Credits:

Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1975)

Description:

Rozhestvensky's spectacular live performance of Shostakovich from the BBC archives! A live performance by Gennady Rozhestvensky (1931-2018), a close friend of Shostakovich himself, has been unearthed from the BBC archives. Symphony No. 4 is a fateful work that had its Western premiere in Edinburgh in 1962 by Rozhestvensky and the Philharmonia Orchestra. The live performance with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1978, which is released here, does not give the impression of a forceful performance, but the wind-up in key moments is very effective and tremendous. The damming up of the orchestra in the difficult second half of the first movement is also a highlight, and one can appreciate the skill of the orchestra as well as Rozhestvensky's command of the orchestra. A clear stereo recording of Symphony No. 11, said to be based on the "Bloody Sunday" incident in St. Petersburg in 1905, in which the army fired on workers' demonstrators, was recorded with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in 1997.From the very beginning, the tension and the build-up of tension that only a live performance can convey can be felt clearly, and the wildness of the description of the tragedy as it builds up over a series of large mountains along the way, the memorial music that evokes an unwavering strong will amidst the heartache, the overwhelmingly powerful finale, and the perfectly balanced sounding of the bells, all of which more than convey the narrative and intent of the work. The music is more than sufficient to convey the story and intent of the work, while the score is clear enough to be read clearly. The applause was thunderous before the last note had even sounded. The digital recording has good clarity and separation. The label's data says that this is the "first CD release" of both recordings, and while a DVD (with mono audio) was previously released for the No. 4, this is the first time that the No. 11 has been released as a package, making it a great gift for Shostakovich fans around the world. It will be a great gift for Shostakovich fans all over the world. Naxos Japan

Tracklisting:

1.Symphony No. 4 in C minor Op. 43~Allegretto poco moderato - Presto
2.Symphony No. 4 in C minor Op. 43~Moderato con moto
3.Symphony No. 4 in C minor Op. 43~Largo - Allegro
4.Symphony No. 11 in G minor Op. 103 'The Year 1905'~The Tocsin: Allegro non troppo