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Shostakovich: Symphonies 1 & 15 - Wigglesworth

Shostakovich: Symphonies 1 & 15 - Wigglesworth

BIS  BIS-1643 SACD

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical - Orchestral


Shostakovich: Symphonies No. 1 & 15

Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Mark Wigglesworth (conductor)


Mark Wigglesworth's cycle of the symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich has been evolving gradually since its beginnings in 1997. First out was No. 7, the 'Leningrad Symphony', which Classic CD Magazine described as 'a magnificent release in all respects'. Since then, Wigglesworth has offered us a Ninth, Twelfth and Fourteenth all designated 'Benchmark Recordings' by BBC Music Magazine at the time of their respective releases, a ‘Babi Yar’ (No. 13) described as 'probably the most convincing Thirteenth to have appeared in the West’ in International Record Review, an account of the Fourth in which the conductor, according to the DSCH Journal, proved himself to be 'unquestionably outstanding'...

The list could go on, with the general verdict being that the cycle has offered constantly interesting and often thought-provoking interpretations and striking performances. Wigglesworth started his traversal with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, recording Symphonies Nos 5, 6, 7, 10 and 14 with that orchestra, and in 2005 moved across the English Channel to continue the project with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.

It is the Dutch ensemble that on this last instalment of the series perform the First and the Fifteenth, the alpha and omega of a symphonic production that spans almost 50 years of the composer's life and more than perhaps any other body of musical works reflects world events – the Communist revolution, World War II, Stalinist oppression – and their creator's reactions to them.

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PCM recording

Recording: October 2006 at the Music Centre for Dutch Radio & Television, Studio MCO5, Hilversum, the Netherlands

Producer: Robert Suff

Sound engineer: Thore Brinkmann

Equipment: Neumann microphones; RME Micstasy microphone preamplifier and high resolution A/D converter; MADI optical cabling; Yamaha 02R96 digital mixer; Sequoia Workstation; Pyramix DSD Workstation; B&W Nautilus 802 loudspeakers; STAX headphones

Post-production: Editing: Elisabeth Kemper, Jeffrey Ginn, Mixing: Thore Brinkmann, Robert Suff

Executive producer: Robert Suff

24-bit / 44.1 kHz resolution
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Comment by Waveform - January 19, 2017 (1 of 1)

BIS released the First Symphony earlier: Shostakovich: Symphonies 1-3 - Wigglesworth. Why they decided to brought out this re-release? Yes, there is the 15th Symphony but its couple could have been more reasonable.

I have listened the PCM recording (44,1/24) only in surround and it is excellent with huge dynamic range and plenty of air around the instruments. The centre channel is more active than usual which brings a pleasant front-to-back perspective. The rear speakers are used for the ambience in a nice way. Without a doubt this is my favourite Shostakovich's First.