Dmitri Shostakovich Plays

Dmitri Shostakovich (Composer), Andre Cluytens (Conductor), Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française (Orchestra), Ludovic Vaillant (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Ludovic Vaillant
• Orchestra: Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française
• Conductor: Andre Cluytens
• Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich
• Audio CD (October 17, 2000)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: EMI Classics Imports
• ASIN: B00000DNRQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #394,382 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Piano Concerto No. 1, for piano, trumpet & strings, in C minor, Op. 35: Allegretto

2. Piano Concerto No. 1, for piano, trumpet & strings, in C minor, Op. 35: Lento

3. Piano Concerto No. 1, for piano, trumpet & strings, in C minor, Op. 35: Moderato

4. Piano Concerto No. 1, for piano, trumpet & strings, in C minor, Op. 35: Allegro Con Brio

5. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, Op. 102: Allegro

6. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, Op. 102: Andante

7. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, Op. 102: Allegro

8. Fantastic Dances (3), for piano, Op. 5: No. 1, March in C major

9. Fantastic Dances (3), for piano, Op. 5: No. 2, Waltz in G major

10. Fantastic Dances (3), for piano, Op. 5: No. 3, Polka in C major

11. Prelude & Fugue for piano No. 1 in C major, Op. 87/1: No.1 in C Major

12. Prelude & Fugue for piano No. 4 in E minor, Op. 87/4: No.4 in E Minor

13. Prelude & Fugue for piano No. 5 in D major, Op. 87/5: No.5 in D Major

14. Prelude & Fugue for piano No. 23 in F major, Op. 87/23: No.23 in F Major

15. Prelude & Fugue for piano No. 24 in D minor, Op. 87/24: No.24 in D Minor

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fast and the Furious!, August 12, 2001

By	Andrew Dickinson "[e-mail]" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

If you are looking for a recording of the first piano concerto, look no further - this one tops them all. While other interpretations may offer more subtle phrasing and nuance, the composer's own performance in pure energy. And, after all - that's what the piece is all about. The sound is amazing for a mono recording, and should not be a factor in the decision. The only other available recording of Shostakovich humself playing this piece (a recently deleted Revelation recording from about a decade earlier) suffers from scratchy, muffled sound. Others, including Andsnes on EMI, are excellent in their own right, but every other player I've heard tends to cop out with too much rubato in the fast, rollicking finale. Shostakovich blasts right through it, and what he sometimes lacks in precision, he makes up for in fiery commitment. Don't hesitate - this one was unavailable in the states for some time and, given the sad state of the recording industry, may not be around as long as it should.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't Buy the Full-Price Title!, November 2, 2003

By	Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a terrific CD but don't buy the full-price version of this title. The exact same performances have been recently reissued at a mid-line price in EMI's Great Recordings of the Century series (see my review). Same great music at a much lower price! Don't make the same mistake I did!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a shaman's miraculous exorcism!, January 7, 2001

By	Chung-Whun Chung "furtwanglerjr" (Seoul, Republic of Korea) - See all my reviews

Dmitri Shostakovich was not only great 20th century's composer in Russia but also has hidden talent-pianist. When he entered the Leningrad Conservatory, he studied composition and piano. His classmates were Maria Yudina, Vladimir Sofronitsky and others. And he worked as a pianist in theater and cinema. So, Shostakovich's many early works were composed for piano solo. You can heard Shostakovich's Three fantastic Dances(1922) in this CD. And this CD contains his very important piano works-24 Preludes and Fugues(1950-51)' five excerpts. But this CD's very exciting works are two Piano Concertos. First concerto's orchestral accompaniments are only formal strings and added trumpet soloist. Shostakovich and trumpeter Ludovic Vaillant played very 'poignant' in this concerto. Especially in last fourth movement, Shostakovich played very fast tempi with little rubato and percussionistic touch. In last fanfaronade coda, you'll imagine roller coaster. Second concerto is shorter than first but its sneer and march-like surroundings much better than first-for example, first movement's two 'stupid' and childish fanfare themes. But in second movement, Shostakovich composed and played very lyrical and clarity tones like a Andre Gagnon's lyrical pieces. And third movement without pause, Shostakovich and orchestra played no trouble in some strange 7/8 beat's passages. These documents are all mono recordings. But it has very stabilized and clear sound because EMI's careful restoration. I think these recordings has very excellent level than other Shostakovich's late recordings as a pianist.