Russian composer Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (1906-1975) created some of the most celebrated Symphonies of the 20th Century; music that artfully portrayed the turbulent history of Soviet Russia. After initially achieving notoriety, his relationship with the Soviet bureaucracy became complex and difficult, leading to his music being officially denounced twice, in 1936 and 1948. Sharp contrasts and elements of the grotesque characterize much of his music, yet his orchestration is clear and economical. Shostakovich composed the beloved 5th Symphony after being denounced, and many believe the more conservative character of this piece is an attempt to rehabilitate himself in the eyes of the bureaucracy. Such criticisms must be viewed within the context of the times, and by any measure these 15 Symphonies represent a world unique to the mind of Shostakovich himself. You can explore that world by purchasing this virtual box set of the complete Shostakovich Symphonies for a special price.
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9.50093 SHOSTAKOVICH : THE COMPLETE SYMPHONIES 1-15 
"Ladislav Slovak offers solid, non-mannered readings of these fifteen symphonies, which taken together constitute furnish a sweeping novelistic account of the composer's harrowing life between the late 1920s and the early 1970s... 5,7,10 among others - hold their own here against their many more celebrated competing versions. And the recorded sound of this set, in keeping with the Naxos concern for sonic excellence, is actually better than on the two other, more expensive sets." Steve Metcalf, Hartford Courant |
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| Bach | • | Beethoven | • | Handel | • | Mozart | • | Tchaikovsky | • | Vivaldi |