Aram Khachaturian; Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphonies No. 3; No. 6 (Leopold Stokowski)

Information

Composer: Aram Khachaturian; Dmitri Shostakovich

• Shostakovich - Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54
• Shostakovich - The Age of Gold Suite, Op. 22a
• Khachaturian - Symphony No. 3 (Symphony-Poem)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Leopold Stokowski, conductor

Date: 1968

Label: RCA

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Review

The next disc I'll cover is also of material new to CD (well, you could nit pick and point out that Stokowski's 1940 recording of Shostakovich's 6th was issued on CD a few years ago, but that's not this recording). The CD also contains Shostakovich's "Age of Gold" Suite and Khachaturian's Symphony #3. All three are from recordings Stokowski made with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1968. (There is also a fascinating live Shostakovich 10th from these guest visits. It was available on a 12 disc Chicago Symphony issue.)

If you are a 'newbie' to classical music and interested in exploring this symphony, no doubt you have already been introduced to Shostakovich's sound world from his 5th. This is cut from the same cloth. Ed Johnson provides an excellent analytical map of the work. I have no comparison to make reference to because I've never seen a reason to replace my LP of this recording. I added the 1940 recording on CD when it became available. Still, Stokowski's recordings were so good I didn't feel any reason to try anyone else. If you are considering adding this to other recordings you already have, well this review may be of help to you if you know the Stokowski sound and like it. The sound is excellent, another fantastic remastering. (I should ask Ed if he had anything to say about the sound on the releases…he did write some fantastic notes, so maybe he was consulted.)

I'll glide by the "Age of Gold" Suite and go right to the Khachaturian. This piece is much less known and the listener may only be familiar with the composer's music from the 'Sabre Dance' from his ballet. I'll be kind here, if you like brass, especially trumpet, and the organ you will probably love this piece. It has its moments, but for the most part I feel the work lacks coherence. Ed provides an excellent commentary about the piece and it is well recorded. I feel safe in saying that nobody does it better than Stokowski.

— Robert Stumpf II

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Aram Khachaturian (6 June 1903 – 1 May 1978) was a Soviet Armenian composer and conductor. Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, he studied at the Gnessin Musical Institute and the Moscow Conservatory with Nikolai Myaskovsky, among others. As a young composer, he was influenced by contemporary Western music, particularly that of Maurice Ravel. In his Symphony No. 1 and later works, this influence was supplanted by a growing appreciation of folk traditions. His other works include Symphonies No. 2 & No. 3, the symphonic suite Masquerade, the ballet Spartacus, concertos, as well as film scores and incidental music.

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Dmitri Shostakovich (25 September 1906 – 9 August 1975) was a Soviet composer. Trained at the Petrograd Conservatory, he achieved early recognition with his Symphony No. 1. He later faced severe criticism from Soviet authorities, particularly after the condemnation of his opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District. His Symphony No. 5 marked a pivotal stylistic adaptation that secured official approval while retaining depth and seriousness. Throughout his career, Shostakovich produced a substantial body of symphonies, chamber works and concertos, remaining a central figure in Russian music throughout his life.

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Leopold Stokowski (18 April 1882 – 13 September 1977) was a British-born American conductor known for his flamboyant showmanship, the rich sonorities of his orchestras, and his influence as a popularizer of classical music. Stokowski gained an international reputation as musical director of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1912 to 1936. He directed the New York Philharmonic from 1946 to 1950 and the Houston Symphony from 1955 to 1962; in 1962 he formed the American Symphony Orchestra in New York City. Stokowski made three films with the Philadelphia Orchestra, including Walt Disney’s Fantasia (1940).

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