I would like some list help here. If you are familiar with all the
symphonies of Shostakovich, how would you rank them in terms of a) their
intrinsic excellence and b) their importance to understanding of the
composer? If that is too much work, then I'd be satisfied with your top
three overall picks. Annotate your choices, and suggest a performance on
CD of each, in both a top pick and a best budget pick, if possible. Thanks
in advance.

Chris Bonds