Festive Overture, Op. 96; Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10; Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54.
Yuri Temirkanov, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.
RCA Victor Red Seal 09026-68844-2. DDD. TT 64:54.
Recorded Large Hall of St. Petersburg Philharmonic, 3 & 4 January 1996.

Shostakovich's 1st Symphony is often regarded as the academic exercise of a budding composer, modelled in its first half after the Russian symphonic tradition while the latter half represented the composer developing his own voice. Critics tend to view the work as Shostakovich's only pure symphony as opposed to the "public" works of his career proper. This new reading by Yuri Temirkanov smashes all these preconceptions. Temirkanov blows away all the cobwebs of intellectualism normally associated with this work, putting it in proper perspective as an intrinsic part of the composer's mature symphonic cycle.

In the hands of Maestro Temirkanov, each movement unfolds as a series of dramatic tableaux, each revealing Shostakovich's dark programme bit by bit until in the Finale the great timpani strokes sound like warning alarms of a dark future ahead. Premonition or foresight? The way Temirkanov unfolds the tale within this enigmatic work, with its highly theatrical sequences and an orchestration that at times approaches the brutality of the 4th Symphony, seems to suggest both. The solo instruments delight in their part like cast-members of a stage play, the piano leaping forth in the Scherzo to its Petrushkian battle against the orchestra, all suggesting that the choice of instruments had more to do with storytelling than with sound colour. Careful balancing and a superb engineering help tremendously to put all these elements into perspective within the huge orchestral tuttis.

With all the diabolical goings-on put to a halt by the knell of those thick piano chords (which might have benefited from more weight) the expansive Lento seems less of a new chapter (as described by some commentators) than a continuation of previous events. The oboe solo takes on the desolate cries of its cor anglais counterpart in the 8th Symphony, and the ensuing funeral march is vividly characterised. In a clever stroke, the dying phrases of this movement suddenly intone a transposition of the DSCH motif (on B), with the violins discreetly pitching in the "S" in the main theme. Temirkanov tells us that Shostakovich once expressed the desire to excise the famous snare-drum bridge. Here the maestro fulfils Shostakovich's wish, lending an air of sobriety and foreboding to the Finale, which is a brutal and fearsome rush into an uncertain future. The final bars are especially bracing, with the snarling brass chords and thundering percussion bringing this work to a thrilling climax.

The 6th Symphony picks up where the cataclysmic end of the 1st leaves off, and Temirkanov dispels any notion that this was the work of a composer in despair. His Largo is tough and unsentimental, although it is not as frigid as the opening bars suggest. After what is a tight-lipped admission of sorrow, Temirkanov slowly relaxes his hold on the initial eulogies to begin searching for some light in the deep freeze of the inner bars, exercising wonderful flexibility with the score. It is a chilling reading, so that when the horns over the trilling celesta finally herald the icy break of dawn, one can actually sense the fleeting glimpse of hope.

The Allegro is as mean as Mravinsky's, only the St Petersburg players are now as agile as a band of sword-wielding ninjas, flipping and twirling through what is essentially a brutal mockery of the "optimistic" music expected of the composer. With this sort of precision the orchestra manoeuvres the restlessly running lines with unparalleled irreverence. Again, the superb balance in this recording helps to illuminate the many details of the score, notably the important contributions of the bass clarinet, who in this movement engages the flute in a hilarious recapitulation of the main theme only to have the latter run off in the opposite direction. The Presto piles on the momentum after a fleeting opening where the orchestra, demonstrating its incredible agility, starts off almost inaudibly. Again such dramatic treatment brings out the theatrical aspects of Shostakovich's scores, in this movement especially where the burlesque builds into a grimacing climax before dissolving into a series of solo sequences. And as with the 1st Symphony, the final bars snarl with defiance, with the timpani and bass drum pounding into the listener that this is no ordinary circus act.

The engineering is remarkably clear and transparent, a huge improvement over the sadly subdued sound of Temirkanov's previous Shostakovich 7th on RCA. Unlike many modern recordings, the solo lines are as clearly audible as the loud climaxes, yet the entire sonic range remains breathtaking. This vintage orchestra sounds even more remarkable now than it ever did, and what it has gained in precision and razor-sharp execution has not been at the expense of its raw, electrifying timbre. The rich human-like voice of its famous string section is happily still one of the most memorable aspects of this ensemble. Maestro Temirkanov handles these forces with a masterful command.

The choice of the Festive Overture as curtain raiser is a little odd though, something more suited to a concert programme. The Overture, if a little rushed, nevertheless provides a brilliant warm-up to one of the most thrilling new recordings of these two symphonies in recent years. It is certainly one of the best in Temirkanov's RCA cycle.

CH Loh
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DSCH No. 12.
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