The bassoon's solo is majestic and breath-taking. It made me hang on the edge of my seat. His sound is so beautiful and pure, I truly never heard anything like it. I'm absolutely amazed. Complimenti to Augusto, the new Principal Bassoon!!!🎶
Symphony No. 9 in E flat major op. 70: The Ninth Symphony expected of Shostakovich was very different from the eighth Symphony he delivered. His previous two symphonies were grand affairs of over an hour in length, and each required a massive orchestra. These symphonies were also thematically tied to the ongoing war: His Seventh Symphony appeared to chronicle the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, while his Eighth portrayed the turning of the war as the Russians drove the Nazis back into Germany. It was subsequently expected by all that, for his Ninth Symphony, Shostakovich would deliver a grand apotheosis to Stalin that celebrated the end of the war, and ultimately completed his epic « war trilogy » of symphonies. In spite of these expectations and, in fact, likely because of them Shostakovich instead delivered a short, small-scale neoclassical work that had more in common with Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony than with the Ninth Symphonies of Beethoven or Mahler. This symphony also has a number of solos, there are big solos for all the woodwind instruments, the trumpet, the trombones, and the violin. These solos should be free, expressive, and light. This is especially true of the bassoon, which is heard throughout the entire fourth movement and fifth movement. The « Largo » is the necessary turning point in the development, the solitary peak from which there opens before us that wide perspective so necessary for understanding the inner meaning of the whole work. It is a return to the past which is impossible to forget, even amidst the joys of peaceful life. The true meaning of the bassoon solo, however, will likely never be known Shostakovich left no written program, and the accuracy of remarks made in his memoirs remains questionable. We will do with! *Lucien*
Ich finde die 9. Sinfonie von Schostakowitsch ein Meisterwerk. Die Holzbläser sind da ganz besonders hervorzuheben. Im Kopfsatz, in ganz klassischer Sonatensatzform , spielen die Holzbläser eine zentrale Rolle der Exposition. Sie stellen das Hauptthema vor, das sich durch das gesamte Werk zieht. Das Thema ist so schön lyrisch und melancholisch, die Holzbläser spielen mit großer Kraft. Insgesamt finde ich die 9. Sinfonie ein unverzichtbares Klangbild. Es ist so eine emotionale Wirkung und die Sinfonie ist ein unvergessliches Erlebnis. Bravo!
Quelle merveilleuse version de la 9. La prise de son rend justice à l'ensemble des instruments et la direction d'orchestre est d'une précision et d'une sensibilité réellement émouvantes. Merci à vous tous pour ce moment qui relève de la grâce. On imagine Mozart, de son ciel, écoutant la neuvième de Shostakovich, et pleurant dans les bras de son épouse adorée.
As much as I love program music (and therefore Shostakovitch), I really don't know what is represented in this symphony, just that it is so captivating, original, and engaging. I love it so much.
I love this! Clear presentation of personal tragedy/sadness/agony and transforms them into a bright, but mild, hope for the future. And appreciations of the past experiences, whether thery are good or not. Still fearful about the upcoming future, knows that the agonies will appear and repeat again. But still we have hopes and things keep changing. And Shostakovich tells all this story from his personal point of view, unlike his other gigantic symphonies. Beethoven would have smiled a lot listening to this 9th piece.
