# 100 Favorites: # 86



## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

*Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 "Babi Yar"
Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow PO, Arthur Eizen (bass), USSR Russian Male Chorus (Angel/Melodiya)*










Shostakovich's choral symphony, a dark meditation on the Babi Yar massacre in World War II and anti-Semitism in general, made the Soviet authorities deeply uncomfortable. Yevgeny Mravinsky, who'd premiered most of Shostakovich's symphonies, refused to conduct it because he was fearful of the political blowback. So, at Shostakovich's request, Kirill Kondrashin stepped in. He premiered the work, and he also made this first studio recording. Kondrashin's performance is as smooth as rough sandpaper and dark, dark, dark. He doesn't stint the bitter, oppressive, caustic aspects of DSCH's music. Most other versions sound tame in comparison. Faint glimmers of hope and tenderness occasionally peek through the gloom -- particularly in ghostly snatches of Jewish melodies. But Shostakovich's overarching tone owes more to Mussorgsky's death-haunted music, echoing the darkness of the _Sunless_ and _Songs & Dances of Death_ cycles. As such, this music is quintessentially Russian, and I can't imagine a more idiomatic performance.

Incidentally, a live recording of Kondrashin's world-premiere performance -- with Vitaly Gromadsky in the bass soloist role -- is also available. I've read good things about it, but I've never heard it.


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