Richard wrote:

>more critically, the final pages were much slower, making what is arguably
>already a bombastic ending just too over-ripe.  Other versions I've heard
>- including that conducted by Maxim Shostakovich, who presumably would have
>had the benefit of firsthand advice - also take it as slowly as Bernstein
>2 does.  I often have difficulty adjusting to a speed slower than an
>"imprinted" version, and that may be the case here, but I still think that
>musically, the faster speed works better.

In the DSCH Journal you'll find an article with E.Tchivzel, a conductor
from the school of Mavrinsky.  He describes the last movement like
Sanderling, as not triumphic.  And he describes that there are many
erroneous metronome markings in S's scores.  His words about the Coda:

   "In the very Coda, what is often published as a tempo related to
   quarter notes actualy is meant to pertain to eight notes.  And so
   the conductor, who don't know better play it twice the speed" At
   which the drama and the power is lost".

Mavrinsky told Tchivzel often about this fact! Maxim knew of course.

It's is obvious, the three terrible chords and dead timpany blows at
the end, don't get the right treatment this way.  It seems that many
conductors- so -far don't conduct the right tempo.The slower end must
sound Grotesque that way.  Something Shostakovich was aware of.

Henny van der Groep <[log in to unmask]>