Your First Shostakovich Record

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Was there a two piano score of the 4th? You may be confusing it with the famous recording of the 2 piano version of the 10th

Fancy having a go, richard?

http://www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Shostakovich-Dmitri-Symphony-No-4-in-C-minor-Op-43-New-Collected-Works-vol-19-arr-2-pianos-4-hands/733288

... until very recently, you could view this score on the ISMLP website (and even download and print it - but the cost of printer ink probably meant that it was cheaper to buy the B&H score!). Now they're saying that nothing by DSCH is available until 2026 - a "friendly" message from the copyright holders, perhaps?

[Pianophile]

First discovered Shostakovich during school days through hearing my local county youth orchestra tackle the 10th symphony, then bought the Karajan recording on vinyl. I was hooked!
Closely followed by the Cello Concerto no.1 with Rostropovich/Philadelphia/Ormandy and the wonderful Piano Trio in E minor in an excellent performance by Trio Zingara

[hmvman]

Symphony No. 10 - bought the BPO/Karajan recording in about 1981/2. Wish I'd bought the Berglund - I suppose I still could...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Symphony No. 10 - bought the BPO/Karajan recording in about 1981/2.

Hmm; was that the Digital second recording, hmvman? (The one with the "gold" cover with an enormous figure !0?) Generally this is reckoned less successful than the 1960s version which the composer was very enthusiastic about. (There's also a Live recording from the concerts that Karajan and the BPO gave in Moscow with the composer in the audience.) I actually prefer the later recording: the velocity of the finale - out Mravinskies Mravinsky!

[hmvman]

Hmm; was that the Digital second recording, hmvman? (The one with the "gold" cover with an enormous figure !0?) Generally this is reckoned less successful than the 1960s version which the composer was very enthusiastic about. (There's also a Live recording from the concerts that Karajan and the BPO gave in Moscow with the composer in the audience.) I actually prefer the later recording: the velocity of the finale - out Mravinskies Mravinsky!

Yes, it is the digital recording - it has large three-dimensional letters D S on the cover rather than a 10, though (wasn't it one of the Karajan Beethoven symphonies series that had the numbers on the covers?) I would've bought it based on the rating in the Penguin Guide as that was (and still is to some extent) my record-buying bible. I first heard the 10th in the Berglund HMV recording. I think I preferred the HMV sound but having bought the Karajan I never got round to acquiring a copy of the Berglund.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

it has large three-dimensional letters D S on the cover rather than a 10, though (wasn't it one of the Karajan Beethoven symphonies series that had the numbers on the covers?)

- on both counts.

[CallMePaul]

The Ancerl Symphony No.5 was my first also, but on the original Supraphon label at 17/6.

I also bought this on Supraphon, but I think my first Shostakovich was No 10 with the Leningrad Symphony conducted by Mravinsky. I also have the Ormandy 15th mentioned above and a range of other conductors on an incomplete LP cycle. I bought the Barshai/ NDR CD box a few years ago but find it a curate's egg of a cycle so may make further purchases in future. My partner and stepson both enjoy Shostakovich so I expect the discs will bw well-played!

[richardfinegold]

Fancy having a go, richard?

http://www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Shostakovich-Dmitri-Symphony-No-4-in-C-minor-Op-43-New-Collected-Works-vol-19-arr-2-pianos-4-hands/733288

... until very recently, you could view this score on the ISMLP website (and even download and print it - but the cost of printer ink probably meant that it was cheaper to buy the B&H score!). Now they're saying that nothing by DSCH is available until 2026 - a "friendly" message from the copyright holders, perhaps?

Thanks for that, Ferney. I'm afraid my Pianistic skills would be sadly lacking