Shostakovich: Symphonies vs. SQs

[Karl Henning]

The 10th is nearly my least favorite of Shosty's symphonies (the bottom of the barrel belongs to the 7th) but I assume it's some strange quirk of taste that prevents me from appreciating it because it's damn near worshipped here. In the Symphony poll it placed first with 52 votes received from 67 voters (tied with the Fifth). Clearly there is something wrong with us, amw 

My votes went to 4, 8, 9, 14 and 15.

Our votes align, apart from my swapping 7 & 10 for 9 & 14 (which I like mighty well, too) . . . .

[Sergeant Rock]

I deserve that 

Sarge

[Brahmsian]

I deserve that 

Sarge

  Well, for now, I am just aiming.  The rodent sniper hasn't fired yet, just waiting for my signal. 

[springrite]

The 10th is nearly my least favorite of Shosty's symphonies (the bottom of the barrel belongs to the 7th) but I assume it's some strange quirk of taste that prevents me from appreciating it because it's damn near worshipped here.

I am not a fan of the 10th, nor 7 and 8 (among others). I grew up watching Soviet movies from the early days and these Shostakovich symphonies remind me so much of that familiar cliche-ish communist sound. It is unmistakable. I can't believe how well-eudcated westerners could fall in love with that sound. If we let you watch a hundred Soviet movies you'd get sick of that sound, I'd bet.

[Brahmsian]

I am not a fan of the 10th, nor 7 and 8 (among others).

OK, your turn, Paul.    I may just fire, because the 8th is my favourite. 

[Sergeant Rock]

I am not a fan of the 10th, nor 7 and 8 (among others). I grew up watching Soviet movies from the early days and these Shostakovich symphonies remind me so much of that familiar cliche-ish communist sound. It is unmistakable. I can't believe how well-eudcated westerners could fall in love with that sound. If we let you watch a hundred Soviet movies you'd get sick of that sound, I'd bet.

I'm grateful I can enjoy the (very great) Eighth without the political baggage.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

  Well, for now, I am just aiming.  The rodent sniper hasn't fired yet, just waiting for my signal. 

You do know I keep trying to like the 10th. One day it might just click...if I don't get blown up first!

Sarge

[springrite]

OK, your turn, Paul.    I may just fire, because the 8th is my favourite. 

Nothing like Gopher Pellets to scare me off!

Go KINGS Go!

[Brahmsian]

Go KINGS Go!

Indeed, Paul.  I hope the Kings finish off Chicago.  If the Kings play the Rangers in the final, I'm rooting for L.A. 

[Brahmsian]

You do know I keep trying to like the 10th. One day it might just click...if I don't get blown up first!

Sarge

Absolutely! 

[springrite]

I'm grateful I can enjoy the (very great) Eighth without the political baggage.

Sarge

Agreed. Wish I could keep the political garbage off of my mind.

[Karl Henning]

I am not a fan of the 10th, nor 7 and 8 (among others). I grew up watching Soviet movies from the early days and these Shostakovich symphonies remind me so much of that familiar cliche-ish communist sound. It is unmistakable. I can't believe how well-eudcated westerners could fall in love with that sound. If we let you watch a hundred Soviet movies you'd get sick of that sound, I'd bet.

I understand, well, part of my brain does, anyway.

I hate when Other Stuff interferes with Art.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I am not a fan of the 10th, nor 7 and 8 (among others). I grew up watching Soviet movies from the early days and these Shostakovich symphonies remind me so much of that familiar cliche-ish communist sound. It is unmistakable. I can't believe how well-eudcated westerners could fall in love with that sound. If we let you watch a hundred Soviet movies you'd get sick of that sound, I'd bet.

That's funny. My wife (who is Russian) reduces all of DSCH to "the Germans are coming."

[North Star]

Oh, I've heard the 13th and didn't like it. Not surprised, though, since I don't really care for choral symphonies.
never heard the others

Well, hear the others - they're my favourites, and none of them is choral (although 14 does have two singers)

Well, since my role on GMG seems to be to throw the stink bombs, Shosty's symphonies are often pretty poor. Imagine this was his complete symphonic oeuvre:

2,3,4,7,11,12,13

Would he be part of the repertoire? No. They are like Beethoven's First, they aren't programmed just on their own merits.

Is any Haydn symphony programmed just on its own merits? Does it mean that the music is any lesser?

Of the rest, all of which are in varying degrees good and flawed, which are masterpieces? 14, probably 10. 
I would count some of the late song cycles as masterpieces, but they aren't part of this poll. 

So I vote quartets. But above those I voted the preludes and fugues and CC2.

I agree, 14 & 10 are great, as are the song cycles (which I don't know as well as I should), CC2 and Op. 87.

The only one's I, personally, would not consider as masterpieces are 2, 3, 12....maybe 14 - Even though I enjoy these symphonies.  Got to remember that Shostakovich shares top spot for me as a favourite composer.    I'm biased. 

We can still be friends.  .  .     maybe.  0:)

[Brahmsian]

The Leningrad, ironically, has suffered from its historic significance, and (non-ironically) has been routinely abused in Academia (even in contexts where 20th-c. symphonies are accepted as valid artistic expression).   I'm all for not forcing anyone who doesn't want, to listen to the piece;  but it is great music.  Even a self-appointed critic like Lenny, who when he recorded the piece with the NY Phil edited out a passage or two from the variations in the first movement, later saw light, and his recording with Chicago, if perhaps a bit idiosyncratic, demonstrates the cumulative power of the work.

The Lennygrad? 

[Mirror Image]

I'm surprised that the 6th gets so little love. This is a harrowing work, especially that first movement. The second and third movements, which are fast, make for an unusually structured symphony. The last movement of the 6th I refer to as 'demonic circus polka.'

[Brahmsian]

I'm surprised that the 6th gets so little love. This is a harrowing work, especially that first movement. The second and third movements, which are fast, make for an unusually structured symphony. The last movement of the 6th I refer to as 'demonic circus polka.'

It's a good one, indeed.  Love that final movement! Good description, John. 

[amw]

Of late I've come to think of the Tenth in the context of Rachmaninov's Second (same key), as a sort of "grand finale" for the Russian nationalist symphony tradition. I know this is probably totally ahistorical and wrong and inappropriate, but I like thinking of the Tenth that way, as a final summation of all the conflicted and tumultuous tradition that came before it.

Interesting; if there's a Shostakovich symphony I'd think of in that light it would be the Fourth, which seems to be attempting to simultaneously encompass and draw a veil over the entire nationalist symphonic tradition, while 2, 3 and 5 proclaim the birth of the socialist realist symphonic tradition. (Of course there remained some overlap for a couple of decades, because Myaskovsky.) Perhaps it's the abstract, classical nature of the 10th that makes it seem more "Russian" and less "Soviet", I don't know.

The 10th is nearly my least favorite of Shosty's symphonies (the bottom of the barrel belongs to the 7th) but I assume it's some strange quirk of taste that prevents me from appreciating it because it's damn near worshipped here. In the Symphony poll it placed first with 52 votes received from 67 voters (tied with the Fifth). Clearly there is something wrong with us, amw 

Indeed People definitely like it for some reason, it's just evidently not one I'm in sympathy with; the same with the esteem for the Preludes and Fugues, most of which I can't even tell apart so formulaic is his invention, yet for others they're on par with Bach. It is a mystery.

[Mirror Image]

It's a good one, indeed.  Love that final movement! Good description, John. 

[Karl Henning]

The Sixth is marvelous, no question!