Shostakovich Symphonies - where to start?

[Citroen2CV]

Recommendations sought for the best Symphony to start with and which version to get a decent sounding copy on vinyl.

Symphony No 5, followed by 10 ?

 

[windhoek]

No.5 is in my top three favourite symphonies. It's a slam-dunk for sure, so I say start with No. 5!

I have this Speakers Corner Records copy. It's OOP but available second hand on eBay and Discogs. I'd keep a look out for a copy in charity shops as well and I'd pick up any copy as long as the disc is in reasonable condition as you'd likely only have to pay a quid or two.

Anyway, here's a great introduction to the symphony by Michael Tilson Thomas to enjoy in the meantime; the symphony is performed afterward by the San Francisco SO.

 

[Citroen2CV]

Thanks.

I'm in New Zealand so not hopeful of finding a decent copy in the wild!

 

[windhoek]

Thanks.

I'm in New Zealand so not hopeful of finding a decent copy in the wild!

Ah, I see what you mean. At least you'll be able to get something online

 

[Citroen2CV]

Thanks a lot!

 

[alanbeeb]

You'll find very slim pickings on Vinyl, there has been an ongoing explosion of interest in Shostakovich from the 1990s onwards - but that was after classical music stopped being released on vinyl.

Basically for the 5th you will be limited to a very small selection of recordings, they are all good if you can listen past the scratches and surface noise!

Andre Previn/LSO on RCA
Leonard Bernstein and New York Phil on CBS, and also with the LSO on CBS
Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia on RCA
that Skrowaczewski/Minnesota recording above
and possibly some Eastern European and Soviet artists on Soviet-era recordings, eg Kyril Kondrashin and Karl Ancerl.

For the tenth - even more limited -
Herbert von Karajan and Berlin Phil 1967 on DG - a wonderful performance and about the only contemporary music in Herbie's repertoire, it was re-issued in the 2000s on 180g vinyl by Speakers Corner (I have two copies and will never part with them )
Eugene Ormandy and Philadelphia again, on CBS I think. Ormandy also made good recordings of the 4th and 15th symphonies which you may get lucky with.
Karl Ancerl/Berlin Philharmonic- 1960 and MONO sound.

All of the above are available on CD.

But... there are many great modern recordings in good scratch free sound! In particular I'd point out Rudolf Barshai's excellent complete set on Brilliant Classics - a top notch German Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by one of the composers' closest musical collaborators (he was the violist in the Borodin Quartet for which Shostakovich wrote many of his 15 quartets) - and in very good sound too. As a starter it can hardly be bettered at the price.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00005UW2B/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

Beyond that there are a myriad of great modern recordings - Vladimir Jurowski, Neeme Jarvi, Mariss Jansons, Bernard Haitink, Mikhail Pletnev, and many others. Of particular note, the still ongoing cycle from Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony have all been excellent performances in fantastically good sound.
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/search?search_query=nelsons shostakovich boston

 

[alanbeeb]

...and don't overlook the 6th symphony. Its completely overshadowed by the 5th and 7th either side of it, but I think its one of his best. Very few analogue era recordings of it, Andre Previn & LSO or Stokowski Philadelphia might be available on LP.

 

[Citroen2CV]

Thank you so much @alanbeeb!

I will scour discogs for lp versions.

 

[Andrew Gray]

I agree the 5th.
But why vinyl? The quiet passages are ruined by background noise, IMHO...
This BBC radio 3 programme may help too: "My Problem With... Shostakovich" (the system won't let me post the link!)

 

[Citroen2CV]

A well mastered and pressed vinyl copy can be a thing of beauty.
Low level noise such as master tape hiss, my brain can filter out. Its the sudden unexpected pops and ticks that get me!

Thanks for the link, listening now.

 

[gavreid]

I have this French boxset 14 x LP. There's a UK edition on HMV I think.

https://www.discogs.com/release/442...nique-De-Moscou-Kondrachine-Les-15-Symphonies

 

[Paul Mc]

https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/pro... music grab,help of conductor Kirill Karabits.

 

[Paul Mc]

My favourite is his 10th, and probably my favourite symphony, bar none.

Check out his piano concertos and brilliant chamber music, including his string quartets.

 

[marshanp]

All of Previn's Shostakovich on EMI ASD LPs is wonderful. Numbers 4 and 13 in particular. My copies were unusually good pressings for their time, too.

Also on EMI ASD: Number 15 conducted by the composer's son, Maxim. One of the greatest of al Shostakovich symphony recordings.

 

[Dave H.]

In case it’s useful or even just interesting to understand something of the context around the symphonies, I found Mark Wigglesworth’s notes added a lot to the experience of listening.

Here’s the page which includes the 5th symphony.

 

[Alex S]

The Wigglesworth set is well conducted and very well recorded. I have a soft spot for Haitink's 8th.

 

[Alex S]

This is probably the most fun way to start Shostakovich (not symphonies): https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LZCATU3/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21