kpenchev (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Mravinsky = Shostakovich That is the best combination. Shostakovich wrote, Mravinsky listened...The best recordings are Mravinsky with Leningrad Phil! No doubt about it...plus Shostakovich was there on the most rehearsals and concerts...so....you cant beat that...

edgluhrs (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I've heard both the faster and slower endings. I have no preference - depends on the conductor's particular strengths. No one questions Mravinsky, though - the results speak for themselves. He himself is low key to watch - it's what amazing cohesion and power he commanded from a symphony orchestra. The sound is amazing - you should hear him to the Tchaikovsky symphonies! Anyway, the concluding moments here are really unbelievable.

TheIronTriangle (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

What a sorry horn solo. And, yes, the tempo is too fast.

laiffi (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

worsest

BOSOX9004 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

This is really it. This is what Shostakovich wanted. Terribly frightening

MintySpunkBubble (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Also, in this performance, I see the finale as the defeat of Stalin rather than one of his own victories. I just can't imagine what the reaction to the first performance of this was like.

MintySpunkBubble (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

At times, to me, the bombastic fanfares of "victory" are constantly undercut with despair and tradgedy. I'm sure a few in the audience at the premiere sensitive to the music were squirming uncomfortably in their seats. The sarcastic feeling of certain parts seem quite damning to me.

kraftmclean (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

then either Stalin was wrong, or Shostakovich was, or you are. I know which of the three I find most likely.

kraftmclean (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

you mean all the audience 'got it' except the Stalinists? that's hardly likely, is it? unless Stalin and his henchmen had different ears to everyone else. this whole ironic, hidden message, sarcasm idea is so obvioulsy nonsense that it's amazing that people still believe it. Shos wrote every note in this piece to satisy Stalin in order to save his own life once he realised his earlier works were losing favour. there's no hidden message for 'smart people'. but there's still good music.

kraftmclean (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

sarcasm requires an audience who gets it, and one who doesn't. would Shos risk his life that Stalin and his henchmen were more stupid than the rest of his audience? unlikely, the whole irony theory was invented by and for modern western critics and audiences. that's not to say that 'ironic' interpretations are not valid, but they are not 'authentic', and totally lack any justification from the score or history.