Bernard Chasan ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>John Smyth Writes:
>
>>Oh no, no, no!  Granted, I think it's quality is a little front heavy,
>>with the first mov't alone being worth the price of admission--especially
>>that 16th-note, (32nd-note?) fugue that comes out of no where.  What an
>>incredible imagination he had.  Try again.
>
>To my ears the high point of the symphony is the great affirmative fanfare
>- like section which starts about half way through the last movement.  It
>is IMHO one of the great passages in all of Shostakovich.

Do you mean the passage which starts with the pounding timps? I agree it's
one of DSCH's great passages, but I'm afraid I don't hear those grinding
dissonances as affirmative.

DSH himself obviously though enough the of closing pages of the 4th to
reuse them (or their basic ide anyway) in the 1st mvt of the 5th and again
(IIRC) in the first cello concerto.

Deryk Barker
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