Originally published on March 19
Symphony Two (1927, ‘To October’, commemorating ten years since the Revolution, which Symphony Twelve would further embrace) is a remarkable piece of musical experimenting (and rare for Shostakovich) – from sinister chromatic fog in the strings to a choral ending, singing and chanting, garnished by factory siren via wild cacophonous music that the composer wouldn’t have wanted Stalin to hear. I first heard this cinematic score many years ago broadcast from Liverpool, conducted by Sir Charles Groves (coupled with Britten’s War Requiem); it made a big impression and still does. John Storgårds’s sympathetic and perceptive conducting of Shostakovich continues into the ubiquitous Fifth Symphony (1937), seen whole by Storgårds, and without extra-musical baggage: the result is a true Symphony that leaves its story (and there is one) to be sensed by the listener. The slow movement, unfurled spaciously, is impeccably controlled, while the ‘you shall rejoice’ ultimate coda leans towards the massive (if not emulating Masur, below), and without any rallentando, not required in the notation but most conductors do one (if not Mark Wigglesworth on BIS or, below, Fedoseyev): without such broadening the listener is catapulted into something locked-in rather than being inveigled into false triumph (the authorities can fall for that). This is a compelling Fifth – first-class playing by BBC Philharmonic (Yuri Torchinsky, leader), immaculate production by Mike George, superbly recorded by Stephen Rinker. Chandos CHSA 5378 [SACD] is released on April 3. No matter how many Fifths you have, I suggest this from Storgårds is a must-have.
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHSA%205378
Premiered 1937 by Mravinsky.
Includes a Tchaikovsky encore.