Search - Dmitry Shostakovich, Mstislav Rostropovich, London Symphony Orchestra :: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 [Hybrid SACD]

Phenomenal live performance and recording

R. Hutchinson | a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds | 07/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Shostakovich's 11th Symphony is not one of his greatest works -- it is not in the same league as the 4th, 5th, 8th and 10th. It is better than the 7th (see my review of Gergiev's excellent recent recording), but similar.



Rostropovich and the London Symphony Orchestra perform the 11th magnificently here, though, with state-of-the-art recording quality, which makes this the clear choice for the 11th for a Shostakovich symphony collection. This disc has garnered rave reviews in Gramophone and the DSCH Journal. Warning -- the dynamic range is unusually wide. The opening Palace Square adagio begins at ppp, and if you turn the volume up so you can hear it, you will be deafened when the climax of the January 9th allegro arrives.



Rostropovich was a close friend of the composer. His recordings of Shostakovich have been uneven, but when he is ON, there is no conductor better at conveying the depth of tragedy and the Russian soul of the music, and Slava and the LSO were definitely ON the night they recorded this symphony in March of 2002.



See my SHOSTAKOVICH: A CENTENARY LISTENER'S GUIDE for more of the great Dmitri Shostakovich."

More than film music

Samuel Stephens | TN, USA | 03/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A lot of listeners of Shostakovich will list this as their favorite of his symphonies. Whether or not it is one of his professional best is beside the point. If you've made it in your Shostakovich Journey far enough to be interested in the Eleventh Symphony but have not yet heard it, well, you're in for a great surprise.



Don't get me wrong, it'll take a few listenings to get crack the opening movement (especially), but once you do you'll love it.



Speaking of the 1st Mvt, it is a long slow Adagio; sparse in its scenery, but chilly an haunting in the images it conjures up. Personally, when I listen to it I can't help but see a long road, snow on either side, and the ravages of war sprinkled alongside. SO yes, the movement IS long, but don't let the length daunt you, because the music is just fine if you'll approach it.



The Symphony as a whole alternates between those long spooky Adagios and harrowing military confrontations. The second and last movements are among the Shostakovich's most exciting. I'll say they even rival the opening movement of Symphony No.7, and the two fast movements of No.8. Shostakovich unleashes the full forces of the orchestra, depicting the events of "Bloody Sunday." But there's nothing to stop you from making up your images for the music. In short, this is wonerful music that you'll be listening to regularly.



As for the performance, I find it quite satisfactory. I've seen the complaints about the slow tempo (not just here, but at ClassicsToday.Com.) I can't fully sympathize with those complaints because this is the only version I own. I'm sure that when I do acquiant myself with another, faster, version I'll be complaining about the tempo being too quick. So, it's really a matter of which you hear first. Even if you don't get THIS version of the symphony, make sure you get the symphony in another! It's worth it!



(PS: I apologize for having to post my review here for the SACD version as well as the regular CD version. Amazon won't show my other review for some reason. Some glitch is preventing it from showing up. This has happened to only one other of my reviews.)"