Shostakovich: Complete Symphonies

A Powerful Warning Against the Powerful

Advantages: A powerful experience to make you think
Disadvantages: Too much thinking makes the brain ache

the Naxos version. Although it too is conducted by an old friend of the composer, Ladislav Slovak, it is of such low voltage that it wouldn?t power a torch ? sadly, one of Naxos? few failures for me. You may be lucky enough to find, as I did recently, the complete set of Shostakovich symphonies (11 discs) at Superdrug (yes really!) for the silly price of ? wait for it - £3.99! This is conducted throughout by Rudolf Barshai who is a viola player and who was ? yes, you guessed it ? a friend of the composer. This too is well played and recorded though the Eleventh is just a shade lower in voltage than the white heat of Rostropovich. Still, at that price? The LSO Live disc number is LSO 0030 and it can be ordered at any good record shop. Alternatively it may be ordered via the LSO website at www.lso.co.uk. *** *** And Finally ...

Floon 12.10.2003 (13.10.2003) · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Shostakovich: Symphony No 11, 'The Year 1905'

Public symphony

Advantages: all tracks
Disadvantages: none

Having recently reviewed this band's first single, and raved about it, I had high hopes for the album. The eponymous debut lives up to expectation. 'Public Symphony' is a superb blend of stirring choruses, electronica, chill-out and prog. Imagine Coldplay, Pink Floyd and Massive Attack at a party gatecrashed by Ian Brown, and you'll be getting the plot. This album could, with the right promotion, be an absolute monster. Already the band have picked up awards Stateside for best unsigned band and album. And they're already spreading the word via that great viral marketing tool, the Internet. The band is essentially duo Dobs Vye (who looks like a more hairy Chris Martin) and James Reynolds who wrote and produced the album. Each track is superbly crafted and the album beautifully sequenced. It starts kicking in with 'Children ...

VirginRaver 17.02.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Public Symphony - Public Symphony

Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony: Refined passion

Advantages: Great passion, beautiful melodies, unrestrained romanticism
Disadvantages: The finale doesn't quite convince in it's purpose

of conducting, he began a tour of Europe and the US with the purpose of promoting his works. To this purpose came about the need for a new symphony where Tchaikovsky returned to his struggle with Fate, that malevolent power that prevents our striving for happiness. Not since his Fourth Symphony of 1877 (apart from Manfred) had Tchaikovsky really battled with Fatum again. For the Fifth Symphony Tchaikovsky made a short programme note that he used as the basis of his musical argument, though he never made his thoughts public knowledge. The note ran as follows: "Introduction. Complete resignation before Fate, or, which is the same, before the inscrutable decrees of Providence. Allegro (I) Murmurs, doubts, lamentations, reproaches agains XXX. (II) Shall I throw myself into the arms of Fate?" The Fourth Symphony featured Fate as a malignant ...

berlioz 26.08.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5