William Strother ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>For me this has always been a frightening work, and a fine one.  I first
>heard it in a recording by Ormandy from about the time of the Cuban missile
>crisis, and it is likely that association that gives this such a portentous
>emotional sound for me.  I also have it by Rostropovich, but Ormandy is
>better.

I feel similarly, in fact it is one of my favourite Shostakovich
symphonies.  Although I first heard the Ormandy, my favourite remains the
Kondrashin; in the 1960s, for some reason, MK records were only distribute
in mono in the UK - I can still recall my delight at finding a stereo copy
while working in Italy in 1968.

It's a pity about the Rostropovich; I heard him do it IIRC in 1987 with the
LSO in the Barbican (c/w Beethoven 5) and that was a wonderful performance.

Deryk Barker
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