fun. So here's a side of Shostakovich that we should not forget.

5.0 out of 5 stars The symphony's brilliant - but the lollipops are much more fun, October 2, 2011

By 

Ralph Moore "Ralph operaphile" (Bishop's Stortford, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Symphony 1 / Festive Overture (Audio CD)

As a long-time non-fan of Shostakovich when he's in his predominately dreary mode, articulating the woes of Mother Russia under a succession of genocidal psychopaths, I love it when he perks up and goes to the circus. After a stirring and energised performance of the First Symphony by the extraordinary Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy, whose association with Shostakovich's music was a longstanding and honourable one, the bon-bons from various sources such as "The Gadfly" and the two Ballet Suites are sheer delight. By turns ebullient, frenetic and romantically indulgent, these are conducted by arranger, conductor and "easy-listening" populist André Kostelanetz and "His Orchestra" - the New York Phil incognito. He exploits the professionalism of his band by asking them to pay proper attention to nuances of phrasing and dynamics in a decidedly eclectic but wholly entertaining pot-pourri of a programme. Nothing from the "Jazz Suites" here but plenty of sliding trombones and irreverent percussive farting effects; this is simply great fun and a million miles from the maudlin minor key meanderings of Shostakovich's "serious" music.

The sound is extraordinary for its age (1959 for the Symphony, 1977 for the "Festival Overture" and 1965 for the rest).