Hello, I'm Sean from Canada!

[Secretariat]

Hello Brian and Brewski! Thanks for the warm welcome,

Cheers!

[vandermolen]

Welcome Sean and I hope that you enjoy this forum. For me Shostakovich's Symphony No. 4 is one of the greatest works ever written, as is Tchaikovsky's 'Pathetique Symphony'.

[Secretariat]

Hey vandermolen, I really like Tchaikovsky's 4th, 5th and 6th. I pick the 5th as my favourite because of the epic finale however I agree that the 6th is probably his best. As for Mr. Shostakovich, I've been slacking when it comes to discovering his symphonies, I have only heard the 11th and some parts of his others. So I'll make sure to hear the 4th soon.

Thanks for the hello and greeting!

Sean

[kyjo]

Hey vandermolen, I really like Tchaikovsky's 4th, 5th and 6th. I pick the 5th as my favourite because of the epic finale however I agree that the 6th is probably his best. As for Mr. Shostakovich, I've been slacking when it comes to discovering his symphonies, I have only heard the 11th and some parts of his others. So I'll make sure to hear the 4th soon.

Thanks for the hello and greeting!

Sean

Yeah, the finale to Tchaikovsky's 5th is one of my favorite movements in all of classical music. You should definitely explore all of Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich symphonies! Shostakovich's 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th and 10th symphonies (along with the 11th) are among the greatest works of the 20th century!

[North Star]

Yeah, the finale to Tchaikovsky's 5th is one of my favorite movements in all of classical music. You should definitely explore all of Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich symphonies! Shostakovich's 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th and 10th symphonies (along with the 11th) are among the greatest works of the 20th century!

Add 14 & 15 to that list, otherwise agreed, kyjo.

[kyjo]

Add 14 & 15 to that list, otherwise agreed, kyjo.

Indeed, they are all great works (with the possible exceptions of 2 and 3). Nos. 13-15 are tougher nuts to crack than nos. 1-12, for sure. Nos. 13 and 14 are not among my favorites due to the use of vocals, but 15 is a fascinating work. I just wanted to suggest Shostakovich's more accessible, "epic" symphonies to Secretariat because anyone who jumps into Shostakovich for the first time via his later symphonies may be turned off.

[North Star]

Indeed, they are all great works (with the possible exceptions of 2 and 3). Nos. 13-15 are tougher nuts to crack than nos. 1-12, for sure. Nos. 13 and 14 are not among my favorites due to the use of vocals, but 15 is a fascinating work. I just wanted to suggest Shostakovich's more accessible, "epic" symphonies to Secretariat because anyone who jumps into Shostakovich for the first time via his later symphonies may be turned off.

Fair enough. The 5th is probably the best place to start.

[kyjo]

Fair enough. The 5th is probably the best place to start.

Thoroughly agreed.

[Mirror Image]

In terms of Shostakovich's symphonies, I always recommend his Symphonies 5 & 10 to newcomers.

[vandermolen]

In terms of Shostakovich's symphonies, I always recommend his Symphonies 5 & 10 to newcomers.

Yes, I would agree.

[Karl Henning]

Indeed, they are all great works (with the possible exceptions of 2 and 3). Nos. 13-15 are tougher nuts to crack than nos. 1-12, for sure. Nos. 13 and 14 are not among my favorites due to the use of vocals, but 15 is a fascinating work. I just wanted to suggest Shostakovich's more accessible, "epic" symphonies to Secretariat because anyone who jumps into Shostakovich for the first time via his later symphonies may be turned off.

OTOH, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth were two of the first symphonies of Shostakovich's I heard, and I took to them right away.  There are many listeners who, in fact, find a more modern idiom an attraction.

Another consideration: many people, even now, sing in choruses, &c.  The presence of voices in a symphony is not of itself any immediate negative.

All of which is to say:  there's more ways to the woods than one!

[Secretariat]

Thanks everyone for the feedback on Shostakovich's symphonies!