Shostakovitch – Symphony No. 5 - Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic
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€149,00
Rarity vinyl cannot be exchanged as they are sole copies of sold-out editions.
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RARITY - SEALED
Dmitri Shostakovitch – Symphony No. 5, Op. 47
Orchestra - New York Philharmonic
Conductor - Leonard Bernstein
1 LP, standard sleeve
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Record Technology Incorporated
Label : Cisco Music
Original label : Columbia Masterworks
Recorded in Symphony Hall, Boston in August 1959
Engineered by Fred Plaut
Produced by John McClure
Remastered by Kevin Gray, Robert Pincus at AcousTech Mastering
Art Direction by Tony Sellari
Photography by Don Hunstein
Originally released in 1959
Reissued in June 2007
Tracks :
Side A
I - Moderato
II - Allegretto
Side B
III - Largo
IV - Allegro Non Troppo
Reviews:
“Cisco has given the vinyl loving world a real treat by reissuing the Bernstein Shostakovitch No. 5. This is a legendary performance that sold a lot of copies in the early ‘60s. Until this reissue, the brilliance of the performance has been obscured by the typical mediocre sounding Columbia pressings. The best sounding pressing that I have found, an early six eye label, barely rises above average in its sonic qualities. This is unfortunate as the Columbia recording engineers made fine recordings equal to those of their peers at RCA and Mercury, though with a different house sound. The mediocre sound of most Columbia pressings was caused by indifferent mastering and pressing. If you have heard the Columbia recordings remastered and pressed by RCA for Franklin Mint or the few Columbia recordings reissued by Classic Records you know how good a Columbia recording can sound. Is this Cisco reissue equal to the finest EMI or Decca pressing? No, but very few LPs rise to that standard. The Cisco reissue throws a wide, deep soundstage, is dynamic, and has excellent detail and imaging. It definitely qualifies as an audiophile recording.
However, hopefully, you will not buy this LP just for the sound, though Cisco won't object if you do. What is important about this LP is the interpretation. In August 1959, Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic were in Russia as part of a 13 country European/Eastern Mediterranean tour. Bernstein and the NYP played to rave reviews everywhere they went. In Russia, Bernstein brought the house down with his interpretation of Shostakovitch's No. 5. Dmitry Kabalevsky, one of Russia's top classical composers of the time, said after hearing Bernstein's rendition of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony: "Never have I heard a better interpretation!" In Russia and in most other countries at that time, when the final movement of the symphony was performed, it was performed slowly, almost like a funeral dirge. The Fifth symphony is about the triumph of man. However, in a Stalinist state, music about the ‘triumph of man' is what gets composers executed. Shostakovitch lived in justifiable fear of being arrested and kept a suitcase packed with clothes at all times so that he would be ready when the secret police came for him.
Because of this fear of execution, Shostakovitch had the final movement always played slowly and softly. Bernstein, the brash boy from NYC, got to Moscow and played the final movement as it was written. Fast, Bold, Triumphant! The Russian audience understood the symbolism of what Bernstein had done and they went crazy. The Russian government could not put back the genie that Bernstein had let out of the bottle so they accepted the ‘brilliant interpretation' that was ‘closer to the original score than usually played'. When Bernstein and the NYP returned to the USA, Columbia, who had the recording contract with Bernstein and the NYP, wanted to capitalize on the tour's notoriety. Thus, this recording of Shostakovitch's No. 5 was made. The performance captured on this LP is one of the finest interpretations ever recorded. It ranks up there with the Stokowski on Everest, the Haitink and the Concertgebouw, and the Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra to name some of the great interpretations on vinyl. However, besides this recording being a great performance, it also represents a piece of history. After Bernstein played the final movement as it was supposed to be played, his interpretation became the one that other conductors emulated.
Great performance. Great sound. And a piece of history to boot. Highly Recommended.” Positive Feedback Review by Roger Gordon
Ratings:
Discogs 3.75 / 5