Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 (1937) [50.39]
Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester/Kurt Sanderling
rec. 1982 Studio Christuskirche, Berlin
BERLIN CLASSICS 0300750BC [50.39]
This Berlin Classics reissue of the Shostakovich Fifth Symphony
recorded in 1982 has been remastered from original Eterna master tapes. Founded
in 1952 the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester was based in the Soviet sector (East
Berlin) until official reunification in 1990. After nearly having to fold,
the rejuvenated orchestra was renamed the Konzerthausorchester Berlin in 2006.
Born in East Prussia, conductor Kurt Sanderling studied in Berlin until forced
out during the rise of Jewish persecution by Hitler’s National Socialists.
In 1936 Sanderling left Germany for the Soviet Union, working behind the Iron
Curtain for most of his life and becoming a friend of Shostakovich. Sanderling
was principal conductor of the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester between 1960/77
and this 1982 recording is from one of his regular stints conducting the orchestra.
As Sanderling pursued an international career in the 1980s I was fortunate
to see him conduct Mahler Ninth Symphony with the BBC Philharmonic orchestra
at the BBC Studio 7, Manchester.
There can’t be too many classical music lovers unaware that Shostakovich
subtitled his Fifth Symphony, ‘A Soviet Artist’s Response to Just
Criticism’; evidently in response to a suggestion made by a journalist
a couple of months after the premičre. In 1934 the Soviet leader Josef Stalin
attended a performance of Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
and was appalled by the opera’s content. Two days later the Soviet state
newspaper Pravda ran a condemnatory editorial titled ‘Muddle
Instead of Music’, denouncing the opera as “coarse, primitive
and vulgar.”Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was banned and Shostakovich
was placed in a disturbing state of dishonour. During the rehearsal stage
of his austere and introspective Fourth Symphony a work lacking in the uplifting
melodies insisted upon by Stalin he was advised to withdraw the score before
its premičre. In an attempt to rehabilitate himself with the Soviet Authorities
Shostakovich completed his Fifth Symphony, more openly conservative in style
and its premičre in 1937 at Leningrad was a triumph. After Shostakovich’s
new and frightening denunciation in 1948 it was Sanderling who conducted the
first revival of the work.
Right from the opening pages of the Moderato movement I soon became
aware of the orchestra’s brilliantly rich and voluminous sound, that
comes through the deep instruments: the cellos and double basses. Overall
the emotional effect Sanderling achieves is one of bleakness, anxiety and
foreboding. Cloaked in nervous energy the brief Scherzo, often said
to contain the spirit of Mahler, takes the form of a sardonic waltz with a
forced tongue-in-cheek quality. Despite what has gone before, shafts of light
are shining through the murk. Scored without brass the agonising Largo
projects emotional vulnerability, deep despair and intense introspection which
in the hands of Sanderling evokes a bleak landscape laid to waste. I love
the way the brass and woodwind arouse from their slumber in the Finale.
With martial-like passages full of swagger, stirring vigour and drama. Sanderling
develops a powerfully driven forward momentum and I felt a shiver run down
my spine as the music rushed impetuously to an awe-inspiring conclusion of
outward triumph. Eminently suited to the music of the 20th century Soviet
master, the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester under Kurt Sanderling give a performance
of depth, vitality and overwhelming emotion that lingers long in the consciousness.
Recorded under studio conditions at Christuskirche, Berlin the engineering
team have provided good clarity and satisfying balance with only the high
strings sounding somewhat glassy in their top register. Two quite excellent
essays are contained in the booklet; one of which is from the original Eterna
LP sleeve.
There are a number of excellent accounts of Shostakovich’s most popular
symphony in the catalogue and Sanderling is more than a match for most. Originally
on Melodiya my first choice is the compelling account from the USSR Ministry
of Culture Symphony Orchestra under Gennady Rozhdestvensky from the 1980s
reissued on Olympia. Also recommendable, for its significant insights is the
version by Rudolf Barshai with the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, recorded in
1996 (available on Brilliant Classics).
Michael Cookson
Previous review: Dan Morgan
|
Support us financially by purchasing
this from
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|