Favourite one-off Shostakovich symphony recordings

[richardfinegold]

Thanks; I hadn't heard of that. It's hard for me to imagine Solti conducting Shostakovitch, but since Bartok's music finds him at his best, it should be good.

I was unaware of the Solti/VPO Fifth, but the Shostakovich symphonies, including the Fifteenth, that Solti made with the CSO are very good. I was present at a concert used for the 15th so it has special significance for me. The concert also had DSCH arrangement of Moussorgsky Songs and Dances of Death and I believe this was the original CD pairing as well. The entire concert stands in my memory as my favorite Solti concert. Solti was having obvious balance issues walking to the podium but they were not evident during his time on the podium.

The Babi Yar has absolutely the most sulphorus bass on disc, and the 8th is my favorite of his this incomplete set, pulverizing and exceptionally well recorded.

Unrelated, but Solti/CSO Bruckner recordings are also overlooked.

[Roslynmuse]

I was unaware of the Solti/VPO Fifth, but the Shostakovich symphonies, including the Fifteenth, that Solti made with the CSO are very good. I was present at a concert used for the 15th so it has special significance for me. The concert also had DSCH arrangement of Moussorgsky Songs and Dances of Death and I believe this was the original CD pairing as well. The entire concert stands in my memory as my favorite Solti concert. Solti was having obvious balance issues walking to the podium but they were not evident during his time on the podium.

The Babi Yar has absolutely the most sulphorus bass on disc, and the 8th is my favorite of his this incomplete set, pulverizing and exceptionally well recorded.

Unrelated, but Solti/CSO Bruckner recordings are also overlooked.

The one and only time I saw Solti conduct was of that same Mussorgsky and Shostakovich 15 coupling, with the Prelude to Khovantschina opening the concert. This was at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, its opening season (96 - 97, so not long before Solti died). I think the orchestra was the BBC Philharmonic.

[cloughie]

Thanks; I hadn't heard of that. It's hard for me to imagine Solti conducting Shostakovitch, but since Bartok's music finds him at his best, it should be good.

He recorded 1 5 8 9 10 13 15

[Roger Webb]

Thanks; I hadn't heard of that. It's hard for me to imagine Solti conducting Shostakovitch, but since Bartok's music finds him at his best, it should be good.

BaL on Bartok's Dance Suite was not so kind to Solti, they preferred the earlier LSO studio recording to the Chicago which they criticised for poor ensemble (they failed to mention it was taken 'live' though). I chose the Chicago for Record Review's 'On Repeat' spot, I was very excited when they introduced my choice...except they then played the LSO version, which I recognised from the first two bars, they were very apologetic. The Chicago is a tremendous recording beautifully engineered by Jimmy Lock.

[Roger Webb]

Amazing what you can find when you look (I was going to suggest Josquin, El Grillo):

https://www.cantabile.com/new-page-2

Yes 'cricket' references are hard to find, but hidden away in the, already mentioned Satie, Sports et divertissements is 'Le Traineau' (sledging) surely now an essential part of the game.

[Aotearoa]

I have, in my car a version of the 11 performed by the Irish RTE Orchestra live. It makes for a great soundtrack for driving. I should pull it out to see who is conducting - no one I am familiar with, I seem to recall. The silence then the roar from the audience always is overwhelming even though I know it is coming.