Search - Dmitry Shostakovich, Valery Polyansky, Russian State Symphony Orchestra :: Shostakovich: Symphony no 10 etc / Polyanksy, et al

A Dark, Dark Shostakovich Tenth

Thomas F. Bertonneau | Oswego, NY United States | 03/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Valeri Polyansky has garnered his share of harsh reviews, the usual text of which is that his slow tempi vitiate the rhythmic vitality of the Russian scores that he chooses to record. I disagree. I think that his performances of Sergei Rachmaninov's Symphonies No. 2 and 3 (Chandos) bring out the colors of the composer's palette like no one else's. I have also found much to admire in his ongoing Shostakovich series, to which he now adds Symphony No. 10 (1953). Claiming no authority, I nevertheless hazard that Polyansky has been studying Furtwängler; at any rate he does analogously for Russian repertory what Furtwängler did for Beethoven and Brahms. We feel this deliberate slowing-down in the First Movement (Moderato). Where Karajan took 22.35, De Preist 21.37, Previn 21.28, and the composer himself in a two-piano reduction of the score (played with Moses Vainberg) 21.02 - Polyansky takes 23.24. (In the Fourth Movement [Andante - Allegro] he is slower than De Preist by thirty seconds and than Karajan by a full two minutes.) In addition to the slowing-down, Polyansky builds his orchestral textures from the bass register up; he therefore darkens and already dark score by foregrounding the important cello and bass parts. This symphony as much as any other by Shostakovich makes use of a kind of subterranean polyphony. The First Movement in particular depends on our awareness that the important ocurences are the deep ones away down in the acoustic depths. In the notorious Scherzo, allegedly a musical portrait of Stalin, Polyansky keeps pace with the fastest, gaining the maximum of contrast with the foregoing movement. The horns tell to stunning effect in the Allegretto, where the composer's musical signature, DSCH, emerges into prominence. Most of the slowing-down in the Fourth Movement occurs in its first half, the Andante, again for the purpose of preparing for the contrast of the Allegro. The coupling is the extremely rare (almost unknown) "Big Lightning," all that remains of a politically incorrect operetta that Shostakovich began in 1932, but swiftly abandoned. Thumbs up."

An introversive Look

Rolf Blatzheim | Bonn | 05/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The question, what is more important -: what does the music try to communicate or who conducts this music better, faster, more fierce or accurate etc. ? - did not exactly come up to me when I listened to Schostakowitsch's Symphony no. 10, conducted by Valery Polyansky. There is no shortage in excellent adaptions of this work. So why a separate commendation for Polyansky?



I understand Polyansky's adaption as a contemplative, introversive view of the work. His reading is measured, almost cautious, deliberate, as if he was beholding a photo album depicting a story. The viewer - Polyansky -dwells longer on the pictures, as if to capture everything in them, remember, almost reweigh everything is still there. Somebody may conduct this work in such a way who on the one hand is familiar with it and on the other can afford to approach the creative comprehension in a different, more virtuous way than the simple flow af a working machinery where nobody expects any complications or flaws. This way Schostakowitsch's spiritual sinfonic metamorphosis is in the spotlight.



This recording isn't spectacular by a "special scale" of our time and Polyansky doesn't will win an inflationary poll of reference recommend. With Polyansky's conduction the development (or evolution) of the work can be tracked in a meaningful way. His tempo in all four sets, supported by an outstandingly transparent and extremely present tone comfortable to listen to, accords and colors shine even in the secondary voices but particularly the pianissimi in a rarely audible way. As said before, Polyansky paces without haste or hurry. In the 3rd Movement the Sign DSCH Polyansky breath it with a morendo character I've never heard. Pausing is important to him, the eloquent balance between personal matters which eschews affect and the brilliance and ingeniousness which charakterizes that music.



If this makes you nervous and start to drum your fingers even by reading this, who wants to cross this work fast on a powerful streamline sports chassis with open top, you should avoid this work. Equal thoughts apply to "The big Lightning". If you like Schostakowitsch's music and you are looking for a different and more comprehensive, more withdrawn interpretation, you should not hesitate to buy it.



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