Customer Reviews

Symphony 1 / Festive Overture

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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.

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).