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- Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
- Path: sparky!uunet!spool.mu.edu!agate!dog.ee.lbl.gov!news!cod!sampson
- From: sampson@nosc.mil (Charles H. Sampson)
- Subject: Re: Shostakovich symphony recommendations
- Message-ID: <1992Dec23.154022.18623@nosc.mil>
- Organization: Computer Sciences Corporation
- References: <1992Dec19.202445.18333@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> <1992Dec22.084440.2125@news.unige.ch>
- Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 15:40:22 GMT
- Lines: 18
-
- In article <1992Dec19.202445.18333@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, jefrank@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Jason E Frank) writes:
- > I'm just beginning to explore Shostakovich's symphonic output.
- > To date, I own symphonies #7 (Mata/Dallas) and #6 & #9 (Jansons/Oslo),
- > and I'd like to know your thoughts on the following:
- > 1. What are the "best" recordings of his 11th and 13th?
- > 2. Which other of his symphonies would be most worth exploring
- > (as a possible guideline, I like the 7th much more than the 6th and 9th)?
- > Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
- > --jason
-
- Although you asked for recommendations, I'll give you a warning.
- Until you become a Shostakovich fanatic, avoid #2 and #3. They have
- moments, but they're both marred by some of the most dismal choral
- music ever written. The music itself is only pedestrian, but it was
- written while Shostakovich was attempting to follow Stalin's dictates
- and the texts are awful, politically correct (Soviet-style), claptrap.
-
- Charlie
-