I think Shostakovich will be remembered as the symphonist born in the 20th
century. It is difficult to overestimate the genius of his creation in the
fifteen symphonies, and hard to rank...although it is fairly easy to
categorize his lesser works:

Symphonies 2, 3 and 12 all have their moments, but in general lack the fire
of inspiration found in the others. They go to the bottom of the list.

If I were forced to pick one as the greatest, it would be Symphony 13, Babi
Yar. In fact, I will go out on the proverbial limb (again, if forced!) and
pick Babi Yar as the great 20th century symphony...

So to the ranking:

1.  First place: Symphony No. 13, Babi Yar, in either of the Kondrashin
recordings: the world premiere on Russian Disc, if you can find it, or the
studio effort from a few years later and now released on BMG/Melodiya.
Essential documents of Western civilization, I say without exaggeration.

2.  Tied for second place are Symphonies 10 and 8. Several excellent
recordings from which to choose, but for both of these I give pride of
place to the Sanderling/Berlin Symphony Orchestra discs on Berlin Classics.
Another excellent 10th, paired with the premiere Western recording of the
4th, is Ormandy/Philadelphia on Sony Classics.

3. Third place tie for Symphonies 6 and 4. Recordings of the 6th include,
again, Sanderling/BSO on Berlin Classics, Kondrashin/Moscow PO on
BMG/Melodiya or the earlier Bernstein/NYPO on Sony Classics.  Avoid the
Bernstein on DG. The two best 4ths are also the first ever recordings:
Kondrashin/MPO on BMG Classics or Ormandy/PO on Sony.  With the Ormandy
you get a superb 10th, too.

4. Fourth place tie for Symphonies 14 and 15. Late Shostakovich of
exceptional and piercing emotional content. Death obsessed. Symphony 14
is really a song cycle for two soloists and chamber orchestra.  Either
the Rostropovich or Barshai are to be chosen, if you can find either or
both (both are Melodiya recordings variously released in different forms),
get them. Avoid any multilingual version such as Bernstein, which distort
the composer's intent.  For 15, I highly recommend the premiere Western
recording with Ormandy and the Philadelphia, recently released by RCA as a
"high definition" CD. Sounds wonderful, coupled with the Gilels reading of
the Piano Sonata.

5. Fifth place: Symphony No. 5. Many good recordings, including
Bernstein/NYPO (the 1959 recording) on Sony Classics, Sanderling/BSO on
Berlin Classics, and Maxim Shostakovich/USSR State SO on BMG/Melodiya (not
either of his later efforts).

6. Sixth place: Symphonies No. 7 and 11. Bernstein/Chicago SO on DG for 7;
Stokowski/Houston Symphony on EMI for 11.

7.  Seventh place: Symphonies No. 1 and 9. Ormandy/PO on Sony Classics or
the Sanderling/BSO disc, coupled with 6, for 1.  Kondrashin/MPO on
BMG/Melodiya or Jarvi/Royal Scottish SO on Chandos for 9.

You will note the absence of Mravinsky from this list. He premiered many
of Shostakovich's works, but never was given a decent quality recording of
any of the symphonies. When he backed out of the premiere of 13 in 1962,
his relationship with the composer was never again the same, and subsequent
premieres went to Kondrashin. Melodiya recorded two complete cycles:
Kondrashin and Rozhdestvensky.  Kondrashin is in somewhat constricted,
but perfectly acceptable stereo throughout, and you won't go wrong if you
locate his complete set now out on BMG/Melodiya. The later Rozhdestvensky
is recorded in early digital with a truly bizarre multi-microphone assault
on the orchestra. I find them unlistenable, but others will disagree on
this.

Just my $.02 worth.

Regards,

John M. Proffitt
General Manager & C.E.O.
Radio Station KUHF-FM