Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No.8, Kurt Sanderling, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1997

Off air tape from German public radio NHK, not available as part of the BPO digital concert hall.
Listen to this performance of Shostakovich 15th symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic, the only other public performance of Sanderling and this orchestra:
• Dmitri Shostakovich: S...
8th: Legendary performance of this symphony by a conductor who worked very closely with the composer. In this concert he was a substitute for the ill Günther Wand on short notice. Günther Wand was scheduled to conduct Schubert symphonies No. 8 and 9.

[@JMaxwell1000]

The most beautiful cor anglais solo in all the symphonic repertoire. And Wollenweber performed it splendidly.

[@Dylonely42]

- How dramatic do you want your symphonies to be ? Shostakovich : Yes.

[@Dylonely42]

The transition between the third and the fourth movements is utterly insane. Shostakovich’s orchestration is stunning.

[@briananderson8428]

Lovely that Sanderling took the Concertmaster's hand and then asked the orchestra to stand.

[@hectorberlioz1449]

Incredible intense performance, never heard this symphony better....

[@kingconcerto5860]

Check out Sanderling's 5th if you don't know it.

[@diogenesagogo]

Shostakovich's compassion & understanding of the flawed human soul runs through all his music like a golden thread. I just pray someone like him is running the universe.

[@ArtyFactual_Intelligence]

I just wish there was someone like him running Russia.

[@zinam5795]

...That's His Time, Authors--no running...

[@user-mr3cz5vt6n]

And which bungling xxx created these flawed human souls?

[@mihaidumitrescu1325]

WOW! One of the best descriptions I have ever read about S: " understanding of the flawed human soul". I would have said "understanding of the tormented human soul", but wow!

[@mintdb8365]

Great performance!!!! I’m in tears

[@Tortuosit]

25:10 The transition back into the main theme, out of the darkness, this it where it gets me. Shostakovich was so awesome in those transitions. Something related is the return into the main theme in Sym 5/1, where he pitches all violins up to go to that key. Shostakovich was the best composer of the 20th century, I hope one day there is a successor.

[@fiacchi]

This is unbelievable.

[@TimSwensen]

Dominik Wollenweber's english horn solo was beautiful. Very interesting to see numerous current principals of the orchestra featured here in their youth. Emmanuel Pahud, Stefan Dohr, Wenzel Fuchs, Daniele Damiano. Really nice playing.

[@OE1FEU]

00:19:02 Yes, that was breathtakingly beautiful, full of sorrow, emotion and beyond any orchestral solo I've ever heard. I attended this performance twice and it gave me the goosebumps every time.

[@jmwoods190]

There is also Manfred Preis, the recently retired bass clarinetist!

[@joshlorenz1510]

holding breath, falling in parts... flashing, flabbergasting!

[@jgesselberty]

Not only is the performance superior, but the camera work is a symphony in and of itself. Beautifully filmed.

[@aalleexxii]

The zoomout at the end is well chosen.

[@ThomasOgrodnik]

First Movement - 00:33 Second Movement - 28:30 Third Movement - 35:17 Fourth Movement - 41:48 Fifth Movement - 51:38

[@Dylonely42]

Thank you.

[@KentaPenta64]

Thanks!

[@cristianmunozlevill1265]

17:40 What an unbelievable climax. Bravissimo.

[@nealhines4476]

Thank you Maestro Sanderling!

[@jauscielinginclusive3873]

BRAVO BRAVO TANK YOU ALL OF YOU FOR A RELAXING AND ENJOYABLE VIDEO

[@detectivehome3318]

Relaxing 🤣🤣 Have you listened to 17:38

[@billsezame4132]

Sanderling said that the first movement " was one of the crowning achievements of his (Shostakovich) life. I cant imagine a single episode being condensed or deleted, and there's not a single bar that could be omitted." That can be said of the whole symphony. What a terrific performance!

[@Tortuosit]

The Sanderling recordings with the Berliner Sinfonieorchester are a heaven send. And given their recording date, they are of exceptional quality. The 8th is grim and rough, as it has to be. If I hear a performance which starts soft and legato, I lose all interest. This performance here with Philharmoniker is comparable.

[@Dylonely42]

Indeed

[@christophbader3713]

I think also the 3rd and 4th movement combined are an absolute marvel. My only critique about the fourth movement is, that it could be twice as long even. Just such an amazing “place” to be in.

[@JulianusRex]

I could do without the first 10 minutes.

[@Tortuosit]

23:48 until the end of movement one. That's where my mind is in some state somewhere out of this world. It's the bestesttest any composer has ever written.

[@stephenhall3515]

Apart from the timpani hitch (which one can "unhear") this has to be the best Shost 8th of all. Sanderling always played it so every part was clear and, by displaying the structure as well as the sonics being perfect, his performances were on a sort of double level. Evidently standing in for a sick Gunter Wand, it is probable that Sanderling chose the 8th instead of what was on the original programme menu. Wand is not known to have ever conducted Shost 8th. We can only imagine what rehearsal time was available. This consideration makes the performance all the more miraculous.

[@OE1FEU]

Wand was scheduled to conduct Schubert's 8th and 9th symphony. Obviously Sanderling thought that the BPO was the perfect canvas for Shostakovich 8th symphony. I agree. I was there, twice and this was an earth-shattering experience, both times.

[@Discovery_and_Change]

0:33 begins | 13:00 flute build up | 13:27 next build up | 13:49 military climax 13:58 scary

[@user-cw9qy1ik4v]

What a vivid depiction of the horrors of the WWII. Made me cry.

[@scuunjieng]

am sorry I never got a chance to watch him live. what a performance and from someone around 85.

[@sylviapuccetti9602]

thank you for sharing this beautiful symphony and the wonderful interpretation

[@antoniopapini3096]

muy buen registro

[@paytporik]

Shostakovich! Shostakovich!! Shostakovich !!! Shostakovich!!!! Shostakovich!!!!! Shostakovich!!!!!! Shostakovich!!!!!!! Shostakovich!!!!!!!! Shostakovich!!!!!!!!! Shostakovich!!!!!!!!!! +++++++++ Kurt Sanderling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ++++++++Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@josearmandoestrada305]

Espléndida dirección de una bellísima sinfonía.

[@bartrazin]

Absoluut!

[@valerieheinderyckx4506]

Très intense...

[@stevenwilgus5422]

Play the final five minutes of the Fourth WITH the opening of the Eighth (with the same volume. The bridge is remarkable.)

[@Tortuosit]

Thanks for uploading, I always prefer Kurt Sanderling/Berliner, own all those recordings. I wish he conducted #11, but there is Haitink/Concertgebouw a heaven sent.

[@OE1FEU]

You must be talking about his recordings with the Berlin Symphonic Orchestra. This one here is the Berlin Philharmonic and he only conducted this orchestra with two different programs in 4 concerts altogether and only one (with No. 15) was released as a recording on an obscure label.

[@Tortuosit]

@@OE1FEU Yes you are right, I meant the ones with Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester.

[@dieterbarkhoff1328]

I dislike the 11th and 12 as much as I hate the 7th. Believe me, I am a HUGE Shostakovich fan, but these 3 pieces are Made to Order Propaganda Pop music and I doubt Shostakovich rated them. I am a very big fan of symphony 4 and I wish Kurt Sanderling - along with Furtwangler, my favorite conductor EVER - had recorded it. 2 and 3 are inconsequential steps towards the sheer magnificence of the 4th. Not only is Sanderling one of two favorites, he is also the most UNDER-RATED conductor in history. Unlike his adored colleague, Mravinsky , Sanderling conducted with 'soul'. Mravinsky was a superficial time beater in comparison.

[@Robert…Schrey]

in the first mvmt. they play before, on, and after the beat, in close sequence. 😂

[@ortegoortego4963]

дааа... весёлая музыка

[@Dylonely42]

?

[@scorntorrent3292]

ржунимагу

[@zinam5795]

. ....Особенно Скерцо веселит...!

[@32132187]

35:18 steam locomotives rush towards each other

[@Tortuosit]

38:50 The satirical part

[@datokarchava6445]

19:54 the violist looks like Mahler

[@detectivehome3318]

Yea lol 🤣

[@taka-zq8jb]

1mov: 0:33 - ( 16:02 ) - ( 17:06 ) - ( 17:59 ) 2mov: 28:29 - ( 33:09 ) 3mov: 35:18 - ( 38:50 ) - ( 41:22 ) - 4mov: 41:47 5mov: 51:37 - ( 1:06:36 )

[@seanoslin5299]

Cathartic

[@cafenero1164]

38:50

[@neil7137]

Thank you for uploading! In the description you mentioned that Sanderling substituted the ill Günter Wand. I wonder if the original programme is Wand conducting Shostakovich 8 or perform other works? Because it's interesting if Wand ever (want to) conduct Shostakovich, it seems like it's not in his repertoire.

[@ArtyFactual_Intelligence]

Perhaps the Shostakovich 8 was also a substitute for the sick Bruckner 8?

[@obiwan88]

Yes, I was curious for the exact reasons, because I don't seem to hear maestro Wand conducting any Shostakovich... Perhaps by chance the BPO got to play this symphony, which their usual conductors wouldn't touch...

[@OE1FEU]

Wand was scheduled to conduct Schubert 8th and 9th symphony. Obviously Sanderling was granted enough rehearsal time to replace this programme. He must have been a roaring success with the BPO, because they later invited him as the conductor for an out of season special concert with Alfred Brendel playing the Schumann concerto and Sanderling conducting the 15th Shostakovich symphony. Which was nothing short of spectacular and I was happy to attend this one as well.

[@obiwan88]

@@OE1FEU Thank you so much for filling in the information. The above performance is a very special one, probably coming from a person who experienced first hand what Shostakovitch was trying to depict. Outstanding BPO musicianship, bravo to both maestro and orchestra!

[@Tortuosit]

@@obiwan88 The one you can buy with Berliner Sinfonieorchester and Kurt Sanderling is comparable to this performance here. My absolute favourite one as for #8. Island disk.

[@JJBRMusic]

37:06. Damn.

[@OdinLimaye]

Probably the greatest 20th century symphony ever composed!

[@kennethdower7425]

Or, Nielsen 5th.

[@ArtyFactual_Intelligence]

@@kennethdower7425 Nielsen 5 is wonderful, but DSCH 4-8-10 + 13 are the supreme contenders.

[@kennethdower7425]

@@ArtyFactual_Intelligence I'd agree, with perhaps Sibelius 4th and Walton 1st.

[@Dylonely42]

Rachmaninoff’s second, Mahler eighth.

[@Dylonely42]

Shostakovich 11th alongside this one.

[@jakenowell5211]

37:20 trumpeter looks like Manfred honeck

[@Tortuosit]

48:23 Pasacaglia clarinet solo

[@sudair]

‏‪13:49‬‏

[@ondrejsedo8659]

Tympanist gets lost starting 17:30 :-(

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

Oyy. Indeed. Totally. Never finds back in in the entire passage.

[@Cadenza93]

Yeah kinda ruined the best part of the piece

[@grandepittore]

I wonder if the symphony would have sounded different if Maestro Sanderling's collar had been turned down.

[@AndreyRubtsovRU]

Scherzo in one. huh. interesting.

[@technik-lexikon]

Because of the gigantic opening movement, it was necessary to choose the Scherzo as the 2nd movement. He did this also in his symphony 10

[@AndreyRubtsovRU]

@@technik-lexikon I mistyped, I meant 'in one', as in conducted in one.

[@bartrazin]

@@technik-lexikon Not only in this and the tenth but also in the first,fourth,fifth,sixth,seventh and thirteenth symphony. And you could say that the third movement is a scherzo which in itself recalls the sixth symphony.

[@willyhwang1059]

I’m still waiting for a metal band to cover the third movement

[@hybridlife5303]

間違いなく一期一会・世界最高の８番、ＮＨＫは早く権利関係をクリアしてハイブリッドＳＡＣＤ化もしくはＤＶＤ化することを望む

[@Tortuosit]

Any news about it?

[@mark-shane]

Great symphony but as often is the case Terrible direction by the TV ..

[@doromamire]

おお安永徹ではないか。久々に見た。さういへば最近どうしてゐるんだらう。まだ現役だと思ふが全然話を聞かなくなつた。Sanderlingはまあよからう。

[@alexeyizmirliev64]

L'assolo della tromba così così?