Shostakovich Symphony No 4 (CSO Haitink) includes bonus DVD of Beyond The Score by Gerald McBurney

Haitink's Shostakovich has never been Russian in style. His pioneering symphony cycle on Decca in the 80s established a point of view that eschewed social realism, the People's heroics, intense personal suffering -- in short, all political and biographical overtones. Critics split over whether he was wrong to tame the composer's intense struggle and inner conflict; they will have the same complaint here. But as pure music this new Sym. #4 is phenomenal. My benchmark for the work has been Gergiev and the Kirov Orch. (Philips), but the CSO's blazing virtuosity easily outdoes them. The sheer beauty of the playing sets a new standard.

In addition, we have demonstration-quality sonics from the orchestra's house label (I listened in two-channel stereo) that captures both detail and power. Haitink's great strength as an interpreter here is that he keeps this disjointed and often baffling behemoth together, de-emphasizing abrupt contrasts without losing momentum. It's strange to call any reading of the Fourth shapely, but this one is. If you think of the Fourth as aggressively revolutionary or as a paean to the Machine Age, be forewarned that Haitink doesn't. But there's plenty of bite and sardonic wit when needed -- unlike in his recent Mahler Sixth from Chicago, the condcutor doesn't show his age here.

In all, a decided success from an old master at Shostakovich, as long as you are willing to be more cosmopolitan than Russian.

I guess the news was out months ago that this CD had won a Grammy for best Classical CD of 2008. It deserves it too. Many critics will say Haitink is too slow in the outer movements, but that is strength if you are trying to find the detail in Shostakovich's orchestration. Kondrashin is faster and probably the standard, but he is also somewhat of a blur. Haitink lets you soak up this massive tragic symphony for all it is worth. I really don't have much to add. It is a live performance and congralutations are also to be had for the excellent Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The CSO proves that they are one of the top orchestras in the world.

If you have a question as to what is more expansive the old 1977 London Philharmonic Orchestra or this Chicago Symphony Orchestra version both with Haitink the answer is the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. If my review has left you confused because you are a first time buyer of Shostakovich I would suggest getting the Kondrashin box set with the recording of the 4th symphony if you really want to be a purist. If on the other hand you want to be more adventureous and have the opposite of Kondrashin get this version. It is more steadfast, controlled, and reveals the tragedy of this music like a great cinematic movie.

To me, the Fourth is by far the most interesting and moving of the Shostakovich symphonies, truly a signature work of the 20th century. In the video interview on the bonus DVD Berhard Haitink rightly objects to the hackneyed equation of the work's sound world with industrial machinery and marching masses, clichés that are unfortunately the mainstay of the illustrated talk that fills most of that same DVD. It is an interesting idea to complement a recording with such an introduction, but this one will give you little more than a general lesson in Soviet history and a rehashing of well-known facts from Shostakovich's life at that period. It does very little to deepen understanding of the music, and may even get in the way by planting unwanted associations in the listeners mind, say, with imagery from Charlie Chaplin slapsticks. In a way, the less said about this intensely personal work the better; just listen, it tells its own story very eloquently.

But maybe not as eloquently as it might, in this reading by Haitink and the CSO. In a bid to bring out the many subdued passages for which this work isn't famous, but which nonetheless form its main material, Haitink underplays the big moments, and slows down to a degree where stasis sets in and a sense of pulse is lost. Indeed, this reading is longer than any other I own (and I own quite a number), some ten minutes longer than a few of my favourites. This needn't be a problem: Haitink's earlier recording on Decca also took nearly 70 minutes, but that one has a smouldering intensity and a cumulative majesty that puts it way ahead of the present CSO version. Beautiful detail notwithstanding the overall effect is rather flaccid and somewhat grey. It's not until the finale, in the one burst of sheer joy at nr. 184, that conductor and ensemble finally seem to break out of their confines. The ensuing collage of bizarre waltzes and burlesque marching episodes is done beautifully and is alive with witty, sparkling detail. The overwhelming faux-climax too is realized impressively, with the return of the funeral march melody, lost in almost all recordings, for once balanced as it should be and clearly audible. The desperate, Angst-ridden final pages do not fail to move and leave you stunned. The very end remains a stroke of genius, the celesta breaking out of its obsessive c minor mould in the very last bars, thus turning what seemed until then a conclusive tragedy into a big question mark.

The recording was made live in the not too favourable acoustics of Chicago's Orchestra Hall. The audience is very well-behaved, ie., almost inaudible, but the sound is very lean and dry and in quieter passages seems overly detached. Climaxes lack bite and often sound a bit cloudy. As said, this remake has nothing to recommend it instead of Haitink's earlier London version, quite the contrary, and recordings by Jansons, Rattle and Gergiev too make a rather stronger claim on your purse.

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