# Recommendations for a newbie Shostakovich fan?



## lesjohn (Feb 14, 2009)

I just finished a semester of introductory music appreciation/history, and loved Shostakovich and Bartok's string quartets. I listened to some other pieces by those composers, but I'm not sure where else to look next. Suggestions?


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Look for a CD that has Oistrakh/Mitropoulos in Shosty's first violin concerto paired with Rostropovich/Ormandy in the first cello concerto. Both are definitive recordings, and the cello concerto was my first real introduction to Shostakovich.


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## Ciel_Rouge (May 16, 2008)

Hi lesjohn and welcome to the forum.

If you look for things other than concertos, you should definitely check out the symphonies and the Hamlet Suite as well as the Jazz Suite.


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## lesjohn (Feb 14, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions so far! Are there any other composers who write similar music I could look into as well?


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

lesjohn said:


> Thanks for the suggestions so far! Are there any other composers who write similar music I could look into as well?


Well Shostakovich was a rather unique composer, though he took much inspiration from Gustav Mahler; there's another thread of recommendations of his music if you don't know it already.

Glad I could be of help!


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Well, Shosty's symphonies are pretty amazing. His most well liked is propably the 5th, but the 7th is popular, too. One of my favorites is the 12th...though I'm not sure if this one is high on most people's lists.

Also, check out The Execution of Stepan Razin. It's a pretty intense piece for soloist and chorus and contains some truly angry music. I love it.

(Shostakovich is best heard LOUD.)


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## Ciel_Rouge (May 16, 2008)

If we are talking about specific numbers with symphonies, I'd definitely add Nos. 10 and 15.

I'm not saying they are very similar, but you could also try Stravinsky (Rite of Spring) and Rimsky-Korsakov (Antar, Sadko, Scheherezade).


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

And the string quartets are much more consistent and reliable in the way of music quality/emotion than are the symphonies; the first string quartet was written when Shosty was already in full command of his mature voice, whereas the first _symphony_ was written when he was a student. Huge difference.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Ciel_Rouge said:


> If we are talking about specific numbers with symphonies, I'd definitely add Nos. 10 and 15.
> 
> I'm not saying they are very similar, but you could also try Stravinsky (Rite of Spring) and Rimsky-Korsakov (Antar, Sadko, Scheherezade).


The first piece I got to know by Shostakovich was his Symphony No. 10 & I agree its a good symphony to start on. As for Bartok, I would recommend his Concerto for Orchestra, Violin Concerto No. 2 or Piano Concerto No. 3 as an introduction. His Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, Divertimento for Strings, Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 and the Miraculous Mandarin are more astringent and somewhat darker, but they are also interesting to listen to.


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

I hasten to recommend the later Shostakovich symphonies (11-15), but a newbie may be better to start with the earlier ones. As for others: _October,_ the Jazz Suites, _The Bolt_ and _Festive Overture_--A great _overture_ to Shostakovich's work.



Tapkaara said:


> Also, check out The Execution of Stepan Razin. It's a pretty intense piece for soloist and chorus and contains some truly angry music. I love it.


I've never heard this particular piece. Thanks for suggesting it; I shall check it out soon!



Tapkaara said:


> (Shostakovich is best heard LOUD.)


Agreed.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Tapkaara said:


> (Shostakovich is best heard LOUD.)


Agreement fully agreed with as well!

Kiril Kondrashin's Shostakovich set is now available in the U.S., just in case anyone was interested: Russian to the core!


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## ncherone (Feb 8, 2009)

I would suggest starting with Shostakovich's 5th (if you haven't already... it is the most accessible and popular of his works).

As for addition Shosty listening... The 11th symphony is nice and bombastic... and the 7th and 10th are also very popular. Once you are more familiar with his music I would recommend the 4th (my personal favorite), 8th, 13th, 14th, 15th symphonies.

Other than symphonies... check out the Festive Overture (also good introductory music), Piano Trio #2, Cello Concertos (both), Violin Concerto #1, Preludes and Fugues for piano, Cello Sonata, Four Romances on Poems by Pushkin, and Sting Quartets 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 11.

As for similar music: try Prokofiev, Mahler, Nielsen, and Schnittke (a bit more on the "edgy" side).


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

ncherone said:


> As for similar music: try Prokofiev, Mahler, Nielsen, and Schnittke (a bit more on the "edgy" side).


I would recommend Prokofiev's 2 string quartets, especially the 1st.


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