Cello Concerto No. 1 in Eb major, op. 107[a]; Symphony No. 5 in D minor, op. 47.
Christopher Cox, London Shostakovich Orchestra, Jonathan Ayling (cello)[a].
Dunelm Records DRD0227. DDD. 2-CD Set TT 28:6 + 55:33.
Recorded live, St. Cyprian's Church, London, 15 May 2004.
Available for £16.95, or £10.95 for Symphony No. 5 only (DRD0227B), plus P&P if outside the UK, from the London Shostakovich Orchestra website: http://www.shostakovich.com/cgi-bin/site/cdorder.pl

Here is another instalment in the ongoing series by the London Shostakovich Orchestra, a very worthy endeavour of rather uneven quality, due to severely limited rehearsals and a difficult recording venue. I'll start with the best first, the Cello Concerto No. 1. This is not the most polished performance by soloist or orchestra - take several early flubs by the solo horn for example - but it's a somewhat raw, on-the-edge reading that draws one in. There are wonderful moments of wind, brass, and string playing here. Young Jonathan Ayling doesn't play safe, and you can almost hear his sweat. You certainly do hear his bow movements and finger taps, but these are not at all distracting. The Moderato is deeply affecting, especially in the celesta's dialogue with the cello, despite a few missteps in the cello's high harmonics. Ayling takes a thoughtful and probing approach to the cadenza, and while there are a number of missed notes, the sense of struggle is keen and appropriate. He gets bogged down towards the cadenza's end in the tight runs but then picks up right into the Allegro, where he shows much more agility and speed and conquers the equally tight runs here. Ayling is an accomplished cellist, already with a number of premieres and awards to his name. In addition to his solo work, he sits in the cello section of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. His performance of the Second Cello Concerto at the LShO's November 2004 concert was less adventurous, but definitely a great first effort for this infrequently performed piece.

The tedious performance here of the Fifth Symphony made for difficult reviewing. It seems that Cox, while so good in the concerto and other Shostakovich works, tries for a record slow interpretation. He comes in at just over 55 minutes, the slowest performance I know of. Compared with the famously slow Rostropovich (Teldec 4509-94557-2; deleted ), Cox is over five minutes longer in the first movement, marginally so in the second, almost four minutes longer in the third, and a half-minute in the fourth. This comes off not as a grand statement, but as a stodgy and painful reading from the start. There's a real lack of tension due to the lines being drawn out so much, leading to lethargy and severe strain on the players, resulting in poor intonation throughout. This is a serious problem in the central march in the first movement where an increased tempo doesn't help much. The orchestra seems worn out in the most riveting section of the entire symphony, in the third movement where the celli cry out with stabbing double bass responses.

The performance is best some time after the beginning of the fourth movement when the tempo finally speeds up considerably, and one senses relief on the part of the musicians, who play at their top level here. The preface to the coda (those repeated timpani notes) is excessively slow, while Cox tries to take the coda at a grand pace. Thankfully, he doesn't rein in the trumpet dissonances (hidden in so many performances), and the conclusion is one of struggle. The same forces' live concert in November 2004 of the Twelfth Symphony, which shares so much with the Fifth, came off as a more cohesive whole than this Fifth.

The programme notes, by Andrew Power, are quite good, although he does not take note of the more recent findings on the personal meanings of some of the themes and mottos.

I wish here to emphasize the amazing nature of the performers - they give these all-Shostakovich concerts with only two rehearsals, one a week before the concert and the other the day of. Given that the players do not perform together regularly, their concerts and recordings are an act of incredible devotion and of inspired musicianship. Their recording of Symphony No. 12 and Cello Concerto No. 2 should be available soon.

Richard Pleak
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DSCH No. 22.
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