Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 - Yablonsky

Naxos 6.110020
Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid
Classical - Orchestral
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad"
Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
Dmitry Yablonsky (conductor)
‘I dedicate my Seventh Symphony to our struggle against fascism, to our coming victory over the enemy, to my native city, Leningrad.’ Few symphonies written in modern times have attracted the degree of extra-musical speculation accorded Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony, the first three movements of which were written during the initial months of the siege of Leningrad before the composer and his family were evacuated to Moscow in October 1941. It became an immediate worldwide symbol of the opposition to the tyranny of Hitler, though today it seems that the Symphony’s inspiration may have stemmed as much from Stalin’s atrocities during the 1930s as from the brutalities of the Nazi invasion of Russia in June 1941. Whatever the motivation behind its genesis, however, the epically-proportioned Leningrad Symphony stands as a testament to heroism and human endurance at a time of overwhelming conflict and deprivation.
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Review by John Broggio - April 4, 2006
After my triumphant feeling of joy that Naxos' recording of Haydn's Creation (Haydn: Die Schöpfung - Spering) provoked in me, I thought I'd give some of their other discs a try whilst they are still available. This one, unfortunately was a profound let down in comparison (not just to the Haydn but also the Gergiev version Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 - Gergiev) - the playing has too many out-of-tune timpani tunes (yes Shostakovich let his hair down a little here even within such a traumatic work born out of unimaginable horror).
The conducting in itself is good, well paced with dynamic extremes as the music requires. The orchestra have a (old-world) characteristic Soviet sound which isn't necessarily a bad thing in such an angst ridden work as this. The recording itself is a bit boxed in, compare this to any of the Pentatone/Russian National Orchestra recordings from the same studio in Moscow is to be given an altogether different experience! The focus of the instruments is good however.
Sadly not recommended for some basic flaws in not getting the orchestra to tune properly.
(Purchased)
Copyright © 2006 John Broggio and HRAudio.net
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