Dmitri Shostakovich: Jazz & Ballet Suites - Film Music
Suite for Variety Stage Orchestra No. 1, sans opus G; Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Themes, opus 115; Suite for Jazz Orchestra (Jazz Suite) No. 1, sans opus E; Novorossiisk (printed Novorossijsk) Chimes, sans opus U; Festive Overture, opus 96; The Bolt Suite, opus 27a; The Limpid Stream Suite, opus 39a; The Golden Age Suite, opus 22a; Hamlet, Suite arranged by Lev Atovmyan, opus 116a; The Gadfly, Suite arranged by Lev Atovmyan, opus 97a.
Theodore Kuchar, National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine.
Brilliant Classics 6735. DDD. 3-CD set TT 50:45+55:48+72:11.
Recorded in the Grand Studio of the National Radio Symphony Orchestra Company of Ukraine, Kiev, 1-8 June 2004.

With only a couple of quibbling exceptions the playing and interpretation of this mass-strand album is perfectly good; the Ukrainian orchestra hasn't quite the attack and bite of a Moscow or St. Petersburg counterpart; but brass is brash, strings sturdy and winds worthy of such repertoire.

The highly dashing ride through the Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 1 (formerly tagged as the Jazz Suite No. 2) is lively, occasionally lacking in tight ensemble (particularly in the first violins) but this really would qualify as a disproportionate nitpick. Rhythms are just about maintained to uniformity and the swaying lyricism of the Waltzes comes off brilliantly. I do prefer the overall light-heartedness and robustness of Riccardo Chailly's version (Decca 4337022) but there is little to choose at most junctures. As with the majority of the album, the digital sound is clear but relatively lacking in bloom; metal replaces wood to no great aural detriment.

What might have threatened to become 'yet another' balletic visitation takes a hard swing to the Left in this release's excursion; not only to distant Kirghizia but also to the outlying ventures in Novorossiysk, where (and don't blink, or you'll miss it) we are treated to the eternal chimes through which Shostakovich felt inclined to pen a ditty of 2:30.This same theme was taken up by many a Soviet broadcast through its outer guise as Fire of Eternal Glory to the poor, fettered West. Splendid to hear these under-recorded pieces in worthy performances; minor works they may be, but extremely Shostakovich they are.

The second disc presents three ballet suites, a rare and vital opportunity to assess this massively understated aspect of the 'cyclic' aspects of the composer's oeuvre. The Bolt was the gem here for this listener (an offering of six movements), firmly set in the Rozhdestvensky mould (Chandos CHAN 9343(2)) and elegantly rounded by the Ukrainian forces. Limpid Stream was limp in places, trickling its way through an uncomfortable selection of only five pieces. Golden Age encourages a mere four movements, albeit the best of same; Overture, Adagio, Polka and Dance - only the Polka fails, largely through atypically poor balance and a percussionist with the dithers.

As for the film offerings, nought to have the planet spin out of control in the face of extraordinarily original programming. Hamlet is in vogue and Gadfly was never out of vogue. The former masterpiece is well tended here in a committed rendition (although in places I longed for more biting brass and for a dose of impetus dramaticus; see also Fiona Ford’s Arena contribution in DSCH No. 26 - Ed.) whereas the latter is sublime; I can't think of a better-played Romance (omnipresent or no). This is guaranteed to have even the most hardened exponent of the 'Shostakovich never wrote good melodies' school of idiocy revelling in the Russian lyricism in which the work is bathed.

Bravo to all concerned; given the ridiculously low price it would be simply irresponsible to resist!

Nigel Papworth

Shostakovich: Jazz Suites
Suite for Variety Stage Orchestra No. 1, sans opus G; Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folksongs, opus 115; Suite for Jazz Orchestra (Jazz Suite) No. 1, sans opus E; Novorossiisk Chimes (The Fire of Eternal Glory), sans opus U; Festive Overture, opus 96.
Theodore Kuchar, National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine.
Brilliant Classics 7096. DDD hybrid multichannel/stereo SACD/stereo CD. TT 50:45.
Recorded in the Grand Studio of the National Radio Symphony Orchestra Company of Ukraine, Kiev, 1-8 June 2004.

Extracted from the three-CD set reviewed above, this programme arrives on a hybrid SACD disc that offers surround sound for technophiles but remains fully compatible with conventional CD players. The acoustics are bright and up-front.

As noted by Nigel Papworth, this rollicking performance of Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 1 can hold its head high even in the company of Chailly's pioneering 1991 recording (Decca/London 433 702-2). Chailly has the edge in structural finesse, and the way he builds excitement at the end of Dance 1 is difficult to match. However, this is not serious music and Kuchar's performance is all the more enjoyable for breathing the air of the dance hall rather than the concert stage. In Little Polka, for instance, Chailly's rhythm seems over-controlled when contrasted with Kuchar's infectiously jaunty gait.

Kuchar and Chailly invest roughly the same time in each movement, preferable to the perversely fast tempos often adopted by Dmitry Yablonsky (Naxos 8.555949; reviewed in DSCH No. 18). There is simply no room in Yablonsky's supersonic Dance 2 to generate the punchy cadence that graces Kuchar's account, which lasts two-thirds again as long.

Nobody spotlights the unorthodox instrumentation in this suite better than Chailly, though the accordion solo in Little Waltz is more colourful in Kuchar's sweeping version. With an invigorating groundswell, the Ukrainian players make the beginning of the Finale akin to throwing open the windows on a sunny summer's morning, and neither Chailly's Concertgebouw nor Yablonsky's Russian State Symphony Orchestra convey as much joy.

Incidentally, Kuchar sticks to the published order of the movements whereas both Chailly and Yablonsky rearrange them to maximise contrast between consecutive numbers. It matters little either way.

The Jazz Suite No. 1 from 1934 also fares well in Kuchar's hands. His Waltz takes place in a disreputable nightclub full of oily characters who would neither gain entry to Chailly's black-tie event nor wish to attend Yablonsky's sleepy soiree. Kuchar's Polka has more pep than either competitor. The ghost of Kurt Weill haunts all three versions of the Foxtrot; Yablonsky scores a point here with his eerily disembodied Hawaiian guitar. For both suites overall, however, Kuchar's is the better of the two budget discs and makes a viable alternative to Chailly's Jazz Music album.

The sole original work Shostakovich composed in the fallow year of 1963, Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folksongs commemorates the centenary of Russia's "voluntary incorporation" (i.e., annexation) of Kyrgyzstan. The wordless overture was completed four months after a trip to attend a music festival in Kyrgyzstan. Of his travels, Shostakovich wrote in Izvestia, "Not only were we enchanted by the natural beauty of Kyrgyzia, but we also could see for ourselves how rapidly its culture was developing, how much you could meet at every turn that was new, bright and full of joy."

In reality, Soviet rule devastated Kyrgyz culture, barring master folk musicians from performing and declaring traditional musical instruments rudimentary, even imposing frets on the indigenous lute, the komuz, so that it would resemble a balalaika. Belying his Izvestia statement, the Shostakovich of Testimony was well aware of the damage inflicted on folk music throughout the national republics of the USSR: "I'm often invited to the republics for various gala performances of musical achievements, exhibits, plenums, and so on, and I often go. I act as the wedding guest and naturally praise everything in sight, or almost everything. But I see through it all, and my hosts see that I see. And both parties pretend that everything is fine." Shostakovich and his Kyrgyz hosts can be seen pretending in a seven-second film snippet on the Chandos DVD-ROM (Chan 55001; reviewed in DSCH No. 15).

Testimony contains blistering criticism of the proliferation of inauthentic "national" works from the republics, which were actually ghostwritten by Russian composers. For this overture Shostakovich turned to genuine Kyrgyz folk material: Op maida, a song to accompany threshing, and Tyryldan, about a mythical creature. These are stirred in with the Russian folksong O, You Tramps from the Omsk region of Siberia.

Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folksongs has had a hard time attracting friends and recordings alike. The orchestration feels bloated for the thematic material, probably because Kyrgyz folk music is entirely alien to Western musical tradition and does not wear such dress comfortably. The overture's erratic rhythms are not immediately alluring either. Paradoxically, once familiar, it is likely to be the irregular, repetitive chant from Op maida that sticks in the memory as being worthy of repeat listening.

Kuchar's enthusiastic performance shines a flattering light on the overture. Like a soundtrack to an imagined adventure in Central Asia, there is a powerful mood of discovery. The only currently available alternative, Neeme Järvi's rendition with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Deutsche Grammophon 459 415-2), is neither as muscular nor as exotic, lacking the Oriental accents put on by the Ukrainian musicians. Enrique Bátiz' now-deleted version with the Royal Philharmonic (ASV CD DCA 707) was over a minute slower than Kuchar's 9½ minutes (Järvi takes 10), stalling in the process.

The other rare bird on this CD, Novorossiisk Chimes, answered a request in 1960 from representatives of Novorossiysk for music to commemorate the Black Sea port city's defenders of World War II. In September 1942, the German 17th Army captured Novorossiysk and held it for a full year before being driven out by fierce fighting. In February 1943, however, Soviet troops took and held a beachhead on the Eastern side of the bay, denying the Germans use of the port to ship war supplies, and repelling all attempts to dislodge them. For its role as a stronghold during the Great Patriotic War, Novorossiysk was later awarded the honorific of Hero City.

Novorossiisk Chimes takes its theme from the first two bars of an entry Shostakovich submitted unsuccessfully in 1943 to a contest for a new Soviet national anthem. The USSR's loss was Novorossiysk's gain. The lonely celesta intones the theme three times, the orchestra answering after the third call, lending comfort and strength, elaborating on the theme and swelling continuously to a triumphant close. It is everything an anthem should be: noble, stirring, and brief (2:40 in Kuchar's recording).

In Shostakovich: A Life, Laurel Fay reports that the Novorossiysk officials had expected only that Shostakovich would choose appropriate excerpts from the standard classics, so they were overwhelmed when he presented them with this original tribute. Since September 27th, 1960, it has been played every hour at the Flame of Eternal Glory in the city's Heroes Square.

No other recordings of this work are currently in print. Enrique Bátiz' afore-mentioned ASV disc included it, but he did not achieve that special poignancy of the opening chimes found in Kuchar's performance, which are liable to draw a lump to the throat. Bátiz' cymbals are also excessively splashy at the end. Over its short lifespan, Kuchar's account is surprisingly moving, and by the time the final fortissimo flourish is attained, many listeners shall think themselves accursed they were not in Novorossiysk, and hold their manhoods cheap that they did not fight with its liberators.

The ubiquitous Festive Overture pads the disc's total time to just over 50 minutes. This is not the most polished example of opus 96, but the delicate passages nestled in its middle are handled with delicacy. De Preist's entry with the Helsinki Philharmonic is more desirable for its shiny husk and tender, uniquely legato pith (Delos DE3089; coupled with Symphony No. 10). However, Kuchar's interpretation provides more entertainment value than the congealed reading of Andrew Litton and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (Delos DE 3246; reviewed in DSCH No. 14).

The only evidence of the super-budget status of this release is its annotation. The first three pages of notes are lifted from the booklet accompanying the Rubio Quartet's complete Shostakovich cycle (Brilliant Classics 6898; to be reviewed in DSCH No. 24) and confusingly retain the title Dmitri Shostakovich: a life in fifteen String Quartets. The works on the present SACD are granted only one page written by David Doughty - Yves Senden is not credited for his notes from the quartet boxed set. Doughty's contribution mixes up the Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 1, assembled by unknown hands at an unknown date, with the "lost" Jazz Suite No. 2 of 1938, reconstructed by Gerard McBurney in 2000 (Mandala MAN 5039; reviewed in DSCH No. 17).

Documentation aside, however, this release earns a firm recommendation.

W. Mark Roberts
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