Shostakovich: Symphony No. 3, Op. 20 "The First of May"

Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 3, Op. 20 "The First of May"
Azusa Pacific University Symphony Orchestra and Oratorio Choir
Christopher Russell, conductor
John Sutton, choir conductor
Recorded November 7, 2014 at the Haugh Performing Arts Center, Glendora, CA
0:07 - Beginning
8:56 - Rehearsal 37
15:30 - Rehearsal 49 - Lento
17:56 - Rehearsal 52 - Allegro
29:18 - Rehearsal 98 - Moderato (entrance of the choir)
Soloists:
Piccolo - Gavin Furuken
Flute - Trevor Dolin
Clarinet - Annaka Price, Amber Villanueva
Bassoon - Spencer Evans
Horn - Jenny Ortiz
Trumpet - Richard Candelaria
Violin - Marta Pawlowska
Filmed and edited by Brian Hartley. www.brian-hartley.com
See more performances by the APU Symphony on You Tube:
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To learn more about the Azusa Pacific University School of Music:
www.apu.edu/cma...

[@sasha42196]

Kudos to the orchestra for just trying one of most technically difficult of Shostakovich's symphonies. The soloists did very well, too.

[@steveburrus5526]

Dmitri Shostakovich was a very unique classiczl music composer, very definitely i n a class of his own on so many levels! I am trying to "wade" thru all 15 symphonies of his now.

[@aurahyel4700]

+Steve Burrus Try 2 helpings of DSCH a day. Best way to digest his genius. Avoid the Bernstein recording of the 5th as it is much too fast in the fourth movement. The Evgeny Mravinsky recording is the one to go for.

[@echorrhea]

You do, of course, know that Shostakovich himself was very pleased with Bernstein's interpretation of the Fifth? ;)

[@NPC54619]

Steve Burrus until he had a dispute afterward and said the tempo at the very end was twice too fast.

[@echorrhea]

He said this about Bernstein's recording? When?

[@stephenmessick865]

Have you heard the 5th conducted by Maxim Shostakovich? The last mvt was soooooo slow! It was still spectacular, by the way.

[@iphigeneiamoederpoes8742]

This performance packs enough punch to knock any working man senseless... :-)

[@gerdlindlar1980]

wonderful comment

[@patrickcrosby3824]

I am listening to this, appropriately, on May 1, 2017

[@yonggok1081503]

Wonderful!

[@wkehl2011]

Shostakovich was a genius! :D

[@wkehl2011]

This symphony is a very neat and accurate picture of what was happening in Russia early in the 20th century :-)

[@natemeeks4459]

A lovely piece. The strings performed quite nicely.

[@ernieko0630]

Classic piece😎😎😍😍😍

[@hurleymacmaster8262]

I discovered Shoshtakovich in the movie 🎥 "ROLLERBALL". Andre Previn did the music 🎶 . 70 mm and Dolby. My synapses in my back were in full swing. Extreme violence and exquisite music. I wasn't bored. I bought the Soundtrack , and played it constantly.

[@wkehl2011]

Quite a few parts of this symphony make really good espionage music! :-D

[@shin-i-chikozima]

good

[@juancamachodelrio3366]

No conozco todavía bien las sinfonías de DS pero se dice que esta es una de las menos buenas. A mí me parece maravillosa, cómo serán las mejores!

[@wkehl2011]

Shostakovich fue' un compositor muy bueno y capable :-)

[@carlosgarciasaltillo3765]

Todas son muy buenas pero la mejor es la que te guste más.

[@rachelhilla8556]

🙏🙏🙏❤✌

[@wkehl2011]

During the '50s, '60 and '70s this symphony, along with nos. 1, 2 and 4, was labeled as insignificant in the repertoire. This attitude seems to have changed as of the '80s; these early symphonies seem to have been performed more and more often :-)

[@yamchathewolf7714]

What are his most legendary/recognized works?

[@wkehl2011]

@@yamchathewolf7714 Hi Yancha :-) I can't think of anything most legendary or significant among his works but I can tell you that his seventh symphony has become quite popular. I think, though, that he did his outmost throughout his career so I think everything he wrote is unique in its own way and therefore worth listening to :-)

[@robdobson5419]

@@yamchathewolf7714 the 5th, 9th, 10th, 11th symphonies, the violin and cello and piano concertos, 8th quartet.

[@mozartmahler61]

1st symphony has always been performed and recorded, also by major conductors like Bernstein or Solti...4th was retired by the.composer himself during rehearsals, considering it too dangerous for him, after Stalin-Zdanov critics against him ("Noises instead of music"), and performed first time only in 1961.. at last, 2nd and 3rd symphonies don't seem to me so great such as other works like 7th,10th or 11th symphonies...my tastes, naturally...

[@Alix777.]

The 4th is probably one of the most avant-garde and also one of the most emotionally engaging of all his works.

[@mishakowalski6088]

Does any of the 1st Violinist or 2nd's in this video still have a copy of their parts?? Please drop me a DM, I'm looking for these parts!! (I know they are under copyright!! Just curious if anyone still had a copy laying around they could PDF!)

[@dion1949]

Shostakovich was very enthusiastic about the Russian Revolution--at first. It was only later, when Stalin tightened the screws on all kinds of artistic expression, that Shostakovich became disaffected and started composing against the grain of the Soviet authorities.

[@pravemet4427]

you could be right about the enthusiasm of Shostakovich over the Revolution, but considering he was only 11 when it took place, your meaning is unclear ..while it's true he "started composing against the grain ..." he did so in such a way that his "Master" ... Mr. S, never figured out that was what he was doing ... that's genius

[@dion1949]

@@pravemet4427 I agree wholeheartedly. I'm also not criticizing Dsch for his being enthusiastic about the Revolution. I think many people were at first until Mr. S. ruined things.

[@jean6872]

@@pravemet4427 Shostakovich never composed against nor criticized the Soviet Union.

[@jean6872]

@Patrick Maynard Who can tell?

[@user-kl5be8kd7j]

難しすぎるんですが…😅

[@pdr770]

עם ניצוח נכון ב2 ו1. וסיום ב1. עם שבת.

[@Twentythousandlps]

A symphony which sings the praises of the Communist revolution. Programmed at a Christian Evangelical university.

[@triancey]

Bravo mais vraiment pas bis. Vraiment beaucoup, beaucoup trop de fausses notes. Et c'est une pitié, parce que quand c'est joué juste ça doit faire... l'effet que fait normalement du Chostakovitch.

[@bernhardhoedjes5219]

je suis d´accordavéc Triancey. vraiment une pitié.

[@orientaldagger6920]

The strings sound like a cat being skinned alive.

[@stephenmessick865]

nice try................

[@yamchathewolf7714]

What's so beautiful about this? Extremely chaotic, lacks structure and a sense of destination. The feeling this conveys is very unsettling to me. I'm new to Shostakovich, I've only listened symphonies 1 2 and 10. The only thing that has impressed me thus far is the first movement of the 10th symphony, amazing emotional depth expressed in that one, and a dramaturgical structure.

[@josephcarlbreil5380]

This is plainly an amateurish performance. Plenty of wrong notes, not to mention sloppy intonation and wrong notes in the brass at around 20:00 in the work. The chorus have not the foggiest idea about the Russian text.

[@patrickcrosby3824]

I go to Hollywood Bowl to hear this work and I hear nothing. In fact they probably haven't play a single symphony of DS in years. If so, that boring #5. These kids are doing their best on a difficult and rarely heard work. For that I have the greatest gratitude.

[@WilliamScharf]

@@patrickcrosby3824 I'm sure the orchestra appreciates your defense of their performance, but to say the 5th is boring is beyond ridiculous.

[@anatolistoimenov1229]

The brass made a lot ofmiss takes , but the woowinds and the strings were good. Only violins made some miss takes

[@wkehl2011]

I think what might be missing is just a bit more acoustics.

[@robdobson5419]

@@wkehl2011 the way this was recorded is very unforgiving to their sound. Every little mistake is very noticeable. Not bad for a college orchestra. This is difficult music.

[@luisdimatteo1187]

Admiro y amo las sinfonias de Shostakovich pero esto, es lo mas incoherente y feo que escuché en mi vida

[@jgesselberty]

Worth hearing, but such a shame that Shostakovich was reduced to writing these propaganda pieces, and had to withdraw his monumental masterpiece, his 4th symphony.

[@ediccartman7252]

It was written in 1931, wasn't under pressure yet.......

[@MasterZiv]

Shostakovich himself from standpoint of member of Communist Party of USSR would have replied you in completely different mood. Undoubtedly, you could just skip this audio material, without your judgment.

[@DeliciousManager]

@@MasterZiv Shostakovich didn't become a member of the Communist Party until 1960 - a step he resisted for many years and caused him great pains when he had to concede.

[@jean6872]

Shostakovich's work was never reduced in any respect. It was my privilege to have been in his presence at arm's length when he received one his his awards for Soviet composition.

[@jean6872]

@@DeliciousManager Whoever informed you clearly wrote fiction.