Shostakovich: which one is your favourite amongst his works?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I don't have a particular favourite - the music from every period contains so many favourable characteristics -

but I do admit to having a soft spot for the second symphony. I bet I'm on my own here with that one!

No - I have a soft spot for the Second Symphony, too - and the Third.
But the two Symphonies that "is my favourite" is the Fourth and Fifteenth. (I've most recently heard the Fourth, so, at the moment that's at the top. As soon as I give the Fifiteenth a spin, it'll be that one.)

[teamsaint]

i think that if I had to compile a list of "must Have " works, there might well be more works by DSCH than anybody else.

Except LVB.
and possibly some other people.
Or Brahms...

BUT

Two of the big popular faves would be amongst my front runners, though, Symphony#5, and SQ #8.

Also particularly like the Viola Sonata...and the.....and so ad infinitum.......(actually SQ 15 on the Ferney system...listened the other night. Magical.)

The Cello concertos are simply wonderful too.

Genius.

Might be interesting if those with immense experience were to nominate a favourite DSCH work outside of the mainstram concert favourites.

The Execution of Stepan Razin perhaps?

[cocolinmichela]

Oh no, thats great, thank you for the info. I will definitely look for a recording of the Shostakovich concertos by Rostropovich, always good to go to the "source" of a piece of music. I think JLW was greatly inspired by Rostropovich so perhaps his performance is as close to Rostropovich's as it can get.?!

[teamsaint]

Haitink is conducting the 4th with LSO very soon at the Barbican and I can't wait ; closely followed the next week by symphony no.15

and out to the provinces shortly afterwards.

Not, I expect.

Enjoy, if you are off to those. greeneyesmileything.

[Roehre]

symphonies 4, 10 and 15
String quartets 10, 13 and 15

[pastoralguy]

I always remember playing the first 'cello concerto under a rather grumpy conductor who commented at the end of the first movement "nothing like having a good idea and milking it for all it's worth"!

[amateur51]

and out to the provinces shortly afterwards.

Not, I expect.

Enjoy, if you are off to those. greeneyesmileything.

Up at the back of the Barbican's Gods, me. But it does mean you can make a swift exit at the half and be near the front of the queue for the Loseley's

[Roehre]

I always remember playing the first 'cello concerto under a rather grumpy conductor who commented at the end of the first movement "nothing like having a good idea and milking it for all it's worth"!

A variant on a critic who -shortly after the release of the Rostropovich/Ozawa LP with Cello 2- wrote: a concerto based on recycling the non-ideas of its predecessor

[Serial_Apologist]

A variant on a critic who -shortly after the release of the Rostropovich/Ozawa LP with Cello 2- wrote: a concerto based on recycling the non-ideas of its predecessor

Those going for the 8th string quartet here might well be acting posthumously in sympathy, as it were.

[Roehre]

Those going for the 8th string quartet here might well be acting posthumously in sympathy, as it were.

[teamsaint]

Those going for the 8th string quartet here might well be acting posthumously in sympathy, as it were.

not me mate, just love the groove....

Although, I shall now consider liking his piece in the manner you suggest...............

(anyway, I don't think I am acting posthumously, unless the day has gone much worse than I realised......)

Edit: No votes for the Preludes and Fugues yet?

[BBMmk2]

Born on this day in 1906.
I like his symphonies and some of his piano works, but from a cellist's point of view, my favourite work has to be his cello concerto n 1, played flawlessly here by Julian Lloyd Webber:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBde92dqCVk

By the way, does anybody know if he ever recorded the concerto on CD? I could only find recordings by Sol Gabetta and Misha Maisky on Amazon.
Thanks!

Belated welcome to the boards!

My favourite is Shostakoviuch's 7th or 5th I cant decide right now!

[Stanfordian]

Born on this day in 1906.
I like his symphonies and some of his piano works, but from a cellist's point of view, my favourite work has to be his cello concerto n 1, played flawlessly here by Julian Lloyd Webber:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBde92dqCVk

By the way, does anybody know if he ever recorded the concerto on CD? I could only find recordings by Sol Gabetta and Misha Maisky on Amazon.
Thanks!

Hiya cocolinmichela,
I love both of the Shostakovich cello concertos and have most of the recordings including those by Rostropovich. My long time favourite recording is played by Heinrich Schiff with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Maxim Shostakovich on Phillips.

[Demetrius]

Out of the few pieces I have - really - listened to (about 4-5 Symphonies, 2 String Quartets, the Jazz-Suite and bits and pieces) his Opera Lady MacBeth of Mzensk gripped me the most; I had the pleasure of hearing it life, thorougly enjoyable.

[Nick Armstrong]

Edit: No votes for the Preludes and Fugues yet?

Love playing (some of) them. Not pieces i sit down and listen to so much. Melnikov's HM version is terrific (I never got on at all with the much-fêted Nikolaeva versions)