In 2017 I had the good fortune to visit Kyiv in the Ukraine, which included a visit to Babi-Yar, site of the Nazi massacre of tens of thousands of Jews. Shostakovich's 13th Symphony, which memorialises this event, I now consider to be one of his greatest symphonies.
I read Nick Barnard's review of the 'BBC Philharmonic/John Storgårds' Shostakovich 12 and 15th with interest. I rate 12 as lowly as I rate 11, 7, 2 and 3 but 15 is just about my favorite Shostakovich Symphony - 'Alte kaker' music at its best - 4, 8, 13, 10. 6, 5, not far behind. Nick recalls Maxim's first recording because of its lively pace, a pace Mravinsky also favored. Me, I'm a Kurt Sanderling fan, and all three of his recordings are in no hurry to get nowhere fast. Michael Sanderling's live performance with a Dresden Orchestra performed on the anniversary of one of the Allied Crimes - namely the firebombing of a city full of homeless refugees - follows in his great father's footsteps. It is available on YouTube and the unbroken silence at the Symphony's end, broken only when the orchestra and the audience one by one stands, is poignantly devastating.
Message Thread
« Back to index | View thread »
Thank you for taking part in the MusicWeb International Forum.
Len Mullenger - Founder of MusicWeb