NAXOS Shostakovich:Symphonies

Each release of Vasily Petrenko’s complete Shostakovich symphony cycle with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic created a sensation between volume 1 in 2009 and the final installment in 2014. The individual recordings remain leading choices amongst collectors and critics, with, for instance, the Eighth Symphony (8.572392) selected as a top recommendation by BBC Radio 3’s ‘Building a Library’ program (November 2013). Mr. Petrenko was appointed principal conductor of the RLPO in 2006, becoming its chief conductor in 2009, a position he similarly holds with the Oslo Philharmonic. In addition, this Classical BRIT Awards Male Artist of the Year 2010/2012 regularly works as well with many of the world’s finest orchestras. Other recordings with the RLPO include Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony [Naxos 8.570568] (2009 Classic FM/Gramophone Orchestral Recording of the Year) and other orchestral works, Elgar’s Symphony No. 1 and Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, Symphonies and complete Piano Concertos. “Petrenko and the RLPO have achieved a triumph. The orchestral playing is ripe, detailed, lithe, concentrated and intense.” (The Telegraph on Symphony No. 10) “The final installment of Petrenko’s remarkable Liverpool Shostakovich cycle is a world-class achievement.” (The Sunday Times on Symphony No. 13). Review Sensible folk will have collected Vasily Petrenko's Shostakovichseries as each disc has appeared. Those who procrastinated should nip out and buy this amazingly cheap box, the symphonies squeezed on to nine discs. It's a steal, and these performances are consistently impressive. The only disappointments are musical. Symphonies 2 and 3 are pieces you'll probably only want to hear once, and Petrenko's valiant efforts aren't enough to save No.12 from sounding like blustery noise. The high spots are legion: Shostakovich's precocious Symphony No.1 is a fabulous, confident work. Repeated listenings confirm just how mature it is, the tonal shifts and sardonic humour already fully developed. Petrenko's performance catches the jokiness (check out the piano writing in the scherzo) and the tragedy: the oboe-led Lento is one of the great symphonic slow movements. These discs are so well engineered. No. 4's vast forces are handsomely recorded, the final fade to black shattering. The 5th Symphony's sardonic scherzo highlight's Petrenko's strengths, as does its expansive slow movement, though I've never been convinced by slow readings of the finale's coda. Symphonies 6 and 9 are both terrific, the former's vast Largo sounding as if it's a single take. You daren't leave the room while you're listening to it. The faster movements dazzle, helped by forwardly balanced winds and brass. Symphonies 7 and 8 are among the best, and Petrenko's 10th is almost as good as Andris Nelsons'. The bells which close the finale of the 11th ring out in suitably ambiguous fashion, daring us to believe that this is a Soviet-style happy ending. Bass Alexander Vinograd excels in Nos. 13 and 14, and Petrenko's 15th is haunting, witty and bittersweet, the percussion rich coda a fitting close to this cycle. The orchestral playing is razor sharp, the recordings have plenty of oomph, and the notes are detailed. What's stopping you? --ArtsDesk, 07/11/15