Shostakovich - Symphony No.1 and Cello Concerto No.1 / Ormandy; Philadelphia; Rostropovich

 

Dimitri  Shostakovich:

Symphony No 1, Cello Concerto No 1

1.  Symphony no 1 in F minor, Op. 10 by Dmitri Shostakovich

Conductor:  Eugene Ormandy

Orchestra/Ensemble:  Philadelphia Orchestra

2.  Concerto for Cello no 1 in E flat major, Op. 107 by Dmitri Shostakovich

Performer:  Mstislav Rostropovich (Cello), Mason Jones (French Horn)

Conductor:  Eugene Ormandy

Orchestra/Ensemble:  Philadelphia Orchestra

We are fortunate that the premiere recording of Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 took place under such ideal conditions. Not only do we have the work's dedicatee, Mstislav Rostropovich, but also the Philadelphia Orchestra in top form under the enthusiastic direction of Eugene Ormandy. The performance is legendary and never has been bettered. Rostropovich seems to have absorbed the solo part into his very being, offering an emotionally involving, electrifyingly virtuoso rendition. The other piece of luck is the recording, which sounds nearly as vivid as today's finest in this new remastering.

The sound is just as impressive for Symphony No. 1, though in this case the change of venue introduces noticeably more reverberation (the finale's climactic timpani solo booms into the space). Ormandy conducts with an engaging alacrity and freshness, and if he doesn't match the driving intensity of Russian performances (Rozhdestvensky, for example) he more than makes up for it with the magnificent playing he draws from the Philadelphia Orchestra--especially the strings, who play the slow movement's theme with a tonal richness and singing beauty you'll hear nowhere else. This is a wonderful performance, and a perfect coupling for the concerto, which remains a classic. No Shostakovich fan should be without this disc. [9/5/2006]

--Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday.com Reviewing Sony 86844