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Posted by Mike Hardy on September 23, 2025, 8:16 am, in reply to "Regarding Terry Barfoot's review of the Shostakovich 4th, not a word about Jarvi's classic? "
Personal taste is a strange and wonderful thing! I like the Wigglesworth very much for its clear structure and direction and dislike the Jarvi as too rough edged (interpretation and playing, although the latter may well have been deliberate). Nelsons I find very involving and the "cushy" sound is a true representation of the Boston acoustic. One I return to. Kondrashin is HC, Ormandy is always overlooked unfairly I think.
Berglund's 11th we can agreee is quite wonderful!! 
Previous Message
I understand that a reviewer can't hear and digest everything, but the 4th is relatively rare. I also understand that the review in question is drawn from the archives.
Personally, I find Wigglesworth's 4th relatively tame and soft-edged. No sense of shock or audacity, which Jarvi and the fantastic Scottish National deliver in spades. They get it. Heck, even Nelsons' with his cushy Boston Phil is more ... texturally- intriguing.
I was indeed sold on Wigglesworth's Shosty 11th, (until Berglund's was re-released).
In closing, (as the Reverend used to say), if we're looking for winners in the Europeanized African Bee Category, we already have the Haitink/Concertgebouw 4th.
Message Thread 
Regarding Terry Barfoot's review of the Shostakovich 4th, not a word about Jarvi's classic? - Jim September 23, 2025, 2:01 am
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