Expressing dissatisfaction with this symphony & apologizing for Lady Macbeth of Mtensk were moves that probably saved Shostakovich's life. These pieces had to be withdrawn because they were already out in public. Other impolitic pieces DS wrote before the post-Stalin thaw, he kept out of public until he was on safer ground.
The 4th constitutes that point in his career when he fully bought into the Mahlerian conception of the symphony. The 4th is about as Mahlerian as he gets. (The last movement I find an obverse of Das Abshied) It also is his most authentic effort: that least inhibited by the Soviet straight-jacket that was put on him at about the time he was writing this. As I recall, this work was not performed until well after Stalin had died.
The work was withdrawn by Shostakovich without performance on the grounds of his own dissatisfaction with it. When in the early 1960s, a librarian at the Leningrad Philharmonic found all the instrumental parts in the orchestra's archives, the orchestral score was quickly reconstructed, note-for-note, as it stood when Shostakovich withdrew it back in 1936. One can hear seminal aspects of his 5th symphony here.
@OrodesIII Shostakovich was forced to read party written statements like many others in the days of Stalin's terror, which was the cause (and Pravda propaganda) of the stubborn legend he wasn't satisfied with the work himself..
Fact is he was forced to withdraw the work which mirrors Stalins terror exactly, by Rienzien(director of the orchestra), who was pressured by V.J. Iochelson (commisioner of the composers union)
Krzysztof Meyer has written an excellent book on Shostakovich and his epoch
Might be the Kirov. That certainly is Gerigev sporting his trademark stubble. And the interpretation of the Presto (the fast, crazy bit) is close to that on the CD he made with the Kirov.
I know it's the LSO, but even so, you can tell they're English. Look how stoic they are as they play (not that they're not good!). But Russian musicians do *not* play like that! :-)
Damn good stuff
DDS1906 4 weeks ago
wow dude
miepdetruus 3 months ago
Expressing dissatisfaction with this symphony & apologizing for Lady Macbeth of Mtensk were moves that probably saved Shostakovich's life. These pieces had to be withdrawn because they were already out in public. Other impolitic pieces DS wrote before the post-Stalin thaw, he kept out of public until he was on safer ground.
stanthonyofpadua1 6 months ago
I love the horns @ 4:46
Great sound :D!
martinusB95 1 year ago
i veri santi sono coloro che lasciano doni e ricordi immensi come questi nel mondo. Shostakovich per sempre
piepiepiepiepiepieok 1 year ago
7:31 is amazing! it sounds like machine guns and war!!!
classicalnut1 2 years ago 5
you can hear so much of his future symphonies in this one.
mohamedalyfarag 2 years ago 2
I think the 4th is his greatest masterpiece. The 8th and 10th come close.
Mahlerialiszt 1 year ago
@Mahlerialiszt
The 4th constitutes that point in his career when he fully bought into the Mahlerian conception of the symphony. The 4th is about as Mahlerian as he gets. (The last movement I find an obverse of Das Abshied) It also is his most authentic effort: that least inhibited by the Soviet straight-jacket that was put on him at about the time he was writing this. As I recall, this work was not performed until well after Stalin had died.
nervalian12 1 year ago
Comment removed
OrodesIII 1 year ago
@nervalian12
The work was withdrawn by Shostakovich without performance on the grounds of his own dissatisfaction with it. When in the early 1960s, a librarian at the Leningrad Philharmonic found all the instrumental parts in the orchestra's archives, the orchestral score was quickly reconstructed, note-for-note, as it stood when Shostakovich withdrew it back in 1936. One can hear seminal aspects of his 5th symphony here.
OrodesIII 1 year ago
@OrodesIII Not true, Shostakovich was pressured into the withdraw of this work..
The 2 piano transcipt existed and was used in a small circle until the 60's
quinto34 11 months ago
@quinto34
What I wrote is accurate, unless, that is, you consider Shostakovich to have been a liar.
OrodesIII 10 months ago
@OrodesIII Shostakovich was forced to read party written statements like many others in the days of Stalin's terror, which was the cause (and Pravda propaganda) of the stubborn legend he wasn't satisfied with the work himself..
Fact is he was forced to withdraw the work which mirrors Stalins terror exactly, by Rienzien(director of the orchestra), who was pressured by V.J. Iochelson (commisioner of the composers union)
Krzysztof Meyer has written an excellent book on Shostakovich and his epoch
quinto34 10 months ago
@quinto34 lol i have 1 month to read that book :D im doing a work about Shostakovich's life!
roflmao9999 9 months ago in playlist Shostakovich
@roflmao9999 Cool, great choice of subject!
I just bought the letters of Shostakovich to Glikman
('Story of a frienship', translated by Anthony Phillips)
Did you ever listen to the two piano version of the 4th? It's like a black and white version and gives you great insight into the orchestration.
Good luck with your project!
quinto34 9 months ago
@quinto34 No I haven't. but ty for telling me that there is one maybe i'll play one day myself :D
Thank you!
roflmao9999 9 months ago
Unbelievable. He was a genious, there's no doubt about it.
dragmio 2 years ago 6
no way, 8:00 is where it's at.
hansb2150 3 years ago 27
8:32 man oh man...
adamwas 3 years ago 18
LSO, barbican
schnozz87 3 years ago
Its the LSO
jonfood 4 years ago
Might be the Kirov. That certainly is Gerigev sporting his trademark stubble. And the interpretation of the Presto (the fast, crazy bit) is close to that on the CD he made with the Kirov.
mendax1773 4 years ago
I know it's the LSO, but even so, you can tell they're English. Look how stoic they are as they play (not that they're not good!). But Russian musicians do *not* play like that! :-)
volk410 2 years ago
is this the kirov orchestra?
yesthebrucedickinson 4 years ago
At 5:45 is where it gets crazy. That part sends chills up and down my spine.
grancivetta 5 years ago 27