In the Shostakovich year 2006, Decca comes with a number of beautiful compilations of old, but not outdated material from the catalog. This box, with concerts, orchestral suites and chamber symphonies, opens with Chailly's successful recording of both Jazz Suites. Well, jazz ...: the music has more to do with what was popular in the music hall at the time with, for example, Gershwin. At the most,
… you would have the objection to the Chailly recording that it is all just a little too good: it is precisely in somewhat drier versions that the sardonic character of these pastiches can come out beautifully. As with some Decca CDs around Rossini, Verdi and Puccini, Chailly has made an effort to keep forgotten material for eternity on some of his Shostakovich releases. It's not always great music but it is nice that the film music of, for example, the story of the little dumb mouse (a kind of Tom & Jerry cartoon) is unlocked with this. The chamber symphonies are Rudolf Barshai's conscientious arrangements to Shostakovich's Third, Fourth, Eighth and Tenth String Quartet. Furthermore, the compilation includes performances of the First (Mullova) and Second (Kremer) Violin Concerto, both Cello Concerts (Schiff) and The Execution by Stepan Razin (conducted by Herbert Kegel). The last mentioned work from 1964 is (as in Symphony No. 13) a setting for bass, chorus and orchestra after a poem by the poet and Soviet critic Yevtushenko. (HJ) The chamber symphonies are Rudolf Barshai's conscientious arrangements to Shostakovich's Third, Fourth, Eighth and Tenth String Quartet. Furthermore, the compilation includes performances of the First (Mullova) and Second (Kremer) Violin Concerto, both Cello Concerts (Schiff) and The Execution by Stepan Razin (conducted by Herbert Kegel). The last mentioned work from 1964 is (as in Symphony No. 13) a setting for bass, chorus and orchestra after a poem by the poet and Soviet critic Yevtushenko. (HJ) The chamber symphonies are Rudolf Barshai's conscientious arrangements to Shostakovich's Third, Fourth, Eighth and Tenth String Quartet. Furthermore, the compilation includes performances of the First (Mullova) and Second (Kremer) Violin Concerto, both Cello Concerts (Schiff) and The Execution by Stepan Razin (conducted by Herbert Kegel). The last mentioned work from 1964 is (as in Symphony No. 13) a setting for bass, chorus and orchestra after a poem by the poet and Soviet critic Yevtushenko. (HJ) The last mentioned work from 1964 is (as in Symphony No. 13) a setting for bass, chorus and orchestra after a poem by the poet and Soviet critic Yevtushenko. (HJ) The last mentioned work from 1964 is (as in Symphony No. 13) a setting for bass, chorus and orchestra after a poem by the poet and Soviet critic Yevtushenko. (HJ)more
