Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4 in C minor

Dmitry Shostakovich (Composer), Ladislav Slovak (Conductor), Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava) (Orchestra)

Product Details

• Orchestra: Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
• Conductor: Ladislav Slovak
• Composer: Dmitry Shostakovich
• Audio CD (February 15, 1994)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Naxos
• ASIN: B0000013V5
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #358,634 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Nice, and Nicely Priced Fourth, January 10, 2002

By	Timothy Dougal (Madison, Wi United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting, August 16, 2008

By	David Saemann - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This symphony speaks., May 26, 2003

By	Adam Bigham (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

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.