Rush in for these Russians! We love big, bold symphonic works (Mahler, Bruckner and the like), and they dont get much bigger or bolder than Valery Gergievs cycle of Shostakovichs symphonies on the Mariinsky label. Every release in the series so far has been electrifying, but the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra really put their backs into these three symphonies to really put across a sense of their grandeur and scale. Many critics have noted the influence that Mahler had on Shostakovichs symphonies from the 4th onwards, but its not just the scale of the music that is so brazen - so too is Shostakovichs finesse in walking a fine line between music which was politically acceptable and yet still creatively satisfying to produce. This tension between censorship and creativity dominated Shostakovichs life perhaps more than any other Russian composer, especially in the 1930s, where Shostakovich went from being the poster boy for artistic expression in the Soviet Union to being denounced, then championed again, then denounced anew. These three symphonies - the 4th, 5th and 6th - reveal a brilliant musician living in fear, and though these years must have been unbearable for Shostakovich and his family, they inspired him to create some of the finest music of his career. The Mariinsky Orchestras performance of these pieces that deal so directly with such a turbulent period of Russian history, are phenomenal, and I dont think Im imagining a certain intangible quality that comes from their very Russian-ness. Perfect for a cold winter, these are symphonies to put hair on your chest! fishfinemusic.au/products/MAR0545
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 00:00:02 +0000
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