I listened to this work, and enjoyed it.  Mr. Schwartz describes Vainberg
as a Shostakovich Doppelganger.  Unlike most people who ignorantly so
describe him, I can well believe that Mr. Schwartz has heard most Vainberg
works that are on CD- indeed, perhaps all, and perhaps even quartets 7 & 8
and other works that while recorded on LP have never been released on CD,
instead of just the "greatest hits" on which such a judgment is usually
made.  To which I can only say- as someone who has heard as much Vainberg
as I can get my hand on (not, so far, the Serenade, the cello concerto or
fantasy, the first cello solo sonata or preludes, the viola solo sonata #1,
the sinfoniettas in d minor and g minor or the flute sonata), I cannot
agree, and find signs of Shostakovich-ness lacking in relatively few works
beyond the very best known (such as sym. 5, 6 and the trumpet concerto).
The conclusion of the 14th symphony, the strange piling-on that opens the
last movement of the 10th is like little or nothing I have ever heard from
Shostakovich, and that's just for starters.  This is, however, just my
opinion, if one which- like Mr. Schwartz (I say without sarcasm, for I
respect him entirely even when we disagree)- I have tried to make as
informed as possible.

Eric Schissel
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http://www.lightlink.com/schissel ICQ#7279016