The earliest known
preserved performance of the Eighth
is the Boston/Koussevitzky of April
1943. This New York/Rodzinski followed
eighteen months later; both were recorded
in concert and the first commercial
release was not until the 1947 Mravinsky.
This is the context
in which we should listen to this fascinating
broadcast and one should further note
the conductor’s affiliation with Shostakovich
– he had set down recordings of the
First and Fifth Symphonies with his
Cleveland orchestra and had given the
American premiere of Lady Macbeth
of Mtsensk in January 1935. It’s
arguable in fact whether there was anyone
better on the American scene to take
on a new score by the composer.
This is a taut, perceptive,
intelligently conducted reading. The
opening movement is highly impressive
with Rodzinski slowly increasing the
tension from the mid point onwards;
the martial rhythms at 15:20 register
viscerally but sectional balance retains
integrity. The Allegretto is grittily
done and the central movement is taken
at a Kondrashin-like tempo. The Largo
is eloquent and controlled and ends
with great warmth whilst the finale
is strong, purposeful and unambiguously
heroic. The playing of the wind principals,
and especially the cor anglais player,
is distinguished throughout.
There are perhaps inevitably
some technical frailties. Chording is
not precise, especially in the opening
movement, and there is some ragged playing
especially in the Allegretto. The recording
is not always free from congestion but
whilst the sound has a more limited
range than is ideal I wouldn’t want
to suggest that it’s at all bad. In
fact for the period, and considering
the questions of balance and orchestration
involved, it comes over very well.
Peter Reynolds has
done well in his remastering and Robert
Matthew-Walker’s notes admirably convey
the salient features of both work and
this particular performance. He certainly
did well to remind this reviewer about
the Cleveland First because it had completely
slipped my mind.
In short this is valuable
work; a fiery, intense contemporary
performance captured in very reasonable
sound and performed by one of Shostakovich’s
most perceptive and understanding Western
interpreters.
Jonathan Woolf
see also Review
by Christopher Howell
Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New
York/Artur Rodzinski 
