Repertoire: The BEST Shostakovich Symphony No. 4
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มิ.ย. 2021
- Despite its instrumental virtuosity, sonic extravagance and extraordinary range of ideas, Shostakovich's big and bold Fourth Symphony is actually quite simple in form, and a joy to follow once you know what to listen for. Join me for a guided tour of the work, alongside recommendations of ten excellent recordings that do the music proud.
Musical Examples courtesy of Naxos Records - เพลง
Here's a thought: Shostakovich earned a living improvising accommpaniments to silent films in his younger days. Perhaps this accounts for the extraordinary way he varies his basic material.
And a nice thought it is, too. You may well be right.
As a young kid, this was the first LP of a Shostakovich symphony that I ever bought, (Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphia), and the first symphony by the composer that I ever heard, (without ever having heard of the composer before).
It knocked me sideways, backwards, and every which way.
I've never fully recovered!
When you said, “I’m a form whore” I blew coffee all over the table. Your videos are priceless.
In my opinion, nothing will ever beat Kirill Kondrashin’s recording with the Moscow Philharmonic. Found it on Apple Music classical. Extremely brutal interpretation with that classic Soviet Union sound with the extremely crude, but highly skilled brass. Also the LOUDEST recorded I found which fits the symphony very well in my opinion. Grab some headphones, put it at maximum volume and you’re in for a ride.
David Hurwitz is going to present all Shostakovich's symphonies and he begins with one of my favorites. Isn't this just great? Yes, it is.
Dang! If I didn't already love these videos you've gone and topped yourself again! I would have been happy with a discussion of the symphony. I would have been happy with a discussion of the recordings! But you gave us BOTH! This is a work I've always enjoyed but have had a hard time grasping its formal structure within those large opening and closing movements. You give exactly the tools necessary to make sense of them. Thank you!
communism !! yes!
A big smile erupted on my face when I saw this morning's video is on Shostakovich's 4th. The 4th is probably my favorite Shostakovich symphony, and also on my personal Top Ten Symphonies of All Human Time. As you say, you don't need to know any of the biographical background of Shostakovich to enjoy what is in some ways straightforward yet zanily fascinating musical architecture. You've covered all my current favorites, and I agree Previn is the best because it brings together East and West so nicely; the LP has a treasured place in my collection next to Ormandy's. Wigglesworth's 4th is amazingly sympathetic, close to what I imagine Shostakovich envisioned, and recorded in wonderful sound on the SACD box that arrived at my home on Monday. The 4th is the first disc I flipped to and I wasn't disappointed. I'll stick to your tac and recommend a few non-cycle recordings. Esa-Pekka Salonen in LA, which is somewhat middle of the road but very finely played and paired with the world premiere of Shostakovich's Orango, an opera in which a sentient ape is taken captive by a circus and attempts to violently assault an audience member (no, I'm not making that up). The Rattle/CBSO performance another commenty person recommends is pretty darn good too, but for a real sleeper that is very Russian sounding, I recommend the bombastic Yuri Simonov and the National Orchestra of Belgium. I first heard Simonov on a very wild TH-cam video of the 1812 Overture. Believe it or not, Simonov's 4th with the Belgians is available on most streaming services.
I think this is Dmitri's greatest symphony. The ending always reminds me of someone slowly freezing to death - the celesta arpeggios are the visible smokewreaths of his breath in the cold. Fun for the whole family!
A perfect last line!
My favorite also.
The trumpet figure, I am sure, inspired the original Star Trek theme! 😀
I always felt that this symphony never ended - it never died! Just keep listening after the music ends.
@@cloudymccloud00 oh, you mean the third movement, g, c F#..... ab db G..... perhaps. I see the similarity.... or alexander courage could have just thought that F Bb Eb .... G C F sounded cool too. who knows
Thank you for that. My first exposure to ths music was Ormandy's recording. I was in about the 9th/10th grade. I still have that LP.
So do I, David. Wait a minute, is that your liner notes?
I always felt that his 4th symphony became an incredible warehouse of inventory/ammo for him to use in his later symphonies. It seems everything later springs out of themes, structure or textures from this "warehouse".
There's certainly a lot in there -- including quite a few "dead ends" that he didn't take any further. (John Barry, in a lot of his James Bond stuff, was surely influenced by this piece - e.g. the coda of the first movement.) The genesis of the mature Shostakovich, though, lies largely in his Preludes for piano, op. 34.
Exactly! This symphony is Shostakovich's biggest exploration
"Indifference to human suffering." Coda. Ouch. That description hits home. Puts me in mind of wars and bad governments. Which IS tragic, actually.
Just great to see all the Shostakovich love. More great recordings, more performances before the great interruption and more interest in general. Film music, piano music, symphonies, string quartets, tractor operas .....he could do it all. Thanks for explaining this. This stuff is so accessible if one doesn't overthink it. Nor should one overthink it. This is just a big, shaggy dog of a symphony and I mean that in the best possible way. What great fun this is.
I have great memories of a performance of this Symphony in the Musikverein in Vienna, back in the 90s. I was there with my girlfriend at that time, she hasn't known the piece. We were overwhelmed with the music, sitting there, holding hands, feeling each others heartbeat and sweat :-D It was a deeply emotional experience *together* I'll never forget. You think you'll need a romantic piece for that, but no, the turmoil of the 4th can do the same! Thanks for this extend talk, now I'm looking forward to all the other Symphonies as I'm a great admirer of Shostakovich.
May I suggest Nelsons? The sound is amazing. I imprinted on Kondrashin when I was 16. Love Petrenko too.
I've been disappointed with the Nelsons cycle. It might sound lovely and is beautifully played, but I find Nelsons musically intrusive, introducing little variations in tempo and texture that are not in the score.
I find Nelsons' recording very approximate. Especially for the string section. In the first movement, they mess up the fugue
Nelsons' rendition of the 4th is played very nicely, but I find his tempo fluctuating more it should(eg the timpani cresendo into the final brass chorale in the finale) and the opening march is too fast and perhaps a bit too light for what it is meant to convey i.e. a brutally oppressive regime. That said, I really like his rendition of the fugue from hell in mov 1 in which he really conveys the scarily frantic nature of that passage!
Agreed. I really rather like the Nelsons cycle so far.
Yes you're right!!! The best recording of Shostakovitch's 4th is with Previn and CSO!
Thank you so much for this! It has made this piece - which I loved already - much clearer for me and even more enjoyable to listen to.
That review was a labor of love! The Järvi recording opened the door to this masterpiece for me. Thank you!
The people who disliked this write for Pravda
YaY!!!!Found it!!!!!I will buy your book, he is my favorite composer since I was in high school in 1974.I played bassoon for 50 years.
Wow, I couldn't get a handle on the 1st and 3rd movements before so this is revelatory, thank you Mr. Hurwitz!
Oh my, how I love this symphony. I'm also a big fan of Petrenko and Barshai in both the 4th symphony and their cycles in general.
I wanted to give a special mention to what I think is another great recording: Daniel Raiskin conducting the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie, on the SWR2 label. It is a live performance from 2009, released on disc in 2011. I think it is a splendid performance. Also, Daniel Raiskin is now the Musical Director of my local orchestra and I am very much hoping he will perform it. It would be a big endeavor because of the size of the orchestra involved in this piece, but it is possible.
Very much looking forward to the other talks on the Shostakovich symphonies.
Seconded
I couldn't believe when this FABULOUS presentation appeared in my TH-cam! One can never have too much Shostakovich. Can't wait for the future videos.
Thanks, David for a wonderful, illuminating presentation.
So nice to see someone appreciating Shostakovich's music
David , thank you for a brilliant exposition of the 4th . Might I add that one really needs to hear Shostakovich in the concert hall . The sound just comes alive there
I am looking forward to this series! Thanks!
"This is not the greatest symphony in the world, no.
This is just a tribute!"
Thank you!
Can't wait your talk on the 8th. It along with the 4th are my two favorite DSCH symphonies
I got to hear a live performance of this by The Cleveland Orchestra. It would have been during the 89/90 season.
Vitya Vronsky invited me. She was not familiar with the piece but liked it very much.
I love this symphony so much and am delighted to find this video.
Wonderful! This symphony is the work of a mad scientist and I love every second of it. Looking forward to videos on the other 14!
Appreciate are the detail you researched and share with us, the enthusiasm! I’ll have to give this music a fresh listen.
Thanks again for another great video. One of my first concert experiences ever was hearing the NY Phil play Shostakovich's 4th Symphony, back in 1996 under Gergiev. Fantastic concert, with the Phil's brass nailing the chorales in the last movement.
Many thanks for this video essay.
Really appreciated the enthusiastic overview of Shostakovich 4. I had never listened till a couple of nights ago... A. Nelsons/Boston over Tidal. Thought it to be beautifully recorded and captured the composers unique sonic palette. Found myself at sea concerning the structure so I hastened over to TH-cam hoping that you had insights. As always Dave Hurwitz delivers the goods with insight. Thank you for this. Can't wait to listen to the Bernstein and Jarvi recordings.
Such a wonderful video!!! Thank you so much!!!
I love David’s informed and funny talks about quality music.
Thanks Dave, very instructive and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series. It’s really good to have a better sense of the structure to listen through this monster!
I have the Petrenko and Barshai recordings but I think I’ll go listen to Kondrashin doing it is Amsterdam as it will probably be interesting
My favourite Shostakovich symphony and your whole talk was sheer joy to listen to. Many thanks indeed.
My pleasure! Thank you for staying with it until the end.
Excellent: many thanks for this. It's a model of how these things should be done, on TH-cam, anyway : clear and accessible without being in the slightest bit patronising, and with zero BS. Thanks! I'm off to listen to it! (Chris)
Such an interesting, informative and fun presentation, love it! Now I go and hunt for the Previn's/Chicago performance. Do keep on teaching us, because thousands of us still know less about orchestras, conductors and repertoire than you do!
Thanks so much for this! I enjoy your videos so much and have listened to a lot your recommendations. I know I’m just scratching the surface but you are helping so much in the journey. 😊🤘🤘
I am fortunate to have been present at Barshai's and WDR's performance of The Fourth, in the mid-1990s at Cologne Philharmonic Hall. The performance was as magnificent as it was sharreting. It is one of my most chesrished memories.
Lucky you! Wish I could have been there too.
@@DavesClassicalGuide The Cologne hall is close to the raiway station (The Railway Cathedral, next The Music Cathedral next the the Gothic Cathedral); I traveled from Aachen to especially attend this concert (the first half was Evgeny Kissin playing Beethoven PC 3, with lots of his CDs sold in the lobby during intermision - but that's another story). I only remember that I did NOT remember how I got out of the hall and into a train back to Aachen. Getting home I did, and it took me a long time to finally fall asleep. That's how deeply affected I was by the experience.
@@ewmbr1164 That's wonderful. Thanks for letting us hear the whole story!
My first live Shos4 was in the 80s with the Rotterdam Phil, unforgettably conducted by Rozhdestvensky, it just blew me off my chair. Also the most idiosyncratic conducting i've ever seen, sometimes Rozh didnt do anything or just pointed some spots. But the result was amazing.
@@hiphurrah1 Rozh was unique (who isn't?). Good for you to have witnessed him in The Fourth. I was lucky twice in Amsterdam; the first time in my teens (Rodion Shchedrin soloing in his Second Piano Concerto) and, many years later, with Schnittke's Eighth. Rozh was a world on his own, with sublime and unforgettable results when he had a splendid day/evening.
Lord, I'd love to sit down for a beer with you. It would be fun for me, not so much for you (I'd probably just sit there with my mouth hanging open in amazement). Needless to say, I really enjoy (and learn a lot from) your videos.
Sounds great!
Dave... You're keeping me alive hear..
Grew up in Sputnik 1950s with DS playing in the background... Kondrashin's 5th for starters, still exploring the vast Shostakovich Continent. Love your passion for his genius. Will follow your work for More on this & other subjects!!
Love love love Jarvi’s, always had. This is my favourite Shostakovich symphony. I also can’t really appreciate a work until I know its form, so thank you so much for the run down! I always understood this work as a bit of a narrative that played out, but since you’ve highlighted how simple the form actually is (and I facepalm not having realised it myself) I appreciate it even more!!! Thanks Dave!
Thanks for listening/watching!
Sometimes I have this itch that I'd like to listen to a work but can't remember what I'd like to listen to exactly... your video was very timely, thanks.
Enthralling! I quit piano lessons at 8, which I have endlessly regretted after discovering the greatness of classical music as a teenager. I read a fair amount about my favorite composers (and DSCH is one), but my lack of music fundamentals limits how much sense I can make of the structural analysis. But DH is a _genius_ at concise, illuminating, and funny analysis, and the musical examples are perfect (heck, that is a waltz!) And his enthusiasm is irresistible. If only we could get 10,000 clones of him (or so) into 5th grade music classes, the classical audience problem for the next generation would be solved. I love DSCH, but have been negligent regarding the fourth, partly because I have two that I really like: Rostropovich (which DH recommends as well), but also Jansons with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, which is--to my by no means expert ears--terrific and one of the best installments in his DSCH cycle.
By the way, how in the world does DH make one of these videos _every day_? Is he human? Major revelations about UFOs are coming, I read at the Washington Post, so perhaps we should brace ourselves.
No. 4 is great, very innovative, I hope I can listen a live concert.
Thanks for the master class
Hi Joseph. Goodness, someone else called Low. May I ask where your family is from?
@@murraylow4523 China & Singapore
David, You're a very entertaining guy. I adore this symphony and have struggled with other folks trying to analyze this symphony. Your analysis is very clear and, now that I know it, rather obvious (in a good way). Thanks for all the great work you do having fun listening (which is what I mostly do). Thanks JIM
Thank you kindly!
A wonderful selection of performances, and a very entertaining video. On another note, I was reviewing my personal ideal Mahler cycle the other day, and when I got to the 2nd, of which I pick Slatkin and St. Louis, I couldn't help but wonder aloud why there was no Slatkin/STL box set, as of yet. I was happy to hear you wonder the same thing. They did so much fine work; I just don't understand the lack of (any) attention. PS. I am aware that the Mahler 2 was Telarc and not RCA.
Fantastic. I was eager to see if you were going to produce a series on each Shostakovich symphony.
So cool.
Regarding the 4th, my two favorites are RLPO/Petrenko and RSNO/Jarvi but I've not heard CSO/Previn nor SLSO/Slatkin so I need to find those.
(Petrenko's Shostakovich cycle/box is one I would take to a deserted island)
Brilliantly illuminating - thank you,and also for the mention of Mark Wigglesworth.Any thoughts on Jansons (EMI,2004)?Can't wait for the rest of the talks.
I remember my first encounter with this symphony - and it wasn't a happy one.
About 20 years ago, alone on a gloomy winter day, late at night, I decided to give it a spin. Boy, did that music go under my skin, and not in a good way. Some music can really have a nasty effect on someone's mental state, as I found I out when listening to the 4th on that day.
Later I learned to appreciate the piece and its wonderful unpredictability and inventiveness much more, but it's still a symphony that I need to be in a good mood for to listen to.
I was pleasantly surprised that you mentioned Rostropovich' 4th, that's always been my favorite version. His cycle got so much bad press when it came out, that always struck me as unfair. Sure, some of the big blockbusters (5, 7, 8, 10) were a bit underplayed (so I thought) but like you said, he shined in the lesser known/neglected works. Not only the 4th, but also the 2nd and 3rd, the great choral work in the 13th and of course that classic 14th.
Jarvi's Shostakovich and Prokofiev with RSNO have to be the highlights of his vast discography. And you're right, those Chandos sonics!
I first heard this extraordinary work about 20 years or so c/o the marvellous Ormandy recording and I don't think I've ever been quite the same since. It's also great to hear my hometown band the RLPO doing it so well: they could be a bit hit and more often miss back in Charlie Groves's day (though his pioneering Turangalila wasn't at all bad and was greatly preferable to Barbirolli's 2hr Halle effort with a very wayward pianist that I have seen mentioned, somewhere).
Very eye-opening (or rather ear-opening) video. I know you're not the biggest Fan of Simon Rattle, but I think his recording with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is up there with the very best.
I’m very fond of the Rattle/CSBO recording as well.
Agreed on Rattle. And the bigness of the sound makes it really engulfing.
Absolutely agree that Rattle's CBSO recording is unsurpassed in the fast and/or loud passages (e.g. climax of the first A section in the finale, or the thrillingly fast Toccata 1 in the same movement) but then it's all spoilt by a coda that is nowhere near mysterious enough. In an interview with Haitink, included with his Chicago recording, he says there has to be a place in heaven for a composer who could write an ending like that!
I love your reviews on Shostakovich....I wish I could afford your book😂
There exists also a nice (live?)recording with Kondrashin and the Staatskapelle Dresden which I like very much!
Thanks, really enjoyed your explanation here. I've enjoyed Sh 4 for years, but still learnt lots. I have 'that' Haitink recording, which I find perfectly acceptable (though I think his 9th symphony recording is not so great, prefer Bernstein and NY Phil).
The ending is the most marvellous and unexpected, massive long goodnight, extraordinarily spooky.
I was an early (in my life) Shostakovich fan, having heard and purchased LPs of #1 with Rostropovich and with Mravinsky (two records), #5 with Bernstein, #7 with Bernstein and with Mravinsky, #9 with Sargent, and #10 with Mitropoulos, all before 1961. When #4 was released with Ormandy in 1963, I bought it to find out what all the fuss was about. At the time, I thought Stalin was right, finding it very boring (I've since changed my mind). Shortly thereafter I bought #2 and #3 with Gould and #11 with Kondrashin. Then in came CDs.
I also like the recording of the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alexander Sladkovsky. It is available on Melodiya. Sometimes the tempi are a little bit odd, but that's no problem. The orchestra plays marvellously with excellent brass and full percussion.
Thank you for your analysis of this astonishing symphony! I have loved this work ever since I first heard it in Ormandy’s performance soon after it came out on LP. Now I listen to Petrenko and Barshai above all others, though I also like Jarvi which I haven’t listened to for a few years. I will now!
Hi Dave,
Just came across a recording of the 4th arranged for 2 pianos, by the composer, on the Chandos label, played by Rustem Hayroudinoff and Colin Stone, and it is quite spectacular. I know you like music written/arranged for piano due and I think you’ll appreciate it.
Thanks,
Noam
Super to listen to your enthusiasm - one I share - for Shostakovich. Coincidentally I've just bought a copy of the RPO's Ashkenazy CD of this piece, as it was one of the first big recordings I played on. Having checked you out I find that you are a clarinet player, amongst other instruments, and Ashkenazy was really interested in the bass clarinet especially, partly because his son was becoming a clarinet player. I remember Ashkenazy talking about his discussions with Shostakovich (and I played with Ashkenazy on his first return to Russia, where he was genuinely worried about a forceful reaction to his being back where the state could have an influence on his freedom) so he appreciated Shostakovich's climate. I swear that woodblock rhythm is a mockery of Soviet military. Your book, I've checked its availability and it looks interesting. Is it purely about the works, or a biographical elements beyond what you need to know in order to understand the pieces? I'll buy it anyway, as a thank you for the videos. You absolutely covered this, but the context of the compositions really highlight how the simple lines are best heard in the spirit of subtefuge. Also, as you mentioned, although his symphonies are different in form, the amount of thematic material he reuses across most of his writing, quartets, quintet, etc. is remarkable. I like that he makes these references. By the way, your singing reminds me (unfortunately) of Solti. Thanks for the videos. I'm off to listen to the RPO version, never having heard it since the recording in the mid 80s.
The book is about the music, which as much bio as I think is necessary. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
I fell in love with this work as a teen and I believe the recording was by Stokowski. I have such a strong memory of it. I wish they’d reissue it.
There is no recording by Stokowski (at least not officially).
Couldn’t agree more about how fascinating musical form is. Form is the rhythmic interest in classical music. It’s rhythm at the macro level. Jazz, by contrast, tends to be interested in microrhythm. It’s concerned with syncopations and unexpected rhythmic patterns that can be fit into a beat, a bar, a phrase; but its macrorhythm tends to be very simple, more or less the same chord changes being presented over and over in the same rhythmic pattern. In classical music all that is reversed. The microrhythm tends to be simple, not venturing far from 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, etc.; but the macrorhythm, the form, is where so much of the expressive interest is found. Most of the study I do to continue to develop my compositional technique is study of form. I’m basing the piece I’m currently writing on the form of the first movements of the Mozart piano concertos. That’s very interesting music formally speaking, a synthesis of sonata form and improvisatory fantasia. I’m also reading Walter Frisch’s book about the Brahms symphonies. To understand better what Brahms is up to formally is high on my to do list.
Thanks for the insightful analysis. I'll give the piece another try. Sitting in Avery Fisher Hall, quite a few years ago, I didn't "get" the piece at all.. I think Haitink was the conductor. I've always been a fan of the Shostakovich symphonies, although not this one. I realize you can't do everything, but I'd love some commentary on the quartets! As to the violin concertos, the one in A Minor is incredible. A good subject for analysis? The other concertos are also great!
Thanks for the Slatkin love. Heard him do it in St Louis, bowled me over. We have similar taste, Slatkin, Ormandy (my intro to the work through a library LP) and Previn are essential. And PS to a comment, kind of like the 12th!
I’m an unabashed lover of the 12th myself. I too am glad Dave mention Slatkin here. I’ve only heard it once but was left with a feeling of deep satisfaction afterward.
I only have Slatkin's recording of the 8th, which is excellent, but it seems to be the only one of his Saint Louis Shostakovich symphonies easily available at present. I can only echo Dave's plea for a Slatkin/St Louis box, if only to bring their other DSCH recordings back into circulation.
@@ftumschkthe CD of Slatkin’s 4th is readily available used online, but not at a very reasonable price, I’m afraid. I agree, we need that St. Louis box!
@@AlexMadorsky Indeed - I've found the odd copy here and there, but at around 3X what I'd normally pay for a single CD. Fingers crossed for a Slatkin/St Louis box! I recently bought their "American Collection" - a treasure trove in itself - and enjoyed it immensely.
@@ftumschk Few months ago, after reading David's review on CT, I bought a copy for £20... Could not resist, as it is still not available on any streaming platform yet, and also thought 'what the hell, thanks to streaming I haven't bought a cd in ages, and it could be the last cd I ever buy, so I might as well buy a good one' - and it certainly is!
I have the Previn (on vinyl), Ormandy (my introduction to the work, first on vinyl and then on CD coupled with the 10th), the Rattle on CD and the Petrenko (as a DSD download). I like them all, in their different ways
David: I can listen according to your scheme, too. And it works very well. However, I won't give up on sonata form, There is a definite close to the exposition in the trumpets and trombones, right before the A theme in the woodwinds. The development also has a definite end right before the recapitulation, which repeats the very opening of the movement. True, the A and B themes are reversed, as you pointed out, but Dsch does get in all the thematic material. It took me a while to work this all out, and I'm loathe to give it up. I'll be looking forward to your analyses of the other symphonies.
You don't have to give it up. It's just not an accurate description of what happens in the movement.
The Jarvi: WOW!
My first recording of this, and still a favorite, is Vladimir Ashkenazy with the Royal Philharmonic. Just going to toss that one out there for consideration. I don’t think you can buy it outside of a box set now.
You are so right about the fourth! 🥳
Hi David. Speaking as a classical music fan with no music education and no ability to follow a score, it's very helpful to hear you lay out the structure of this symphony so plainly, and I'll listen to it differently from now on. Do you have plans for similar talks about other works - sort of listener's companions? Thanks
I've done quite a few already. Check out Bruckner's 6th and the whole Haydn Symphony Crusade series.
As with pretty much all of Shostakovich's symphonies, Järvi and Kondrashin are what I imprinted on, and still the ones that make the most sense to me. I don't know if I listened to Petrenko's 4th (but I think I did), but I listened to a couple in the cycle when they first came out, and found them a lot more soft-edged and uninteresting than the reviews had led me to believe, so I've stayed away from his work since.
The Shostakovich book is immediately available at a great price (considering the value of the contents) for the Amazon Kindle. I usually prefer a physical copy of a book when it's a subject I value, but it it's the contents that matter after all.
The 1962 Kondrashin recording with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra is available as an Idagio stream from Urania records and as a Qobuz stream from something called "Classical Music Reference Recordings" ... someone named Alexandre Bak? I'm not sure if the esteemed Mr. Hurwitz has come across this "CMRR" 2022 remastering, but even in my modest apartment system (Cambridge Audio Evo 150, B&W 704S2 floor-standing speakers with B&W DB4S subwoofer) it provides some really shattering moments. I don't hear as much detail as I do in Järvi, but I can see putting this on more often, just for the sheer guilty pleasure of the raw power.
Ladislav Slovak and the Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra on Naxos (1993) is good too!
Not especially.
Just a quick plug here for the Rostropovich with the NSO. While it is not my personal favorite 4th, (in fact, it was my first recording of it thanks to my BMG membership that I acquired in High School) I do echo David's comments on how terrifying and brutal his rendition is. BUT.....what really strikes me about Slava's recording is in the closing bars of the piece with the sustained strings coupled with the timpani and celesta. In this recording, and only in this recording, do I have imagery of someone on their deathbed (knowing full-well this is not a programmatic symphony). The timpani strokes always evoke faint heartbeats. ta-tum....ta-tum....ta-tum. I'd suggest a re-listen of the passage and see if others agree.
This symphony is not just a great piece to listen to. It is a total blast to play. There is absolutely nothing like being on stage while all hell is breaking loose in this piece.
About the form - there is one point I've never been able to figure out. In movement III there is a theme that appears at rehearsal no. 227 in the oboe and reappears at 235. Then it comes back again in the coda at 250 in the violins and 254 in the violas.
It's always puzzled me how a theme that is snuck in so late in an hour long piece ends up being so important in the coda - UNLESS there might be some obvious derivation of that theme that I have missed, something early in the movement or even in another movement that it comes from. I've never been able to track it down.
It might be intended to call back to the English horn's repeated fourth at the end of the first movement. It even uses the same pitches (D-G-D). I agree that it's a bit tenuous though.
@@benschweitzer6307 Thank you for the idea.
I had been thinking about hearing this symphony, and along comes Dave! I have recordings by Jarvi, Ormandy, Previn, and Haitink, and will listen to the Jarvi. Any comments on the Haitink? Your videos are always good to wake up to.
As I said in the video, Haitink is a bore.
@@DavesClassicalGuide Sorry I missed that.
@@williamwhittle216 Perhaps you weren't awake enough...? ;-) The Järvi recording was mz introduction to The Fourth. Marvelous it is!
Barshai was my go to for a long time but the mix is a bit cheesy, very reverby.
Haitink recorded it twice, first with London Philharmonic Orchestra, later with Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Not sure which version David is referring to here, probably both? Chicago recording at least sounds better, I think.
I just got the Shostakovich book. It was a bit expensive for us in Canada (almost a $100 all said) as a result likely to be out of print but came with the CD. I am very much looking forward to use it to appreciate even more my various versions of the works. I also got the Beethoven one, and this was a lot less.
I'm sorry you had to pay so much. It's outrageous, but thank you so much for placing you trust in me. I hope you enjoy it.
@@DavesClassicalGuide really like the quotation from the soprano that brings the background into context and makes a lot of sense. I am keeping the fifth for the weekend with the cd and the times noted . It is going to be fun 👂
@@DavesClassicalGuide I have been going over the No.5 both with teh CD and with my other recordings and it is so helpful in better appreciating the work. I am starting to develop my favorites. outside of the obvious Kurt Sanderling reference, I discarded Mravinsky 1965 (even if remastered it is not beautiful sound and it matters in that case. The 12th comes out a lot better) and Jansosn and Jarvi are just fine in the more bombastic strong playing side of things. I am really liking Michael Sanderling (48 minutes). The quality of the recording that emphasis the "cool" feeling. Works so beautifully on teh Largo too. Petrenko seems to really lack bass and it is too bad as otherwise would have been really good. Honeck is a totaly different interpretation and does not retain my attention as much if beautifully played and in great sound, somewhat feels "less Shostakovich". Berstein is great but not for everyday. I have Maxim Shostakovich USSR on order so looking forward to hear this.
I. Moderato II. Allegretto III. Largo IV. Allegro non troppo
Mravinsky 14:33 04:58 12:18 10:20 42:09
Jansons 14:59 05:34 13:01 10:53 44:27
Bernstein 16:13 04:54 15:33 08:55 45:35
Jarvi 16:18 05:18 14:13 10:40 46:29
Previn CSO 17:02 04:57 15:52 09:58 47:49
Sanderling M. 16:30 05:34 13:45 12:12 48:01
Sanderling K. 17:38 05:37 15:36 11:49 50:40
Honeck 17:16 05:47 15:19 12:30 50:52
Petrenko 17:58 05:08 15:30 12:47 51:23
Do you know Vassily Sinaisky's live recording with the BBC Philharmomic for the PROMS? How would you rate it?
I don't know it. Sorry.
The ending of the 4th is indeed icy. Kind of like shuffling across a frozen lake and collapsing and freezing to death.
Dave, question about Haitink: Were you referring to the Concertgebouw recording or the Chicago remake? Or does it not make any difference...
Neither. It was the LPO on Decca.
@@DavesClassicalGuide Thanks! I forgot that he split his shostakovich symphony recordings between the LPO and Concertgebouw.
I love his music and could never understand the self-serving dismissal of his music by Pierre Boulez, who of course was dismissive of a great many things.
History has rendered a pretty clear judgment on whose music is better between Boulez and Shostakovich. I also don’t think Boulez’s recorded legacy as a conductor has aged well compared to many of his contemporaries. That’s not to say Pierre has no reference recordings to his name (The Miraculous Mandarin with the NYPO comes to mind), but his reputation in his prime exceeded his actual talents with a baton.
@@AlexMadorsky I'd disagree. Boulez had to deal with his own tiresome criticisms and still does. I think history will be more kind. I mean the question of whether Boulez or Shostakovich a better composer is missing the point! Its just a daft question. And Boulez had to deal with his own political issues about sexuality and the whole thing seems really sad in retrospect.. So listen to Shostakovich 4 and then listen to Sur Incises or the orchestral Notations and I don't see any reason we can't enjoy them both.
@@murraylow4523 one certainly can enjoy both - I happen not to. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Boulez had every right to express his distaste for Shostakovich’s musicianship, and the rest of us have the right express our general lack of esteem for Boulez’s musicianship.
@@AlexMadorsky Yes its a matter of taste as always, but also keeping on listening. Inspired by you I fished out the orchestral Notations just now and, man, its not just "squeek-bloop" at all. Quite a bit of moody romanticism on the strings and some rather exciting rhythmic dance music in there. I don't at all mean to question your taste but I do get a bit tired of the use of "Boulez" as the example of where classical music supposedly "went wrong". I mean he was one of the most important figures in the ongoing project of classical music in the last century and I'm sure you'll grant me that. Without him, then what? I think he became more of a symbol of something people don't like rather than someone people actually bothered to listen to. I took a friend to a Boulez concert a few years back and he was a total sceptic (again the "squeak-bloop" idea in his mind) and he was actually enthralled and when it ended he had this great expression of surprise on his face!
So, I love Shostakovich, but I think Boulez eventually will, if people listen, be seen as an important and indeed enjoyable composer. Just as has happened to Poulenc (another composer PB didn't rate and was seriously underrated for a time) and as I hope it will happen with Michael Tippett.
Believe it or not, I have witnessed Boulez conduct Shostakovich 4! It was, if I recall correctly, a Maida Vale Studio performance with the BBCSO. Unfortunately, I have no memory of what the performance was like - surely someone else reading this was there?!
distribution complaint: Michael Sanderling's Dresden Philharmonic recent recording of this ( and the rest of the symphonies) is recorded in absolutely stunning sound with thoughtful, impactful performances to match. Sony apparently withdrew the set (after about 5 minutes) along with the same organization's Beethoven symphony cycle to mix the two of them together in a weird set of single disks (1 Beethoven work paired with 1 Shostakovich): clunky and expensive. It took me about 6 months to get the complete Shostakovich set from Japan (but worth it).
I know. It was just awful.
my fave has always been the rozhdestvensky with the ussr ministry of culture symphony orchestra (there's 'another' version of them on youtube, a video of a live performance, at least there was, but it's not as awesome as their recording. it's not perfect, no recording is, but it's devastating, and the fugue in the first movement is utterly nuts in it.)
How about Haitink? I do like Järvi a lot also!!
In his review on Classics Today, Victor Carr, writes that "the recording’s lack of low bass is the only drawback" for Barshai's performance of the 4th. Can Dave or others either confirm, disagree, or elaborate on his criticism? Would a comparison with either Jarvi or Previn make this evident?
I've not heard either Jarvi or Previn (...yet), but Barshai was my first 4th and I've subsequently acquired the Petrenko, along with Nelsons, Gergiev, and Michael Sanderling, and yes, the Barshai does seem to lack the bass depth that these more recent recordings have.
One other interesting quirk of the Barshai is there is a really obvious page turn in the first movement that apparently was not edited out. It took me some time not to expect it in other recordings.
@@nicolaa55 Thanks, Susan.
Do you know if your book about shostakovich is gonna be available?
It ought to be in print, according to the publisher, to which I responded, "Who cares if no one can buy it?" Sigh...
@@DavesClassicalGuide okay thank you very much, that'll be the birthday present for my father this year 😄
Hi David, I know that it's gone out of print, but we Spotify users would love to know what your thoughts on Michael Sanderling's recording with the Dresdner Philharmonie are? His cycle is available for download on Spotify, thankfully.
Sorry, that's a topic for a future talk if and when the set reappears.
@@DavesClassicalGuide That's a shame! I have been listening to some of his cycle recently, and I really enjoyed his 4th and 6th! Not so much the 5th. I guess I was looking for some corroboration haha
@@lukesinclair4337 Fair enough! I've enjoyed what I've heard but because I don't have to review it (now) I'm just taking my time and listening for personal pleasure. I'm sure you will understand that it's nice to be able to do that sometimes and NOT have to talk about it!
@@DavesClassicalGuide Wow! I've never thought of it that way. I suppose it's so important to keep up that kind of freedom in music when musical reviews are such a big part of your occupation.
Thanks again David, this is one of your best videos. It's great fun to see you getting passionate about Shostakovich.
@@lukesinclair4337 I'm with you on both the 4th (which was what drew me in) and 5th. Sanderling's standouts in my mind are his 8th (best since Mravinsky, in my mind, and not nearly as muddy in sound quality), 13th, and...the 2nd!
That does remind me, I'm still looking for the perfect 5th. There are some close calls, but no one I've heard yet has managed to assemble a perfect (in my mind) 3rd movement with an equally-perfect 4th. Will eagerly await the installment on it.
Couldn't disagree more with David about the first movement's form. It is modified sonata form. The points of articulation from exposition to development to recapitulation couldn't be clearer.
I love it when people say "modified this" or "modified that." In other words, it's something else--a new thing that, for whatever reason, approximates or resembles in some degree a known thing. There are very few large musical forms that don't include clear elements of exposition, development and recapitulation, whether sonata or not--but the devil is in the details, and the movement is much easier to take in when listening (as well as more accurately described) if you do not see it in terms of sonata form.
i wish I liked it better, and it's not for a lack of trying. It has too much frustrating irony, etc. Now if a piece is religious like the Stabat Mater settings, the sadness represents an outlet for something that is always a part of life anyway even if you didn't listen to the music, but in Shostakovich it seems to add to the difficulty without any sense of comfort. Even in Sibelius 4 the storms promise to sweep all the gloom away. So either I need a philosophical infusion to appreciate it or it's hopelessly atheistic for my temprement.
That's a very reasonable and legitimate reaction. Perhaps someday the music will strike you differently, but you've plainly given it a fair chance.
I try to get into this symphony, but it sounds so brutal and harsh.
It IS brutal and harsh!
@@DavesClassicalGuide I know, may be the times we are in, im gravitating to Haydn and Sibelius, if that makes any sense. I do like the Shostakovich 8th, and enjoyed your video in that ! It is harsh also, but in a different way. I know , sounds contradictory.
Thanks for all the great videos !