Search - Dmitry Shostakovich, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Riccardo Chailly :: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, Festive Overture, Orchestral Works

Favorite Fifth

R. Kopp | New York, New York United States | 12/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I wish I could comment on Ashkenazy's entire cycle, but unfortunately I've only heard his 5th. It's my favorite version of this symphony, by a considerable margin. (I've heard Gergiev, Mravinsky, Haitink and both Bernsteins, as well as Rozhdestevensky, Jarvi, Rahbari, Stokowski, Jansons, Maxim Shostakovich, Kondrashin, Ormandy, Barshai and Temirkanov.) Ashkenazy finds more menace in the opening bars than any other conductor I know. I'm particularly fond of his pointing of the grotesque dance rhythms of the Allegretto, very reminiscent of the best of Mahler's scherzos. It is anything but "foursquare" (to disagree explicitly, once again, with Sante Fe listener's review of the cycle). The largo is searching and haunting. In the finale, to my ears Ashkenazy finds just the right balance between intensity and irony, bombast and subtlety, pace and pause, power and tenderness.



For what it's worth, the 1992 Penguin Guide gave this recording their top recommendation. "One of [Ashkenazy's] finest recordings yet as a conductor, [t]his is an exceptionally searching and intense reading, biting and dramatic, yet finding an element of wry humor in the second and fourth movement to outshine any rival. [D]emonstration sound quality." They ranked it ahead of Previn, Jansons, Mravinsky, Rahbari, Jarvi, Rozdestvensky and Maxim Shostakovich. For whatever reason--perhaps because it went of print in the UK?--this review has been dropped from other editions of the guide, but it still deserves top billing.



The fillers by Jarvi, Chailly and Pletnev are all quite lovely."

With So Many Recordings Of The 5th, You Probably Can Do Bett

Kevin Cushman | Sedona, AZ United States | 07/12/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm always mentioning that I'm not a musicologist which may turn off some readers from going any further. However, while I like this version, I don't feel the gripping tension that I do in either of Bernard Haitink's versions, especially in the 3rd movement. As far as having "the most perfect tempos imaginable," the lead in to the march in the 1st movement is too fast making it seem as it and the march itself do not belong together, however many recordings of this symphony have that same shortcoming. There is more color in both of Haitink's versions and his entire pace with the Concertgebouw in the 4th movement is perfect leading to a spectacular finale.



The 4th movement of this symphony probably has the most different recorded tempos than any other; from less than 9 minutes with Bernstein's 1959 recording (which has its merits) to almost 13 minutes with Rostropovich and the London Symphony Orchestra and Kreizberg with the Russian National Orchestra. This is a decent version with digital recording but after it went out of print, it should have been tweaked with a crisper and louder sound before it was redistributed.



The four side pieces, while totaling only 15 minutes, make this a worthwhile recording to purchase, especially at this price."