Like Dieter, I used to to rate symphonies 7, 11 & 12 as weak. However, I came to admire No 7 many years ago, not least through hearing Leonard Bernstein's electrifying DG recording. It's true that one has to 'get past' the extended repeated march episode in the first movement; but it's there for a reason. Elsewhere, the score contains a great deal of top-notch Shostakovich.
Number 11 may not have the symphonic profundity of some of his other symphonies but its purpose is to tell a tragic tale in a symphonic way and, over the years, I've come to feel that Shostakovich achieves that in a very fine way.
I had a blind spot about No 12 for many years. Returning to Nick's Marmite analogy, I've never liked Marmite and I thought No 12 was banal. My epiphany came in 2017 when I reviewed a live performance at, of all places, the Three Choirs Festival. Listening to a number of recordings in advance and then experiencing a terrific live performance opened my ears to the work's many qualities. http://seenandheard-international.com/2017/07/a-memorable-commemoration-of-the-russian-revolution-at-the-three-choirs-festival/
That said, I'd still rank No 12 below such masterpieces as numbers 4, 8, 10 & 13.
I doubt I'll ever be reconciled to the Second or Third symphonies.
Message Thread
« Back to index | View thread »
Thank you for taking part in the MusicWeb International Forum.
Len Mullenger - Founder of MusicWeb