5 Favourite Shostakovich Symphonies - poll

[madaboutmahler]

I think Symphony No. 12 is better than it's reputation. It's not the most impressive work by Shostakovich, but it's still a very good one I think. It really has some blistering sections that make me jump out of my seat.

Completely agree!

Shostakovich 4 = most Mahlerian of his symphonies ...so I'm surprised the Fourth isn't one of your favorites, Mad.

Sarge

I'm surprised to see that the 8th isn't in your list of favorites, Daniel. Does the bleak mood of the 8th keep you from enjoying it? I think it's one of Shosty's masterworks. From start to finish, I'm captivated by it.

Was so hard to decide.... and looking back on it now, I may change. no.4 is one I do not know as well as the others, so will have to give another listen another time. Remember being absolutely amazed by it the last time I heard it though... no.8 I absolutely love, the bleak mood making me love it even more if anything! Just so hard to choose... I love all of them!
At this current moment, now, I would probably pick no. 5, 8, 10, 11, 12. I'll listen to no.4 again soon, and it will probably end up 'overtaking' one of the others on my list.

What do you think of no.4, John?

[Mirror Image]

Completely agree!

Was so hard to decide.... and looking back on it now, I may change. no.4 is one I do not know as well as the others, so will have to give another listen another time. Remember being absolutely amazed by it the last time I heard it though... no.8 I absolutely love, the bleak mood making me love it even more if anything! Just so hard to choose... I love all of them!
At this current moment, now, I would probably pick no. 5, 8, 10, 11, 12. I'll listen to no.4 again soon, and it will probably end up 'overtaking' one of the others on my list.

What do you think of no.4, John?

The 4th, at one point, was one of my favorites, but it's somewhat taken a backseat. I still like it a lot. It's a very complicated work with a fascinating structure. Sarge called this symphony the most Mahlerian of Shosty's symphonies and this is true in some respects, but I think the work is much more neurotic than anything Mahler composed. I still admire, and love, Rattle's performance on EMI (w/ the CBSO) which is one of the finest I've heard. The Jansons's 4th is also very fine. Like his 2nd and 3rd, the 4th is quite experimental in nature. Very complex work that I'm still confused by, but it does have some winning moments. I think it's just a mysterious sounding work and hearing the work that came after it is a bit of a shock. It's a fascinating symphony.

[Karl Henning]

. . . Sarge called this symphony [the Fourth] the most Mahlerian of Shosty's symphonies and this is true in some respects, but I think the work is much more neurotic than anything Mahler composed.

Now you see, I should have called the Op.43 more tightly structured than anything Mahler composed!  Of course, that is not necessarily at odds with your point . . . content-wise, there is a passage or two which I grant you.

[Mirror Image]

Now you see, I should have called the Op.43 more tightly structured than anything Mahler composed!  Of course, that is not necessarily at odds with your point . . . content-wise, there is a passage or two which I grant you.

Yes, even within it's madness, Shosty's 4th does have a structure. His music always is tightly structured and it has purpose.

[eyeresist]

I've always liked Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad" but I've never liked it well enough to call it an absolute favorite.

I think I'd like 7 better if it was just the first movement

[Karl Henning]

I think I'd like 7 better if it was just the first movement

Most curious!  For a long time now, I've been perfectly well convinced by the entire symphony — but there was a time, long gone since, when I only really liked the middle movements.

[PaulR]

My favorite movement of the seventh, at least at this time, is the third.  Just a beautiful movement with the 2 distinct sections, with the first returning.  The whole symphony has been a favorite of mine for a while though.

[TheGSMoeller]

I wouldn't want to be without this recording, the final movement of the "Leningrad" is devastatingly powerful, Lenny may not be the ideal DSCH conductor and his tempos are certainly slower than most, but I haven't found a performance that conveys such emotion.
Also, if you like your low brass, and are familiar with Charles Vernon of the CSO, than the ending of #7 ought to be pleasing.

[Karl Henning]

That's a marvelous performance, Greg.

[PaulR]

I wouldn't want to be without this recording, the final movement of the "Leningrad" is devastatingly powerful, Lenny may not be the ideal DSCH conductor and his tempos are certainly slower than most, but I haven't found a performance that conveys such emotion.
Also, if you like your low brass, and are familiar with Charles Vernon of the CSO, than the ending of #7 ought to be pleasing.

Possibly my favorite disc of DS's music.  Maybe.  At least of that work, yes.

[Mirror Image]

I wouldn't want to be without this recording, the final movement of the "Leningrad" is devastatingly powerful, Lenny may not be the ideal DSCH conductor and his tempos are certainly slower than most, but I haven't found a performance that conveys such emotion.
Also, if you like your low brass, and are familiar with Charles Vernon of the CSO, than the ending of #7 ought to be pleasing.

My favorite Lenningrad performance for sure. Not many conductors get this one right, but there's something to say for Bernstein's emotionalism here. I dig it!

[RebLem]

1. 15th
2. 5th
3. 7th
4. 9th
5. 1st

If I could be allowed a 6th, it would be #11, and a 7th, #13.

[Wanderer]

My favorite Lenningrad performance for sure. Not many conductors get this one right, but there's something to say for Bernstein's emotionalism here. I dig it!

My favourite Seventh, as well.

[Brahmsian]

In numerical order:  5, 8, 10, 11, 12

Mine has changed since I had originally voted.

Currently, in numerical order:  4, 5, 8, 10, 11

4th replacing 12th.  For awhile, I was addicted to the 12th.

Bumped due to Sargeant influence. 

[Karl Henning]

4th replacing 12th.  For awhile, I was addicted to the 12th.

Bumped due to Sargeant influence. 

Zowie, I know that can be a bit of a sea-change.

But it's the right thing, mon cher

[Karl Henning]

I voted for Opp. 43, 60, 65, 93 & 141.

But in a way, I wish I might have cast more votes . . . .

[Brahmsian]

Zowie, I know that can be a bit of a sea-change.

But it's the right thing, mon cher

  Well, it took me a really long time to enjoy and appreciate the 4th.  It has finally clicked in a big way.

[Karl Henning]

  Well, it took me a really long time to enjoy and appreciate the 4th.  It has finally clicked in a big way.

Hey, that was true of me!  It's just so enormous . . . I still remember (I'm not proud of it) my only take-away from the first listen was the inverse of Sollertinsky's, i.e., that all I recalled at the end of that first listen was the bits which reminded me of the Fifth.  So much material, and I rushed to judgement before I could possibly have digested it all . . . .

[Sergeant Rock]

I voted for Opp. 43, 60, 65, 93 & 141.

But in a way, I wish I might have cast more votes . . . .

It pains me to have left out 1, 5 and 6. But I would not change my votes today. It would still be 4, 8, 9, 14 and 15.

Sarge

[EigenUser]

It pains me to have left out 1, 5 and 6. But I would not change my votes today. It would still be 4, 8, 9, 14 and 15.

Sarge

Yay! Another 9 fan.