The 4th, 6th and 15th are my favourite Schostakovich symphonies.  I
came to the 4th via the RSNO/Jarvi recordining on Chandos - a spectacular
propulsive reading.  There is a much cheaper NSO/Rostapovich recording
coupled with the 8th on on Warner Ultima label which is VERY well recorded
but not so exciting.

To the the 4th is a symphony under pressure - both physical and
psychological.  The hysterical speed of the strings and relentless build
up of tension at about 17 minutes into the first movement is the musical
equivalent of a migraine.  Also, the final moments of eerie calm with the
slow pulse puctuated by slighly sinister woodwind and percussion (ever
so subtle - quite brilliant ear for sound here on S's part) is at turns
beautiful and horrific.  Sometimes it's as if the composer is throwing
pots of paints at a wall in a fury but when you listen again you realise
how carefully the work is scored.  I think you have to remember that in
Leningrad at the time people were disappearing left right and centre.  From
memory about a 5th of the population was 'purged'(!).  I suspect that had
they been allowed to hear this great work the contemporary audiences would
have understood it very clearly.

Please borrow a decent recording from your library and listen again.

Kind regards,

David Harbin
Nottingham, UK